Comments on: A Decade and Counting Away from America

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By: fnord

fnord — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:23:31 +0000

Fascinating.

So you live in my country, use my countrys healthsystem paid for by my tax-money, travel by the subsidized communal traffic and in short enjoy all the benefits of the welfare state my parents built and I have worked to maintain, and you repay it with throwing shit about our system? Get out of St. Hanshaugen mr. Bawer, if thats how you feel. Im sure youll be welcome in the Netherlands, where you dont have to worry about the weather either. “Im staying in socialist hell, but I have to because its the only place where I can live with my love”. Word up: Spain has legitimized gay marriage. Get ye the fck there.

By: trained entomologist

trained entomologist — Tue, 26 May 2009 03:27:45 +0000

You obviously haven’t succeeded in adapting to your life overseas there in Norway.

You would be better off coming home to the one and only country in the whole world to which you are adapted, your own United States. Let a friendlier, more adaptable person take your place in the expat circle.

By: LL

LL — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:16:01 +0000

I so relate to your writing; I live in France as an American and sometimes I get so frustrated at how impossible it is, here, for many people to ever admit that any American is thoughtful or intelligent or any part of, American culture is valuable. (and the converse, that every French idea and person is not brilliant and superior;)) I came here because I love teaching and I wanted to have the opportunity to live in Europe and I have lived in 4 other countries with the same enthusiasm but that curiosity is not always returned… I have some wonderful great french friends but what sticks is the intolerance that one gets..I could go on about the impolite unasked for rants I have encountered in bars, ski-rental shops ( where after asking me what my accent was in my spoken French, and I said “American” with a big friendly smile, the man replied with scorn “Why would anyone go there,,,all America is just McDonalds. I have no interest”.). Its really just so redneck sometimes this supposed “european enlightenment” and it is not better than some American intolerance it is the same…But what has been helpful for me is just to say to people like that”wow, its unfortunate you are so close-minded and angry and incurious, despite that, as a European you are supposed to be so open-minded, why is that?” It just stuns them. They just hate being called on their small-mindedness, it is the WORST;) Good luck and don’t listen to these ignorant people just hang out with the cool Europeans that actually have interest in the world. They are out there, just less vocal unfortunately.

By: tdotTim

tdotTim — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:15:34 +0000

NumberNine:

“With all due respect, a unmarried heterosexual couple wouldn’t be recognized as “family” any more than a homosexual couple.”

Again, it depends where you live…see my post above.

By: tdotTim

tdotTim — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 16:01:38 +0000

jw:

“Or does the fact that you have sexual relations with your roommate make him “family”? Whatever else your life in Norway has taught, it has not taught you the basic facts of biology.”

Well I live in Canada and if you live with a “roommate” that you have sexual relations with for more than a year you are legally considered to be a “common law couple”. I assume being Canada that this also applies to same sex couples, but being a breeder (with no intention of actually breeding), I’m not 100% sure of that. It’s also a categorization I try not to recognize because it brings the state into the bedroom. If I live with a girl for more than a year just as actual roommates, do I have to provide proof to Canadian beauracrats that we are not involved in sexual relations or be considered all but married legally if I don’t? If I want to enter into the institution of marriage I will do so…I don’t need the state telling me I’m, in effect, married.

Either way it has little or nothing to do with “biology”. How does intercourse plus a marriage certificate affect biology? I think jw, you are confusing marriage with biology. If 2 people get legally married then they are now “family”. Biology has nothing to do with it until they reproduce.

By: AGA

AGA — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:32:15 +0000

I sure hope that in the next 10 years your heart will be able to be here in the US as family with the rest of your family. Fascinating comments, as they brought into focus a reading of your article that I would not otherwise have seen.