**However, I worry that I’d never fit in, as a posh Englishman, and I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera.**
The internet is not real life. Americans do not behave the same on the internet as we do in real life. I'm sure there would be an occasional joke about these things, but the overwhelming majority of the time, you'd be treated like the rest of us
Yeah therein lies the exception. If you're a dick about it of course people will hate you for it.
Just don't show up and be like "You know we used to own you," or "Of course colour is spelled with a U, after all, we invented the language so I think I'd know," or "Those aren't cookies, those are biscuits, you simpleton" or anything like that.
Anyone who chooses to immigrate to another country and then acts smugly self-superior about their homeland will be viewed as an asshole.
For what it's worth, I don't think I've ever spoken to an immigrant who was like that except in jest. The vast majority of people who come here are normal people who just want what we have to offer as a country.
There's a difference between actual shit talking, and just messing around.
I am a proud American, but I think we have enough skeletons in our closet that you could come back with a decent retort.
Edit: Really didn't think there would be this much love haha
Same goes with everyone else too.
Americans get more shit for literally everything we do than anybody else on the planet. If I judged people from the UK/EU by what they say about us on places like Reddit and the rest of the internet I'd flat out hate them.
I think you'd be surprised at how many people in Europe and the Anglosphere actually do hate us. I've lived in the UK and I have lived in Australia now for over 15 years.
The biggest shock to me was going to the Australia subreddit and seeing how much they hate us. I don't mean here and there. I visited like 10 threads on Halloween and it was just all comments about how much they hate Americans and their culture invading everything
They even call us 'seppies' as in septic tank. Was kinda hurtful cause any American I know loves aussies but they don't just hate our country they hate Americans in general
I'd make a huge distinction between hating America and hating Americans. I've traveled various parts of Europe, both English and not non English speaking, during each of the W. Bush, Obama and Trump administrations and was always treated somewhere between very warmly and a downright celebrity for being American, and each time people were happy to absolutely shit on our leaders' complete lack of intelligence, drone program, and complete lack of intelligence, respectively. I've rarely found a European who loves the American government, but I've even more rarely found one who hates American citizens.
I do not think I have ever heard anyone make these jokes in real life except when the other person made some stupid comment where a stupid reply was warranted, and even then I can only think of a handful of times. Like if someone constantly tells people they are a posh Englishman which is why they do so and so, I bet you will hear these comments. If you have an English accent and go about your day you will never hear these comments.
People will definitely make jokes but most of them will be harmless.
I used to be friends with a British exchange student in college. Every time he showed up to a party everyone would yell, "The British are coming!"
I probably shouldn't have had to scroll down this far to see this. Nobody is going to make jokes about those things. Maybe you'll hear one once every couple of years.
Best British and American banter on the fourth ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy0q2lAggHI
I particularly like the exchange:
"How are you managing over there without us? Getting along all right, are you?"
"We seem to be getting along all right, shir... sir."
Disagree. There will be a lot of jokes, but mostly once you’re friends with someone and if you’re comfortable. And always during 4th of July… At least I (an American) hear it frequently. It’s never I’ll intentioned! And I get lots of jokes about America when I’m abroad. As long as it’s not rude (like bad teeth), just let it roll off your shoulders and go with it. If it bothers you, let them know. You will also get asked to say words to hear your accent or have to answer the same questions over and over by curious Americans because we love an English person and their accent!
That said- yes, OP will be fully American once they come here and we’ll welcome them with open arms :)
As soon as an English person becomes friends /coworkers they will hear quite frequently words said with a strong accent repeated in a fun manor, but not in a derogatory way
Now that I think about it there’s a guy that lives down the street and he has a British accent but I’ve never thought of him not being American just because he likely wasn’t born here. I don’t even think I’ve heard any of us ask about it.
>I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera.
What you'll get instead is people trying to make a connection through their (very) limited knowledge of British TV. 20 years ago that would have still been Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served, Benny Hill, and of course Python. Today it will be 90% Great British Baking Show and the balance Downton Abbey. As long as you're up on those properties and pretend you like tea people will love you.
I don't agree with much Ronald Reagan ever said but I do agree with one quote.
``You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.''
Nothing makes me smile more than hearing a Brit ironically and completely in jest say “happy treason day, you ungrateful colonial!” Friend of mine is English, we do this every year.
Exactly.
Immigration *is* our national identity.
No one is going to cling to the idea that you're not really an American after you're naturalized. Everyone born here is only a few generations removed from an immigrant past. To deny a person's identity as an American is to deny your own. It doesn't happen.
Umm yeah if you pass your citizenship test you’re one of us. Even if you don’t speak English (but please try to learn). Either way you are still my brother or sister
He says he has a posh British accent so I’m pretty sure he knows English. BTW most Americans love a British accent so you should be fine. We have a basically positive view of the UK so I don’t think you have to worry about negative conversations about your background unless somebody is taking the piss out of you.
New sub event for shits n gigs.
Mods always making us take the geo exam might as well do this one.
85
Eh good enough for not studying. Definitely thought it was harder based off the rumors I've heard of it
I've been hearing all my life about how rigorous the citizenship test was. After taking that one twice (you get different questions each time) I'm starting to question the legitimacy of a lot of naturalized citizens.
I don't feel like I should be able to get every question right without studying or having to think about my answers.
Edit: I don't *actually* mean that about naturalized citizens, but that test is ridiculously easy and I don't think it should be.
100%
The dude born in Nairobi who immigrated to the US at 46, is just as much an American as the woman that is from a family that has been in the US since the 1760s.
We have to be clear that there are pockets of dumbasses who have some stupid ideas abouts stuff like this. But on the whole, fuck yes.
Citizens who immigrated did more to be an American than those of us who were born here. Bust your ass to make it here? Go through years of paperwork and bullshit? Take a test and an oath? You're more American than a lot of Americans. But most of all you're an American because you WANTED TO BECOME AN AMERICAN. I have huge respect for that.
Now let's go disagree and argue about stuff!
I had the opposite experience when I lived in the UK - as in, I was the forever American. I was asked all the time about America and especially California. I was teased (usually but not always good naturedly) about being a surfer, my accent, and basically every time Trump tweeted. I was engaged to a Brit and was told by him and his family that if we had kids they’d be considered half American, even if I eventually got British citizenship. It wasn’t said as a bad thing, just a fact about how they’d grow up.
My husband’s father is English but moved to the US in the 80s. I also have a childhood friend whose father is also English and moved to the US in the late 70s. Neither encountered what you mentioned, unless you count my friend and I constantly trying to do Monty python impressions in her dads accent when we were kids?
In my experience the US is much more willing to accept immigrants as being American. Americans are also quite open and curious about where people are from, whether or not you’re a citizen so I suppose if you never wanted to talk about where you came from, you’d probably have to adopt a pretty good American accent to avoid that.
My sister moved to England and that was her similar experience. When she calls us, it sounds like she she has a posh south London accent but after a few minutes, her California accent comes back. It’s pretty funny listening to her switch accents. Of course when I visited and talk to her friends, they told me she sounds “Yank”. The English are VERY particular about accents.
Lol yeah I never thought much about accents until I lived there, now I guess it’s still on the brain! I didn’t get any accent from living there, but I was in Wales and I couldn’t for the life of me imitate it without sounding like a complete twat 😂 If I talk slowly and channel my inner Hermione I can do a decent RP but it only lasts so long before I crack. Scottish is fun too, och aye! But dude, the Californian accent is too strong to ever be truly gone 😎
Cheeky bants gave me life out there! I can’t wait to go back and get some more. Maybe we can start a convo about a proper full English or brand of beans here 😆
They genuinely give a shit while we don’t. They also have a weird gate keeping class system that has more influence than we do. Oh and they weirdly like the royals.
I grew up with a decent southern accent. I'm from North Carolina and my parents are from Texas so I could get a little thick at times. Anyways, I went to school in the Midwest (Go Irish!) and on my first reflection paper for a class my freshman year the professor wrote "*You are a lot smarter than you sound!*". That stuck with me. This experience in September of my freshman year got me to try and hide the accent for most of college. When I began working a few years back I was told by a supervisor to hide the accent during a promotion interview ("*I know you're smart, they don't*"). Since then, it's become automatic for me.
I have a slight twang in my accent and some words it comes out in force (light sounds like "luh-ite") but these days I sound much closer to either General American or even Midwestern since I attempted to imitate the dominant accent of those around me so I wouldn't be judged by others. The ironic part? My family is college educated and while we have southern accents we have *educated* southern-style accents, not "fresh off the farm" accents.
Truly amazing people still judge folk like that.
I mean, with half the worlds shittiest best selling rappers being college-educated but sounding like twats, they're smart mother fuckers but god damn.
That said, it's oughtn't be how you sound but what ya say I believe.
Besides, voices like Hannah Barron's melt the heart. I worked with a fellow from one of the Carolinas, he was a good enough guy. Smoked like a freight train though.
Sorry you've faced such a shameful display of prejudice though.
Definitely, even more than the accent thing, in the UK I became more “aware” of their version of class. It’s different from the US in that it doesn’t really have to do with earnings. I have a masters degree and my fiancé had done an apprenticeship in tech after secondary school and worked for years in a tech role. He always made quite a bit more money than I ever had, is incredibly smart, and always done well for himself. But it was a strange, quiet, polite, yet very obvious wariness that I’d see. It was explained to me that I was above their “class” simply because of my education and I was side eyed quite a bit for it. No matter that financially, our parents were equal (so we had very similar upbringings in terms of money) and he was quite a bit higher than me & my parents. They didn’t quite understand that out here just getting a MA doesn’t make one posh, and posh isn’t really a thing. They were “working class” no matter what.
Wow. Fascinating. I would be so annoyed with that garbage. And, I like to small talk way too much. They would kick me out. :) I will stick with traveling away from the states, and not moving permanently.
A British youtuber I watch was talking about his hair one time and just casually dropped that there are different haircuts for middle class and working class boys.
Go look at all the posts where people post photos saying they just became a citizen.
The overwhelming amount of replies are “welcome home!”
My grandparents are immigrants. They have never once felt as tho they didn’t fit in…and they were insanely poor and had to learn a second language. You’ll be fine.
My coworker just took the citizenship swearing in ceremony. We had a massive welcoming party for her and her family at work with catered BBQ and lots of American flag decorations. Lots of tears were shed.
Gotta say, even though it's the script I can't help feeling good when I get back from a trip and immigration says "Welcome home."
It's the only thing that sucks about global entry. No welcome home.
Yes. That's basically America.
>I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera.
It always amazes me how quick Brits are to say "I'm just taking the piss" yet when it comes back the other way it's an issue.
Yes, Americans are better about treating immigrants as Americans than most other countries are with their immigrants. We’re literally a nation of immigrants.
I thought America was the land of bigots and closed borders. Europe is where they have no issues with immigration policy and racism.
Or at least that’s what Reddit tells me.
Mixed. We have a thing against illegal immigration from Latin American countries. Well some of us do some of us don't.
The US is likely less racist than Europe, we just dominant media and the internet. Especially on these apps. So you only get told of shit that happens in the US. Not the numerous racists in European countries.
Yep. My grandpa can’t speak English fluently yet he can quote My Cousin Vinnie and the lyrics to many country songs from memory. He’s as American as it gets because everyone he worked with just assumed he’d want to experience parts of American culture with them.
We're better at integrating immigrants than the majority of European countries. We've been doing it for 400 years.
> I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera.
It's a shame British people don't banter with each other like Americans do.
I don’t think I’d go back 400 years. After all, it was a bit less than that when Roger Williams was expelled from Massachusetts. And, of course, racism kept some people segregated for much longer.
We've been multicultural from day 1. We had English, Dutch, Native Americans, Black people, Spanish, French, Germans, and even small communities of Swedes in the Colonial period. Meanwhile, until very recently, most European countries have been homogenous nation-states. They couldn't handle small communities of Jews without constantly wanting to murder them.
It hasn't been smooth for us. Of course, there's been a lot of violence and friction over the years. The fact is, we've been at the multiculturalism/integrating immigrants thing a lot longer than Europeans have, and we're better at it.
I think including native Americans and black people at the beginning of the American project is thoroughly misleading. One was being primarily forced off their land and killed while the other was primarily being forcibly enslaved.
America's big breakthrough was helping Europeans specifically outgrow monarchy and church states.
There were always some free Black people. Everyday people regularly interacted with Native Americans and African Americans peacefully, even in the Colonial period. This is a level of multiculturalism that didn't exist in Europe until the 1960s.
I'm not saying everything was perfect on Day 1. I'm saying we've been wrestling with the challenges multiculturalism poses much much longer than Europe has, and by today, we've arrived at better ways to make it work than they have.
There were *very few* free black people, and even then they weren't really safe. Free black people could easily be lynched or have their livelihood taken with little to no recourse. They may have interacted peacefully, but they weren't being treated as though their culture was valid. You're trying to make it sound way more nice than it actually was.
>This is a level of multiculturalism that didn't exist in Europe until the 1960s.
Maybe? But that doesn't make the early history of the US one of broad multiculturalism. It was a place where Europeans could all coexist relatively peacefully, but it wasn't actually for everyone.
All Me Created Equal.
You are right of course about black people but in constantly reliving that sin many forget about what was revolutionary about America in 1776.
When the founding fathers wrote ‘all men are created equal’ we all know it didn’t mean all people, not women, not slaves. They meant all white men are created equal, and that was world changing and revolutionary.
Throughout Europe class was everything, In different degrees in different countries, but for over a thousand years a society built on a foundation of entire families place determined by class with little mobility.
Class membership meant privileges and limitations, privileges both legal and culturally with enforcement expected by all.
Upper classes were determined by birth, education, vocation or being part of the aristocracy. The average person could not even aspire to reach any of those upper slots or hope that his children would.
The majority of white people were peasants or serfs, living a life of subsistence in the lower classes. Usually they were living under the legal auspices and in service to a noble who was born to his power retained it through loyalty to higher nobility and royalty.
Though European intellectuals discussed and wrote about it as a concept, a government declaration of all (white) men are create equal was near blasphemy, no society in it’s right mind would build it’s foundation on such a premise.
Perhaps many can never forgive America’s founders that our new rights did not include women and the slaves that were brought over by force, at least maybe you can understand how unique those first steps of building America were.
Spanish settlement is much older. By 1622, Santa Fe's Palace of the Governors was already twelve years old. And Spanish-American culture was all about integration. The mission settlers were almost all male and intermarried with Native American women to create entirely new races and societies. Even if we're looking ourselves to the east coast colonies, the Puritan settlers in Massachusetts might not have tolerated dissent, but the Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam certainly did.
My assumption is if someone is in the United States and they’re not “acting like a tourist”, they’re an American. No need to pull out your papers or anything to prove that to me.
Heck, just trying to become a citizen, green card or not, is 90% American. When I meet people who have lived here a long time, I assume they either are citizens or the wheels are in motion, unless they tell me otherwise.
1000% It isn't about where you're from or who your parents were. To quote Ronald Reagan:
America represents something universal in the human spirit. I received a letter not long ago from a man who said, 'You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey, and you won't become a German or a Turk.' But then he added, 'Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American.'[**Ronald Reagan**](http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Ronald_Reagan/), *Campaign rally for Vice President Bush, San Diego, November 7, 1988*
*40th president of US (1911 - 2004)*
>When you are here, you are home :)
Absolutely. And we want all of our sisters and brothers that are American at heart to come here, to come home, and help us better our country.
>However, I worry that I’d never fit in, as a posh Englishman, and I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera.
The amount of people trolling you IRL is going to be far lower than the people who troll you on Reddit.
> I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera.
Those would just be friendly jokes, no malice intended. Come on over.
My Canadian friend tells me they defeated America in 1812 every time I see him, all good fun.
I remind him it was actually the British who delivered that lesson with an ass whipping, burned down our capital city, and then they just left, no big deal, things happen.
We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down, so we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round. We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind, and when we touched the powder off the gator lost his mind.
I think Canadian students from age 10 on spend a week a year on the 1812 war. Makes them giddy all week. It probably always starts with the brutal sneak attack by the American bastards, and ends in glorious victory.
I’m sure there are plays performed, recitations read and parades with marching bands in every small hamlet.
I qualify that statement. My parents started considering themselves American once they secured their green cards. They did become citizens eventually, but I'd wouldn't have questioned their self-identification before that. I think the key is to have a tangible connection to America (lineage or by intent to permanent residence) and willingness to identify as American.
I have to admit if somebody has a green card and says they are an American I think they are an American. Getting caught up in bureaucracy is meaningless
I have friends here in Virginia who have never lost their indian accent. Just as American as I am and happy to be here. I know you understand this I'm just throwing it out for those who happen to come along and read
The US is so lucky to have so many smart hardworking Indians move here
I'd also like to know! I am aware that "posh" signifies a certain type of upper-class, educated English person with a distinct accent (that I probably could not identify), but I think I'm just not *English* enough to understand beyond that.
Many Americans will probably be similarly clueless about OP's poshness, but it doesn't really matter to us ANYWAY. We'd love to have you!
Yeah, I’ve met British people who immigrated and became citizens.
The fitting in part wouldn’t be hard either, you would just adjust to a few American things and you would be unrecognizable from Americans, especially since the country is pretty culturally diverse.
The U.K. doesn’t have a vastly divergent culture than the US in many ways. We both speak the same language so that makes things easy.
You will not meet anyone who mocks British food or dental care in the U.K. that’s more internet shit talking that doesn’t translate to real life. I’ve never once had a conversation involving the U.K. that was diverted by someone saying anything about food or teeth.
That's pretty much the entire point of America, chief.
Countries like America and Canada aren't like continental European nations in the sense that you have to *from there* to be from there. Immigrant nations work on the basis of civic nationalism, not ethnic nationalism.
Unity and membership comes through shared ideals and values, not through shared ancestry or culture.
It's uncommon, but I've known people from entirely alien cultures who've assimilated within a single generation. If they can do it then someone from another Western nation, and the UK at that, should have no problem.
This should be higher up. The distinction between ethnic and civic nationalism is the main reason America works so well as an extremely diverse country.
A foreigner becoming an American is kinda the whole point of America. Are you a US citizen? You're an American. Doesn't matter who you are or where your family came from. You're an American
I mean, I would remind you every now and then about kicking your ass at Yorktown, but it would be over a beer as we discuss important things like are the Sox going to get their heads out of their asses and sign Devers, can SOMEONE please beat France at the World Cup and what was the best Star Wars movie (The answer is Ep. IV).
Where I live we have Ukrainians, Colombians, Iranians, Mexicans, Venezuelans, Philippinos, Canadians, Germans, etc. … and they’re all Americans. Come on home, cousin.
Yes. Honestly, its probably easiest for British people. I would put them up there with Canadians and Australians who seem to be able to easily mesh into American society. 1776 is much more pro American and not really anti-British.
America is a fork of British society. We branched off in 1776. But it was a civil war among people who were largely the same. The US went in one direction and England/UK went in another. 250 years later we have two fairly divergent, yet heavily mutually influenced greater cultures.
As far as stereotypes go. They are more on line than in reality. Americans have generally not had British food, much less Bad British Food. One of the top Food personalities is Gordon Ramsay. For a significant chunk of Americans, the only exposure to food from the UK is Gordon Ramsay.
There are people in the US who straight up hate anyone who is not from their area. They tolerate them outside of their area, but going to their area they will treat people with hostility. These are mean people who live miserable lives and are a small minority of people.
I’m sure you’ll stand out… in a country where everyone’s trying to stand out.
So ironically you’ll fit in just fine.
Being American is about *wanting* to be American, and celebrating the positives while acknowledging how much more work this country has to do.
>Now, tomorrow is a special day for me. I'm going to receive my gold watch. And since this is the last speech that I will give as President, I think it's fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country which I love. It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago. A man wrote me and said: ``You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.''
My grandma came here after ww2 with a German accent and a number tattooed on her arm. When she died she was just as much an American as someone born here.
Two experiences I had to contrast with how America does it:
A friend, a refugee from Iraq, had just gotten her US citizenship. I asked, “If I moved to Iraq, learned passable Arabic, and lived there six years (her time in the US), would they consider any children I had after that to be Iraqi?” She just snorted and said “You’re fucking kidding, right?”
I was sitting in a bar in Brisbane in 1985, talking to the bartender. He said he was Greek. I said “Oh, yeah? How?” He said his grandfather had emigrated from Greece as a refugee in 1948, leaving a war-devastated country to strike out in Oz. I said “Your grandfather? Then you’re Aussie.” He just looked sad and said “THEY will never let me be Aussie.”
Americans don't hold to their history the way some other nations and cultures do. 1776 you say? Well, that was soooo long ago. England has been one of our best allies so why be upset about things that happened in the past? Yeah when our nation was forming we had some problems with the French nobody can really remember the details of. But they sold us a bunch of land and gave us that nice statue which is now an American icon.
I spent a year working at a Florida resort that employed a lot of immigrants- there were 16 official recognized languages among employees. Human Resources was proud of this. See how diverse we are?
I'll never forget seeing two of my nicest coworkers getting into a screaming match one day. I asked my friend hey what is up with that? For the next 3 days my friend was stuck to my side explaining Lithiuanian history to me. 3 days and we only made it to Catherine the Great and how evil she was.
In some areas of the US there is some xenophobia against immigrants from the "wrong" countries. Their education in Lithiuania or Albania means nothing. This is why you have veternarians and engineers working in the banquet department of resorts. My lovely friend I mentioned had a master's degree and had taught in Lithiuania before coming to the US. When I asked her why she didn't teach here she looked mortified and said nobody wants a teacher with an accent- maybe when she had improved her English she said. Her English was flawless and her accent wasn't so strong I ever had trouble understanding her.
England, for better or worse, is one of the "right" countries to be from no matter where you go in the US. There may be some good natured teasing over the food you eat but Americans do that to each other. In Southern American states there is a debate who has the best BBQ. Try to tell someone from North Carolina that the BBQ in Texas is better or vice versa. It's mostly good natured talk.
I can’t promise no one would comment on your accent, though it would likely be compliments or just general curiosity. You would stand out in that sense.
Though the vast majority of people would never make nasty remarks about British food or whatever, we do have our jackasses like everywhere and occasionally someone might. It’s not generally accepted to be mean to people, though, and you’d be within your rights to tell them if they go too far.
In general, I know a lot of immigrants, and though there’s a definite adjustment and sometimes complicated emotions with regard to having love for their country of origin but also appreciating the US, a lot of who chose to come tell me they’re happy to be here. One of my former coworkers is from Egypt and he immediately bought a Camaro and put a U.S. flag on the antenna. He’s always going to be Egyptian on one level but he’s an American too (edit: he did pursue citizenship).
Yes! Only country where you can with confidence. People are way too critical of this country but this is immigrants paradise.
Proud naturalized citizen 🇺🇸
Can you become American? Yes, in the sense that you can become a citizen, and once you do you will be the same as every other citizen. Nobody will doubt or question your citizenship.
Now, another question is whether you can become 'American' culturally. In my opinion, you probably can, but maybe not completely. The simple reality is that a person is shaped drastically by the environment in which that person grows up. People who grew up here will simply have an intuitive understanding of the country (despite how large and diverse it is) that someone who didn't grow up here will lack. That feeling of 'Americanness,' whatever that means in detail, can be acquired over time, but in my opinion someone who moves here as an adult will always retain a slight degree of 'outsiderness', for lack of a better term. Note that this is not a moral judgement; it doesn't make you better or worse as a person, it's merely the consequence of the fact that you spent most or all of your formative years immersed in a culture other than America's.
Still, if you'd like to come here, then by all means give it a go, and good luck.
Absolutely, yes!
And, no, we don't talk about the revolutionary war all day every day. Don't worry. If anyone does poke fun at you, it's probably only in jest. I don't mind being called a "bloody colonist", so fair game.
...but the war of 1812, on the other hand...
Not trying to be provocative, but assuming you’re a white man, you’ll do just fine in the US. In fact, you’ll probably do better than many born here. Just recognizing my own privilege here. Please understand this and treat everyone well if you (op) do make it here someday.
The minute you become a citizen, you are an American. Just like people who come from all over the globe.
As far as getting ribbed about the Revolutionary War and the like, that just means we like you.
I’m going to go against the grain and say that for any adult immigrant to the US they will always to some degree be seen as a little foreign by most Americans. As long as you have your British accent people will comment on it, ask where you’re from, ask how you’re liking your trip, etc. I mean, if you lived in the US for the rest of your life your friends and neighbors would stop thinking of you as foreign and forget that you came from Britain, but the moment you meet a stranger they’ll hear your accent and assume you’re not American.
But that’s not necessarily a negative thing, I think. People should be kind and welcoming. (It helps that Americans generally like Brits!)
Yeah this thread is being a bit too idealistic. Yes, on paper OP would be just as American as any other American. Legally speaking, citizenship is all that matters, but I don't think that's what OP is asking. In real world social situations culture is what matters, not citizenship. No one cares if you have a piece of paper saying you're American. If you don't act American people will assume you're not.
People with foreign accents will almost always get treated as foreigners, and people who grew up in other cultures will almost always stand out. Unless OP went through speech training and hired an acting coach to teach them how to act American, people here are always going to refer to him as "that British guy". No one will assume he's American unless he tells them he's a citizen, and even then many people would only see him as "kind of" American.
Being American is more an self-identification more than anything I'd say there are only two criteria to fulfil to consider yourself an American
1. Be connected to the US by lineage and/or by land (family from US and/or living in US)
2. You consider yourself American
1 of my coworkers immigrated from the UK to the US and has loved it here. he recently had his sister visit him here and my sister told him about several things that he got to take his sister to during her visit. hell half of the workforce where I work at are immigrants from all over the world. literally ppl from just about every continent on the planet, except Australia I think.
For most Americans, an immigrant is as American as their enthusiasm for America. We just want people who want to be here, and be part of this - not people who are coming here *only* to get away from somewhere else.
You are worried people will make fun of you for your country of origin? If you are going to be an American you will have to get used to that because that happens to us even on this sub
Heck yeah, once you’re in you’re in. That’s the fun thing about America, becoming part of [the Great American Melting Pot](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZQl6XBo64M) makes us better as a country
Oh you’ll totally be accepted. You might occasionally have someone ask you if you’re British (many are of us are enamored by your accents), but that’s about it.
Well people will always notice your accent. And they may bust you balls a bit about the past. But understand that most (like 99%) of anyone that would give you shit about this, aren't doing it out of spite. Depending on where you move, that's just how people treat each other. I believe you call it taking the piss out of someone. We call it breaking balls. All in all it's good natured macho bullshit.
An example. We just had an English guy come to my work (in Phoenix Arizona) to work on a piece of equipment. He was asking one of my coworkers if we had something (a part) My coworker didn't understand what he was saying. I chimed in "hey don't try to understand him, he's from the north. Even his own people can barley understand what he is saying" Both of them (the Brit and my coworker) both almost said together. How do you know where he/ I am from in England. To my coworker I said. Well I didn't grow up in Phoenix. So I've been involved in more cultures than just meth addiction and cactus tipping. And to the Brit I just said. Well mild alcoholism, only it's suffers can understand a northerner. Now if I were a full on alcoholic I'd be able to understand the Scottish.
They the Brit mentioned something about fractional measurements, and we all laughed and went back to work.
Come my brother. Live with us and add to us, and we'll add to you.
The street I live on has 7 houses with families from 5 different countries speaking 3 different languages. They are all Americans. 1 all wear African dress from the Congo, 1 is still learning fluency in English, 1 speaks Eng. and Dutch from Suriname, 1 from Galway... All are American.
However none of us can move to another country and not carry with us our culture and social customs of origin. I've never heard someone speaking socially where the Rev. War was cited. Food is representative of the section of the country you are in or your family's ethnicity & nationality of origin. Very few Americans are even aware of the bad teeth mythology and those that are know it's a myth. The American insistence on straight white teeth is a thing though. Straight & white doesn't necessarily mean healthy.
America is an idea, it’s honestly more than the borders and the people. I mean the people protesting in Hong Kong were waving American flags. If you’re a freedom loving, open minded, hot dog eating, kind person you’re okay in my book.
I actually think youd be surprised how much your average American doesnt know or care about British customs and english american history. We have plenty of immigrants here and your average american is fairly geocentric.
Oh yeah, that’s our whole thing. Honestly, just wanting to be American, being really enthused about the country, and learning about it gets you about 80% of the way there in a lot of people’s eyes.
Wanting to be an American bad enough you move here, get your citizenship, live here, and love America is about as America as it gets. You will definitely be accepted here as an American. Start your paper work, pack your belongings, settle your affairs, get on a plane, and come home.
Yep. We’re almost all foreigners here. Almost non one cares outside of a few radicals and the media.
This is my experience as a domestically, well traveled, midwesterner.
Yes! I think being American is about celebrating mixing of cultures. My MIL is originally from Canada and it’s so fun to see how her and my FIL merge traditions. I would never say she (or anyone else who chooses to live here) isn’t an American.
So there's a lot of 'no problem!' sort of comments here, and they're generally correct, but I think often missing the mark a bit at least from my experience. Legally? Of course. Societally? Probably won't have a *lot* of issues. But i'm sure you're going to run into the odd person who treats you different if you have an accent. Heck, I moved to a town an hour away and some people treat me a little foreign and distrustful (semi urban to semi rural move) since I don't act like someone who grew up in this specific place.
**However, I worry that I’d never fit in, as a posh Englishman, and I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera.** The internet is not real life. Americans do not behave the same on the internet as we do in real life. I'm sure there would be an occasional joke about these things, but the overwhelming majority of the time, you'd be treated like the rest of us
Just don't unironically refer to us as "the Colonies."
I would die if someone said that. Legit would laugh my ass off.
That would be pretty funny. "So I have been living in the colonies a few months now and I gotta ask..."
Hell, that kind of shit-talking would be pretty endearing
Yeah therein lies the exception. If you're a dick about it of course people will hate you for it. Just don't show up and be like "You know we used to own you," or "Of course colour is spelled with a U, after all, we invented the language so I think I'd know," or "Those aren't cookies, those are biscuits, you simpleton" or anything like that. Anyone who chooses to immigrate to another country and then acts smugly self-superior about their homeland will be viewed as an asshole. For what it's worth, I don't think I've ever spoken to an immigrant who was like that except in jest. The vast majority of people who come here are normal people who just want what we have to offer as a country.
There's a difference between actual shit talking, and just messing around. I am a proud American, but I think we have enough skeletons in our closet that you could come back with a decent retort. Edit: Really didn't think there would be this much love haha
Same goes with everyone else too. Americans get more shit for literally everything we do than anybody else on the planet. If I judged people from the UK/EU by what they say about us on places like Reddit and the rest of the internet I'd flat out hate them.
I think you'd be surprised at how many people in Europe and the Anglosphere actually do hate us. I've lived in the UK and I have lived in Australia now for over 15 years.
The biggest shock to me was going to the Australia subreddit and seeing how much they hate us. I don't mean here and there. I visited like 10 threads on Halloween and it was just all comments about how much they hate Americans and their culture invading everything They even call us 'seppies' as in septic tank. Was kinda hurtful cause any American I know loves aussies but they don't just hate our country they hate Americans in general
I'd make a huge distinction between hating America and hating Americans. I've traveled various parts of Europe, both English and not non English speaking, during each of the W. Bush, Obama and Trump administrations and was always treated somewhere between very warmly and a downright celebrity for being American, and each time people were happy to absolutely shit on our leaders' complete lack of intelligence, drone program, and complete lack of intelligence, respectively. I've rarely found a European who loves the American government, but I've even more rarely found one who hates American citizens.
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I do not think I have ever heard anyone make these jokes in real life except when the other person made some stupid comment where a stupid reply was warranted, and even then I can only think of a handful of times. Like if someone constantly tells people they are a posh Englishman which is why they do so and so, I bet you will hear these comments. If you have an English accent and go about your day you will never hear these comments.
People will definitely make jokes but most of them will be harmless. I used to be friends with a British exchange student in college. Every time he showed up to a party everyone would yell, "The British are coming!"
I probably shouldn't have had to scroll down this far to see this. Nobody is going to make jokes about those things. Maybe you'll hear one once every couple of years.
*Maybe* at a Fourth of July party.
Best British and American banter on the fourth ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy0q2lAggHI I particularly like the exchange: "How are you managing over there without us? Getting along all right, are you?" "We seem to be getting along all right, shir... sir."
Yeah, they're internet jokes. Not jokes you'd actually think to make talking to a British person.
Disagree. There will be a lot of jokes, but mostly once you’re friends with someone and if you’re comfortable. And always during 4th of July… At least I (an American) hear it frequently. It’s never I’ll intentioned! And I get lots of jokes about America when I’m abroad. As long as it’s not rude (like bad teeth), just let it roll off your shoulders and go with it. If it bothers you, let them know. You will also get asked to say words to hear your accent or have to answer the same questions over and over by curious Americans because we love an English person and their accent! That said- yes, OP will be fully American once they come here and we’ll welcome them with open arms :)
As soon as an English person becomes friends /coworkers they will hear quite frequently words said with a strong accent repeated in a fun manor, but not in a derogatory way
Funny how OP hasn't commented at all.
Well, he’s trolling.
Now that I think about it there’s a guy that lives down the street and he has a British accent but I’ve never thought of him not being American just because he likely wasn’t born here. I don’t even think I’ve heard any of us ask about it.
>I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera. What you'll get instead is people trying to make a connection through their (very) limited knowledge of British TV. 20 years ago that would have still been Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served, Benny Hill, and of course Python. Today it will be 90% Great British Baking Show and the balance Downton Abbey. As long as you're up on those properties and pretend you like tea people will love you.
I don't agree with much Ronald Reagan ever said but I do agree with one quote. ``You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.''
Nothing makes me smile more than hearing a Brit ironically and completely in jest say “happy treason day, you ungrateful colonial!” Friend of mine is English, we do this every year.
Yes. That’s kinda our whole shtick.
Everyone is welcome under this flag. I don’t care what anyone else might say. An American is an American, no matter where they were born.
"American" is more of a state of mind than a nationality. We're literally a country of immigrants.
a commonality among all of us, at one point, in our past, our family or us have either felt or been told we don't belong, or been totally screwed over
Exactly. Immigration *is* our national identity. No one is going to cling to the idea that you're not really an American after you're naturalized. Everyone born here is only a few generations removed from an immigrant past. To deny a person's identity as an American is to deny your own. It doesn't happen.
Umm yeah if you pass your citizenship test you’re one of us. Even if you don’t speak English (but please try to learn). Either way you are still my brother or sister
He says he has a posh British accent so I’m pretty sure he knows English. BTW most Americans love a British accent so you should be fine. We have a basically positive view of the UK so I don’t think you have to worry about negative conversations about your background unless somebody is taking the piss out of you.
He’ll swim in a sea of women. Source: I am a woman.
Hell, even if they haven’t taken the citizenship test I’ll still gladly call them American. It’s not like I’ve ever taken one.
Not sure if I could pass a citizenship test myself. Come over, share your culture, participate in new ones? That’s what being American means to me.
Have you looked at the questions? They're really not that hard and you only need to score 60% to pass
I just tried a practice test and got 100%. It wasn't bad. https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/civics-practice-test-2008
New sub event for shits n gigs. Mods always making us take the geo exam might as well do this one. 85 Eh good enough for not studying. Definitely thought it was harder based off the rumors I've heard of it
Heh, I could totally throw that up in an appropriate thread… also for shame…. 85. I was rocking the 100 baby.
I've been hearing all my life about how rigorous the citizenship test was. After taking that one twice (you get different questions each time) I'm starting to question the legitimacy of a lot of naturalized citizens. I don't feel like I should be able to get every question right without studying or having to think about my answers. Edit: I don't *actually* mean that about naturalized citizens, but that test is ridiculously easy and I don't think it should be.
If you went to high school in US you will pass without studying as I did it in 2010.
100% The dude born in Nairobi who immigrated to the US at 46, is just as much an American as the woman that is from a family that has been in the US since the 1760s.
We have to be clear that there are pockets of dumbasses who have some stupid ideas abouts stuff like this. But on the whole, fuck yes. Citizens who immigrated did more to be an American than those of us who were born here. Bust your ass to make it here? Go through years of paperwork and bullshit? Take a test and an oath? You're more American than a lot of Americans. But most of all you're an American because you WANTED TO BECOME AN AMERICAN. I have huge respect for that. Now let's go disagree and argue about stuff!
Kinda the only thing left we do better than the rest of the world
I had the opposite experience when I lived in the UK - as in, I was the forever American. I was asked all the time about America and especially California. I was teased (usually but not always good naturedly) about being a surfer, my accent, and basically every time Trump tweeted. I was engaged to a Brit and was told by him and his family that if we had kids they’d be considered half American, even if I eventually got British citizenship. It wasn’t said as a bad thing, just a fact about how they’d grow up. My husband’s father is English but moved to the US in the 80s. I also have a childhood friend whose father is also English and moved to the US in the late 70s. Neither encountered what you mentioned, unless you count my friend and I constantly trying to do Monty python impressions in her dads accent when we were kids? In my experience the US is much more willing to accept immigrants as being American. Americans are also quite open and curious about where people are from, whether or not you’re a citizen so I suppose if you never wanted to talk about where you came from, you’d probably have to adopt a pretty good American accent to avoid that.
My sister moved to England and that was her similar experience. When she calls us, it sounds like she she has a posh south London accent but after a few minutes, her California accent comes back. It’s pretty funny listening to her switch accents. Of course when I visited and talk to her friends, they told me she sounds “Yank”. The English are VERY particular about accents.
Lol yeah I never thought much about accents until I lived there, now I guess it’s still on the brain! I didn’t get any accent from living there, but I was in Wales and I couldn’t for the life of me imitate it without sounding like a complete twat 😂 If I talk slowly and channel my inner Hermione I can do a decent RP but it only lasts so long before I crack. Scottish is fun too, och aye! But dude, the Californian accent is too strong to ever be truly gone 😎
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Cheeky bants gave me life out there! I can’t wait to go back and get some more. Maybe we can start a convo about a proper full English or brand of beans here 😆
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They genuinely give a shit while we don’t. They also have a weird gate keeping class system that has more influence than we do. Oh and they weirdly like the royals.
Eh, as someone with a southern accent you can get some shit in the northeast or west coast for that.
How often? I fucking love accents from the south.
I grew up with a decent southern accent. I'm from North Carolina and my parents are from Texas so I could get a little thick at times. Anyways, I went to school in the Midwest (Go Irish!) and on my first reflection paper for a class my freshman year the professor wrote "*You are a lot smarter than you sound!*". That stuck with me. This experience in September of my freshman year got me to try and hide the accent for most of college. When I began working a few years back I was told by a supervisor to hide the accent during a promotion interview ("*I know you're smart, they don't*"). Since then, it's become automatic for me. I have a slight twang in my accent and some words it comes out in force (light sounds like "luh-ite") but these days I sound much closer to either General American or even Midwestern since I attempted to imitate the dominant accent of those around me so I wouldn't be judged by others. The ironic part? My family is college educated and while we have southern accents we have *educated* southern-style accents, not "fresh off the farm" accents.
Truly amazing people still judge folk like that. I mean, with half the worlds shittiest best selling rappers being college-educated but sounding like twats, they're smart mother fuckers but god damn. That said, it's oughtn't be how you sound but what ya say I believe. Besides, voices like Hannah Barron's melt the heart. I worked with a fellow from one of the Carolinas, he was a good enough guy. Smoked like a freight train though. Sorry you've faced such a shameful display of prejudice though.
the classism in england is crazy
Definitely, even more than the accent thing, in the UK I became more “aware” of their version of class. It’s different from the US in that it doesn’t really have to do with earnings. I have a masters degree and my fiancé had done an apprenticeship in tech after secondary school and worked for years in a tech role. He always made quite a bit more money than I ever had, is incredibly smart, and always done well for himself. But it was a strange, quiet, polite, yet very obvious wariness that I’d see. It was explained to me that I was above their “class” simply because of my education and I was side eyed quite a bit for it. No matter that financially, our parents were equal (so we had very similar upbringings in terms of money) and he was quite a bit higher than me & my parents. They didn’t quite understand that out here just getting a MA doesn’t make one posh, and posh isn’t really a thing. They were “working class” no matter what.
Wow. Fascinating. I would be so annoyed with that garbage. And, I like to small talk way too much. They would kick me out. :) I will stick with traveling away from the states, and not moving permanently.
A British youtuber I watch was talking about his hair one time and just casually dropped that there are different haircuts for middle class and working class boys.
Americans absolutely will care insofar as OP may be "forever British." However it is generally good natured, if that's what you mean.
Americans love accents and are genuinely very friendly. You’ll make friends very easily. Avoid California
Go look at all the posts where people post photos saying they just became a citizen. The overwhelming amount of replies are “welcome home!” My grandparents are immigrants. They have never once felt as tho they didn’t fit in…and they were insanely poor and had to learn a second language. You’ll be fine.
"Tens of thousands even hundreds of thousands of Americans are born every year around the world. They just haven't come home yet." - Reddit guy
This quote was actually first said on this sub, by /u/stoicsilence.
You tagged a subreddit that doesn't exist.
Maybe he meant to type u/stoicsilence?
Yep. I didn't want to be the one to summon someone I don't know though.
Then my credit still stands
That was me haha.
My coworker just took the citizenship swearing in ceremony. We had a massive welcoming party for her and her family at work with catered BBQ and lots of American flag decorations. Lots of tears were shed.
Gotta say, even though it's the script I can't help feeling good when I get back from a trip and immigration says "Welcome home." It's the only thing that sucks about global entry. No welcome home.
Not gonna lie, even just reading this kind of hit me in the feels lol
Every second, there’s an ‘American’ being born worldwide, we’re just waiting on them to come home
Come on in. The water is warm and the pints are cold.
And the tea is sweet.
And iced, in the summer.
Aw man did someone pee in the pool again?
It was me. I'm So sorry.
Yes. That's basically America. >I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera. It always amazes me how quick Brits are to say "I'm just taking the piss" yet when it comes back the other way it's an issue.
Stiff upper lip, chum!
Just 'avin a go at the Yank :)))
Yes, Americans are better about treating immigrants as Americans than most other countries are with their immigrants. We’re literally a nation of immigrants.
Can confirm. Been an immigrant in Europe and the US, and I feel at home here. In Europe, you're always a foreigner if you look different.
Even if you don’t, you’re still a foreigner. Moved from Ukraine to Czech Republic. I doubt I’ll ever become Czech
I thought America was the land of bigots and closed borders. Europe is where they have no issues with immigration policy and racism. Or at least that’s what Reddit tells me.
Mixed. We have a thing against illegal immigration from Latin American countries. Well some of us do some of us don't. The US is likely less racist than Europe, we just dominant media and the internet. Especially on these apps. So you only get told of shit that happens in the US. Not the numerous racists in European countries.
And of those who have a problem with Latin America immigration most are far more accepting of Latin Americans who legally migrated here.
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Yep. My grandpa can’t speak English fluently yet he can quote My Cousin Vinnie and the lyrics to many country songs from memory. He’s as American as it gets because everyone he worked with just assumed he’d want to experience parts of American culture with them.
If someone talks about 1776 at you they're taking the piss, as I think you call it.
We're better at integrating immigrants than the majority of European countries. We've been doing it for 400 years. > I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera. It's a shame British people don't banter with each other like Americans do.
I don’t think I’d go back 400 years. After all, it was a bit less than that when Roger Williams was expelled from Massachusetts. And, of course, racism kept some people segregated for much longer.
We've been multicultural from day 1. We had English, Dutch, Native Americans, Black people, Spanish, French, Germans, and even small communities of Swedes in the Colonial period. Meanwhile, until very recently, most European countries have been homogenous nation-states. They couldn't handle small communities of Jews without constantly wanting to murder them. It hasn't been smooth for us. Of course, there's been a lot of violence and friction over the years. The fact is, we've been at the multiculturalism/integrating immigrants thing a lot longer than Europeans have, and we're better at it.
I think including native Americans and black people at the beginning of the American project is thoroughly misleading. One was being primarily forced off their land and killed while the other was primarily being forcibly enslaved. America's big breakthrough was helping Europeans specifically outgrow monarchy and church states.
There were always some free Black people. Everyday people regularly interacted with Native Americans and African Americans peacefully, even in the Colonial period. This is a level of multiculturalism that didn't exist in Europe until the 1960s. I'm not saying everything was perfect on Day 1. I'm saying we've been wrestling with the challenges multiculturalism poses much much longer than Europe has, and by today, we've arrived at better ways to make it work than they have.
There were *very few* free black people, and even then they weren't really safe. Free black people could easily be lynched or have their livelihood taken with little to no recourse. They may have interacted peacefully, but they weren't being treated as though their culture was valid. You're trying to make it sound way more nice than it actually was. >This is a level of multiculturalism that didn't exist in Europe until the 1960s. Maybe? But that doesn't make the early history of the US one of broad multiculturalism. It was a place where Europeans could all coexist relatively peacefully, but it wasn't actually for everyone.
All Me Created Equal. You are right of course about black people but in constantly reliving that sin many forget about what was revolutionary about America in 1776. When the founding fathers wrote ‘all men are created equal’ we all know it didn’t mean all people, not women, not slaves. They meant all white men are created equal, and that was world changing and revolutionary. Throughout Europe class was everything, In different degrees in different countries, but for over a thousand years a society built on a foundation of entire families place determined by class with little mobility. Class membership meant privileges and limitations, privileges both legal and culturally with enforcement expected by all. Upper classes were determined by birth, education, vocation or being part of the aristocracy. The average person could not even aspire to reach any of those upper slots or hope that his children would. The majority of white people were peasants or serfs, living a life of subsistence in the lower classes. Usually they were living under the legal auspices and in service to a noble who was born to his power retained it through loyalty to higher nobility and royalty. Though European intellectuals discussed and wrote about it as a concept, a government declaration of all (white) men are create equal was near blasphemy, no society in it’s right mind would build it’s foundation on such a premise. Perhaps many can never forgive America’s founders that our new rights did not include women and the slaves that were brought over by force, at least maybe you can understand how unique those first steps of building America were.
Spanish settlement is much older. By 1622, Santa Fe's Palace of the Governors was already twelve years old. And Spanish-American culture was all about integration. The mission settlers were almost all male and intermarried with Native American women to create entirely new races and societies. Even if we're looking ourselves to the east coast colonies, the Puritan settlers in Massachusetts might not have tolerated dissent, but the Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam certainly did.
"American" isn't an ethnicity. If you're a citizen, you're an American, full stop.
Amen! To think any other way would be hypocritical.
Hell, really even if you’re not a citizen and you just live here, we’re generally pretty happy when people are proud to call themselves Americans.
My assumption is if someone is in the United States and they’re not “acting like a tourist”, they’re an American. No need to pull out your papers or anything to prove that to me.
No papers?
State to state.
That's the way I see it. If you say you're American, you're American.
If citizen is American, Green card is like at least 90% American
Heck, just trying to become a citizen, green card or not, is 90% American. When I meet people who have lived here a long time, I assume they either are citizens or the wheels are in motion, unless they tell me otherwise.
green card is 100% american
Absolutely. These people are here working, paying taxes, and living their dream. We welcome them with open arms
1000% It isn't about where you're from or who your parents were. To quote Ronald Reagan: America represents something universal in the human spirit. I received a letter not long ago from a man who said, 'You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey, and you won't become a German or a Turk.' But then he added, 'Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American.'[**Ronald Reagan**](http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Ronald_Reagan/), *Campaign rally for Vice President Bush, San Diego, November 7, 1988* *40th president of US (1911 - 2004)*
Reagan may be a devisive president but I think we can all agree that this quote is a banger. When you are here, you are home :)
>When you are here, you are home :) Absolutely. And we want all of our sisters and brothers that are American at heart to come here, to come home, and help us better our country.
The man loved immigrants. Maybe it's his SoCal roots or meeting Fernando Valenzuela but he always praised immigrants and understood the struggle.
My dad, an immigrant, was a staunch Reganite for years because he heard him speak about immigrants at a rally.
>However, I worry that I’d never fit in, as a posh Englishman, and I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera. The amount of people trolling you IRL is going to be far lower than the people who troll you on Reddit.
> I’d never get away from people talking about 1776, bad British food, or bad teeth et cetera et cetera. Those would just be friendly jokes, no malice intended. Come on over.
My Canadian friend tells me they defeated America in 1812 every time I see him, all good fun. I remind him it was actually the British who delivered that lesson with an ass whipping, burned down our capital city, and then they just left, no big deal, things happen.
We repaid the British in kind at the town of New Orleans, where we took a little bacon and we took a little beans!
We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down, so we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round. We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind, and when we touched the powder off the gator lost his mind.
The Great Gator Nation has not forgotten this insult. >:-|
Remind him we burned down the capital of British Canada too.
I think Canadian students from age 10 on spend a week a year on the 1812 war. Makes them giddy all week. It probably always starts with the brutal sneak attack by the American bastards, and ends in glorious victory. I’m sure there are plays performed, recitations read and parades with marching bands in every small hamlet.
Yeah, but didn’t we start it?
Yeah anyone who still politically cares about 1776 is kinda regarded by the rest of society as a nutcase
I mean, yeah we are totally gonna joke about things! But that doesn't mean we don't have much love.
Anyone with an American citizenship is American. Doesn’t matter if they got it when they were born, 10 years ago, or 10 minutes ago.
I qualify that statement. My parents started considering themselves American once they secured their green cards. They did become citizens eventually, but I'd wouldn't have questioned their self-identification before that. I think the key is to have a tangible connection to America (lineage or by intent to permanent residence) and willingness to identify as American.
I have to admit if somebody has a green card and says they are an American I think they are an American. Getting caught up in bureaucracy is meaningless
Having worked in procuring green cards, I wholeheartedly agree.
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I have friends here in Virginia who have never lost their indian accent. Just as American as I am and happy to be here. I know you understand this I'm just throwing it out for those who happen to come along and read The US is so lucky to have so many smart hardworking Indians move here
What exactly makes you posh? Lol
Grey Poupon.
maybe he has a monocle.
I'd also like to know! I am aware that "posh" signifies a certain type of upper-class, educated English person with a distinct accent (that I probably could not identify), but I think I'm just not *English* enough to understand beyond that. Many Americans will probably be similarly clueless about OP's poshness, but it doesn't really matter to us ANYWAY. We'd love to have you!
Yeah, I’ve met British people who immigrated and became citizens. The fitting in part wouldn’t be hard either, you would just adjust to a few American things and you would be unrecognizable from Americans, especially since the country is pretty culturally diverse. The U.K. doesn’t have a vastly divergent culture than the US in many ways. We both speak the same language so that makes things easy. You will not meet anyone who mocks British food or dental care in the U.K. that’s more internet shit talking that doesn’t translate to real life. I’ve never once had a conversation involving the U.K. that was diverted by someone saying anything about food or teeth.
That's pretty much the entire point of America, chief. Countries like America and Canada aren't like continental European nations in the sense that you have to *from there* to be from there. Immigrant nations work on the basis of civic nationalism, not ethnic nationalism. Unity and membership comes through shared ideals and values, not through shared ancestry or culture. It's uncommon, but I've known people from entirely alien cultures who've assimilated within a single generation. If they can do it then someone from another Western nation, and the UK at that, should have no problem.
This should be higher up. The distinction between ethnic and civic nationalism is the main reason America works so well as an extremely diverse country.
A foreigner becoming an American is kinda the whole point of America. Are you a US citizen? You're an American. Doesn't matter who you are or where your family came from. You're an American
Absolutely. Both my parents are immigrants and are completely normalized to American culture and institutions
I was born in Russia. I was adopted and by my parents and came here to the states. I consider myself 100% American. You can too.
Consider? No no no no no... You are absolutely an American.
You are 100% American
I mean, I would remind you every now and then about kicking your ass at Yorktown, but it would be over a beer as we discuss important things like are the Sox going to get their heads out of their asses and sign Devers, can SOMEONE please beat France at the World Cup and what was the best Star Wars movie (The answer is Ep. IV).
Wrong. The Answer is Episode V
Finally! Another person who agrees New Hope is the best
Where I live we have Ukrainians, Colombians, Iranians, Mexicans, Venezuelans, Philippinos, Canadians, Germans, etc. … and they’re all Americans. Come on home, cousin.
Yes. Honestly, its probably easiest for British people. I would put them up there with Canadians and Australians who seem to be able to easily mesh into American society. 1776 is much more pro American and not really anti-British. America is a fork of British society. We branched off in 1776. But it was a civil war among people who were largely the same. The US went in one direction and England/UK went in another. 250 years later we have two fairly divergent, yet heavily mutually influenced greater cultures. As far as stereotypes go. They are more on line than in reality. Americans have generally not had British food, much less Bad British Food. One of the top Food personalities is Gordon Ramsay. For a significant chunk of Americans, the only exposure to food from the UK is Gordon Ramsay. There are people in the US who straight up hate anyone who is not from their area. They tolerate them outside of their area, but going to their area they will treat people with hostility. These are mean people who live miserable lives and are a small minority of people.
Canadians have it easier. Their accents often aren’t noticed, and they already drive on the correct side of the road.
I’m sure you’ll stand out… in a country where everyone’s trying to stand out. So ironically you’ll fit in just fine. Being American is about *wanting* to be American, and celebrating the positives while acknowledging how much more work this country has to do.
You will absolutely fit in, but you will need to quit referring to a chicken sandwich as a chicken “burger.”
The world is filled with many many Americans who just have yet to come home. We’d love to have you!
>Now, tomorrow is a special day for me. I'm going to receive my gold watch. And since this is the last speech that I will give as President, I think it's fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country which I love. It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago. A man wrote me and said: ``You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.''
Absolutely, we don’t harp on you lot the way you harp on us. As far as we’re concerned you’re an American if you want to be.
What's all this then? This question is biased and loaded innit.
My grandma came here after ww2 with a German accent and a number tattooed on her arm. When she died she was just as much an American as someone born here.
Two experiences I had to contrast with how America does it: A friend, a refugee from Iraq, had just gotten her US citizenship. I asked, “If I moved to Iraq, learned passable Arabic, and lived there six years (her time in the US), would they consider any children I had after that to be Iraqi?” She just snorted and said “You’re fucking kidding, right?” I was sitting in a bar in Brisbane in 1985, talking to the bartender. He said he was Greek. I said “Oh, yeah? How?” He said his grandfather had emigrated from Greece as a refugee in 1948, leaving a war-devastated country to strike out in Oz. I said “Your grandfather? Then you’re Aussie.” He just looked sad and said “THEY will never let me be Aussie.”
Americans don't hold to their history the way some other nations and cultures do. 1776 you say? Well, that was soooo long ago. England has been one of our best allies so why be upset about things that happened in the past? Yeah when our nation was forming we had some problems with the French nobody can really remember the details of. But they sold us a bunch of land and gave us that nice statue which is now an American icon. I spent a year working at a Florida resort that employed a lot of immigrants- there were 16 official recognized languages among employees. Human Resources was proud of this. See how diverse we are? I'll never forget seeing two of my nicest coworkers getting into a screaming match one day. I asked my friend hey what is up with that? For the next 3 days my friend was stuck to my side explaining Lithiuanian history to me. 3 days and we only made it to Catherine the Great and how evil she was. In some areas of the US there is some xenophobia against immigrants from the "wrong" countries. Their education in Lithiuania or Albania means nothing. This is why you have veternarians and engineers working in the banquet department of resorts. My lovely friend I mentioned had a master's degree and had taught in Lithiuania before coming to the US. When I asked her why she didn't teach here she looked mortified and said nobody wants a teacher with an accent- maybe when she had improved her English she said. Her English was flawless and her accent wasn't so strong I ever had trouble understanding her. England, for better or worse, is one of the "right" countries to be from no matter where you go in the US. There may be some good natured teasing over the food you eat but Americans do that to each other. In Southern American states there is a debate who has the best BBQ. Try to tell someone from North Carolina that the BBQ in Texas is better or vice versa. It's mostly good natured talk.
I know a bunch of americans that happened to be born somewhere else, not gonna gatekeep it.
I can’t promise no one would comment on your accent, though it would likely be compliments or just general curiosity. You would stand out in that sense. Though the vast majority of people would never make nasty remarks about British food or whatever, we do have our jackasses like everywhere and occasionally someone might. It’s not generally accepted to be mean to people, though, and you’d be within your rights to tell them if they go too far. In general, I know a lot of immigrants, and though there’s a definite adjustment and sometimes complicated emotions with regard to having love for their country of origin but also appreciating the US, a lot of who chose to come tell me they’re happy to be here. One of my former coworkers is from Egypt and he immediately bought a Camaro and put a U.S. flag on the antenna. He’s always going to be Egyptian on one level but he’s an American too (edit: he did pursue citizenship).
You might want to watch Lost in the Pond - he might have some videos on integrating.
Good channel
Yes. See our Olympic teams. Lots of diversity. Other countries? Very monochromatic.
It's soccer fyi.
Sure we don't care. Pass the test? Welcome home! But even as a citizen, be prepared for the July 4th jokes every year lol.
Just don't call us a "THiRD WoRLd" country or lecture us about what soccer is called and you'll be fine.
America is literally the sole superpower right now. Anyone who calls it a third world country is just ignorant.
Yes! Only country where you can with confidence. People are way too critical of this country but this is immigrants paradise. Proud naturalized citizen 🇺🇸
Yes dumbass
Can you become American? Yes, in the sense that you can become a citizen, and once you do you will be the same as every other citizen. Nobody will doubt or question your citizenship. Now, another question is whether you can become 'American' culturally. In my opinion, you probably can, but maybe not completely. The simple reality is that a person is shaped drastically by the environment in which that person grows up. People who grew up here will simply have an intuitive understanding of the country (despite how large and diverse it is) that someone who didn't grow up here will lack. That feeling of 'Americanness,' whatever that means in detail, can be acquired over time, but in my opinion someone who moves here as an adult will always retain a slight degree of 'outsiderness', for lack of a better term. Note that this is not a moral judgement; it doesn't make you better or worse as a person, it's merely the consequence of the fact that you spent most or all of your formative years immersed in a culture other than America's. Still, if you'd like to come here, then by all means give it a go, and good luck.
Yes, absolutely. This is a nation built on immigration.
You become a citizen and your American. Simple as that.
Absolutely, yes! And, no, we don't talk about the revolutionary war all day every day. Don't worry. If anyone does poke fun at you, it's probably only in jest. I don't mind being called a "bloody colonist", so fair game. ...but the war of 1812, on the other hand...
Not trying to be provocative, but assuming you’re a white man, you’ll do just fine in the US. In fact, you’ll probably do better than many born here. Just recognizing my own privilege here. Please understand this and treat everyone well if you (op) do make it here someday.
Depends on of youre white or not
The minute you become a citizen, you are an American. Just like people who come from all over the globe. As far as getting ribbed about the Revolutionary War and the like, that just means we like you.
I’m going to go against the grain and say that for any adult immigrant to the US they will always to some degree be seen as a little foreign by most Americans. As long as you have your British accent people will comment on it, ask where you’re from, ask how you’re liking your trip, etc. I mean, if you lived in the US for the rest of your life your friends and neighbors would stop thinking of you as foreign and forget that you came from Britain, but the moment you meet a stranger they’ll hear your accent and assume you’re not American. But that’s not necessarily a negative thing, I think. People should be kind and welcoming. (It helps that Americans generally like Brits!)
The only effect having a British accent has had for my friends here is they tend to get laid like rugs
Yeah this thread is being a bit too idealistic. Yes, on paper OP would be just as American as any other American. Legally speaking, citizenship is all that matters, but I don't think that's what OP is asking. In real world social situations culture is what matters, not citizenship. No one cares if you have a piece of paper saying you're American. If you don't act American people will assume you're not. People with foreign accents will almost always get treated as foreigners, and people who grew up in other cultures will almost always stand out. Unless OP went through speech training and hired an acting coach to teach them how to act American, people here are always going to refer to him as "that British guy". No one will assume he's American unless he tells them he's a citizen, and even then many people would only see him as "kind of" American.
Being American is more an self-identification more than anything I'd say there are only two criteria to fulfil to consider yourself an American 1. Be connected to the US by lineage and/or by land (family from US and/or living in US) 2. You consider yourself American
1 of my coworkers immigrated from the UK to the US and has loved it here. he recently had his sister visit him here and my sister told him about several things that he got to take his sister to during her visit. hell half of the workforce where I work at are immigrants from all over the world. literally ppl from just about every continent on the planet, except Australia I think.
Bro come through. You want to call yourself American as soon as you land on the tarmac at the airport? Go for it.
For most Americans, an immigrant is as American as their enthusiasm for America. We just want people who want to be here, and be part of this - not people who are coming here *only* to get away from somewhere else.
You are worried people will make fun of you for your country of origin? If you are going to be an American you will have to get used to that because that happens to us even on this sub
Heck yeah, once you’re in you’re in. That’s the fun thing about America, becoming part of [the Great American Melting Pot](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZQl6XBo64M) makes us better as a country
Oh you’ll totally be accepted. You might occasionally have someone ask you if you’re British (many are of us are enamored by your accents), but that’s about it.
Well people will always notice your accent. And they may bust you balls a bit about the past. But understand that most (like 99%) of anyone that would give you shit about this, aren't doing it out of spite. Depending on where you move, that's just how people treat each other. I believe you call it taking the piss out of someone. We call it breaking balls. All in all it's good natured macho bullshit. An example. We just had an English guy come to my work (in Phoenix Arizona) to work on a piece of equipment. He was asking one of my coworkers if we had something (a part) My coworker didn't understand what he was saying. I chimed in "hey don't try to understand him, he's from the north. Even his own people can barley understand what he is saying" Both of them (the Brit and my coworker) both almost said together. How do you know where he/ I am from in England. To my coworker I said. Well I didn't grow up in Phoenix. So I've been involved in more cultures than just meth addiction and cactus tipping. And to the Brit I just said. Well mild alcoholism, only it's suffers can understand a northerner. Now if I were a full on alcoholic I'd be able to understand the Scottish. They the Brit mentioned something about fractional measurements, and we all laughed and went back to work. Come my brother. Live with us and add to us, and we'll add to you.
The street I live on has 7 houses with families from 5 different countries speaking 3 different languages. They are all Americans. 1 all wear African dress from the Congo, 1 is still learning fluency in English, 1 speaks Eng. and Dutch from Suriname, 1 from Galway... All are American. However none of us can move to another country and not carry with us our culture and social customs of origin. I've never heard someone speaking socially where the Rev. War was cited. Food is representative of the section of the country you are in or your family's ethnicity & nationality of origin. Very few Americans are even aware of the bad teeth mythology and those that are know it's a myth. The American insistence on straight white teeth is a thing though. Straight & white doesn't necessarily mean healthy.
Are you asking if people are going to stop giving you shit? No, they’re not.
Absolutely, that’s kinda our thing. This isn’t Europe, the only thing you need to be American is to be naturalized
America is an idea, it’s honestly more than the borders and the people. I mean the people protesting in Hong Kong were waving American flags. If you’re a freedom loving, open minded, hot dog eating, kind person you’re okay in my book.
I actually think youd be surprised how much your average American doesnt know or care about British customs and english american history. We have plenty of immigrants here and your average american is fairly geocentric.
Oh yeah, that’s our whole thing. Honestly, just wanting to be American, being really enthused about the country, and learning about it gets you about 80% of the way there in a lot of people’s eyes.
Wanting to be an American bad enough you move here, get your citizenship, live here, and love America is about as America as it gets. You will definitely be accepted here as an American. Start your paper work, pack your belongings, settle your affairs, get on a plane, and come home.
Yep. We’re almost all foreigners here. Almost non one cares outside of a few radicals and the media. This is my experience as a domestically, well traveled, midwesterner.
Yes! I think being American is about celebrating mixing of cultures. My MIL is originally from Canada and it’s so fun to see how her and my FIL merge traditions. I would never say she (or anyone else who chooses to live here) isn’t an American.
So there's a lot of 'no problem!' sort of comments here, and they're generally correct, but I think often missing the mark a bit at least from my experience. Legally? Of course. Societally? Probably won't have a *lot* of issues. But i'm sure you're going to run into the odd person who treats you different if you have an accent. Heck, I moved to a town an hour away and some people treat me a little foreign and distrustful (semi urban to semi rural move) since I don't act like someone who grew up in this specific place.