Thanks for your reply. I really am sorry if I caused offence. I actually quite enjoyed Will’s thoughts on bacon snacks and Turkish Delight. I certainly don’t want to ruin your party. I currently live abroad and wish there was a similar forum for Brits here. But if there was, I certainly wouldn’t use it to proclaim my hate for the neighbouing countries. It wouldn’t seem right.

There are pros and cons in every nation on earth, including their histories. Histories are just that though. Britain and Ireland are different countries to those which they were even thirty years ago. And for history, don’t read people. Some things annoy me about everywhere. Even my own country. But it has never led me to proclaim my hate for these places.

I don’t proclaim that my opinion is the only valid one, any more than Will or other contributors. The thing is that my problem is with the Hate. Both you and Will sidestepped all of the issues I raised. I thought it might be interesting to have a good natured debate.

And why shouldn’t someone who an article proclaims to hate have the right of reply? I would certainly expect a torrent of comeback if I wrote an article, and published it, proclaiming to hate another nation. Isn’t this the problem we have in the world at the moment? A lack of understanding, grudges, blind Hate, and fundamentalism.

My Irish mates, and Irish sister-in-law all wish the hate would stop. It usually does when people spend time in my country and enjoy a drink down the pub.

The site is lightly peppered with Hate – albeit with some slightly contradictory statements at times. What can this achieve? Hate can only achieve conflict.

If you asked me to leave your party for opposing Hate, then that would be a reflection on you guys, and not me. But don’t ask me to leave without addressing my objection to the Hate.

By all means, have some fun, and help your fellow expats. But cut out the blinkered Hate.

I never said I hated anyone. I wasn’t unpleasant either – especially given that the word Hate was being bandied about.

Maybe I should leave now?

Steve

Again, as Will has mentioned in other posts/comments, this blog was created to provide a place where we could share our experiences as Americans living abroad. Our responses to these experiences may be positive or negative — but they are our responses. I’m sure you have occasionally told a story at a party that you thought was awesome or enthralling, or even a devastating indictment of something — and then somebody didn’t like it.

Well, this is our party. You’re welcome to stick around, listen to our stories and share some of your own. Your own stories have been thoughtful so far.

But it’s hardly a contribution to the party when you say that you read the articles only to ridicule them. If you someday become the guy that spills wine on the rug, loudly proclaims your views to be the only option and generally become unpleasant, we’ll ask you to leave.

Thanks.

I liked the Danish official I met, and Canadian immigration staff were lovely. The Irish were nothing out of the ordinary. No smiling eyes in evidence!

The German passport checker was cold as ice and hardly a breezy welcome to his country, and as for the Russians – well, they certainly know how to rub a weary traveller up the wrong way. The Poles were OK but looked thoroughly bored, as most airport staff seem to do. I can’t even remember the Belgian officials, but I remember liking the guy in Luxembourg who checked my passport.

The Ecuadorian was nondescript, but fairly efficient given the part of the world he was operating in, but the Peruvians get looking bored down to a fine art. Poker face or what!

The thing is this: I really don’t hate the French, Germans, Azeris, Indians, Russians, Belgians, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, Poles, Thais, Americans or anyone else.

Maybe the fact that you call yourself a “house husband” is an indication that you have too much time on you hands to conjure up these banalities in your odd mind.

But the crux is: what if this article started with the statement “now I do hate the Irish”, or “now I do hate the Americans”?

I only read this site because it’s so banal and silly.

“Join the fun” your blogs invite. Why not stop the hate?

Just stop it. It’s boring.

http://www.bnptv.org.uk

Hey that is great news!!
I love the sense of righteousness that comes with the vindication!!

It’s like “The Guardian” has your back.
Maybe you should invite them to view the blog?

Also & completely unrelated……………..

Did you see that Steven Cobert has a new book out now called.
I am America (& so can you)?
I would be curious to get an expatriot view on the book.

BAA [British Airport Authority, fully privatized by Baroness Thatcher] faces a crackdown on queueing times at Heathrow and Gatwick after the UK’s largest airport owner was warned by the Competition Commission that passenger delays were “unacceptable”.

In a report on price regulation proposals for BAA, whose landing charges at its major airports are capped, the commission said its performance on security queues at Heathrow and Gatwick had been “poor”.

“They have failed to manage security queuing and queue times to avoid unacceptable delays to passengers, crew and flights and consequently have not furthered the reasonable interests of the users of Heathrow and Gatwick. We consider that these effects adverse to the public interest can be remedied or prevented by the extension of the existing conditions and/or by the imposition of new conditions,” the commission said.

— The Guardian, 3 Oct 2007

The Irish government graciously gave me the privilege of residing in Ireland for a year. If I ask nicely (and don’t foment political unrest, commit a serious crim, or get a job) then they’ll probably give me another year.

p.s. so, you’re only there for a year???