Foreign DU'ers:

[XemaSab]

(meaning persons who are not citizens of the US living abroad or residents of the US living in the US, and yes, Canadians DO count as foreign... VERY foreign in many cases!!!)

What brings you to DU?

We like having you here and appreciate your input, but what's the interest in an American political site??? :shrug:

[Heidi]

1. I'm an American living abroad,

but I still love my people very much and have a vested interest in the redemption of my nation. :thumbsup:

[XemaSab]

3. Excellent answer!

Why Switzerland?

And what's it like there???

(never been)

[Heidi]

4. Long story.

But I fell in love with Europe after only about five minutes here, and Switzerland is very English-speaking, quite progressive, and hasn't declared war on anyone in over 1,200 years (if I remember correctly). :thumbsup:

[XemaSab]

5. So you live in Switzerland

and speak English there?

I thought they mostly spoke German. :shrug:

And are things *really* superior over there???

[Heidi]

7. There are four official languages here:

German, Italian, French and Romanche. But English is spoken fluently by more than 50 percent of the population. Not sure what you mean by superior, but I find the living conditions here superior to the US during a rightwing regime, for sure.

[XemaSab]

9. Things meaning

Europe is supposed to be somehow PURER than America. Everything from the food to the cities to the culture is supposed to be better.

Do you find that to be the case?

[Heidi]

11. Not purer, but maybe more mature.

When one considers that the US is a very young society in comparison to most other civilized nations, what our country is going through becomes at least somewhat understandable. It's like teen angst or acting out. Does that make any sense at all? :shrug:

[XemaSab]

12. I'm not sure

Seems like there are a lot of European countries such as Italy that are very old that have more problems than we do, and also it seems like the US has had constant societal turmoil since its inception.

We're still working out almost every major problem we've ever had, such as religious wars, Indians, and slavery, but so are many European countries.

I don't know that you can compare the "young" nation of the US with the "young" nation of Spain or Germany or any other European power. Or can you?

[Heidi]

13. Culturally speaking, Spain and Germany

are much older societies than the US. That's not a diss of the US. It's just how it is. European nations have been through many of the same struggles. :shrug:

[XemaSab]

15. But they haven't been unified as countries for very long,

especially Germany.

And Great Britain has been unified for quite a while but is still culturally unstable....

I know it's not a diss of the US, it's just something I'm not grasping a rhyme or reason to.

[XemaSab]

16. Dupe

DU has been laying some goose eggs in the last few minutes....

[Heidi]

17. Germany was a unified country long before World War II.

I don't understand why you say Great Britain is culturally unstable. :shrug:

[XemaSab]

18. Germany was only unified in 1871

and the UK has Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to contend with, none of which has been totally assimilated into the dominant English culture. Accoring to the CIA, 26% of the population of Wales still speaks Welsh, and they've been a part of the UK since 1284.

[Heidi]

20. .

Just an observation: I'm nearly 43 years old, and there hasn't been a time in my life when I would consider the US truly unified. It's been the south vs. the north, haves vs- have-nots, black vs. white, whites vs. Natives, "straight" vs. gay, Christian vs. non-Christian, citizens vs. immigrants, for as long as I can remember. :shrug:

[XemaSab]

21. It's a fact

I'm just trying to draw a general rule between older and younger countries, and failing.

But thanks for your input.

[ForrestGump]

2. As one who's not telling his point of origin but has been an expat and

may or may not be one now, I'd like to suggest that perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the US dominates the world scene so thoroughly that American problems (and triumphs, not that we've had any in a long time) become the world's. As never quite before, I'd say, what happens in and of the US affects rather immediately the welfare of others in other countries. Thusly are we so hated when our hijacked nation goes rogue.

That and the fact that DU is a nexus for the gathering together of cool people, to a great extent.

[XemaSab]

6. I'll agree with you on the second point

but as an American, I am pretty ignorant of other countries' political battles, and the nitty gritty of the thrashing out of compromises on the part of the "left" of other countries seems like it wouldn't be a subject of endless fascination, at least for me.

Unless it's like watching a train wreck. :P

[tjwmason]

8. Size.

British fora are tiny.

Plus American politics are fascinating.

[XemaSab]

10. I've heard the British tend to be uncut

but that's the first time I've heard someone say that about the SIZE.... :P

[MissHoneychurch]

14. Been to the States some time already

and found it an interesting country with a lot of friendly people. Being part of this side makes me remember that * and his politics is not the U.S.A. and that the reasons why I love the U.S. are still there. You guys!!!

:hi: from Germany

[XemaSab]

19. Excellent!!!!

Thanks!!!!!

[LynzM]

22. Hey lady!

:hi: How's life treating you? I, for one, am glad for all the foreign and expat DUers who are here! :bounce:

[BikeWriter]

23. Thank you, Dear, for remembering we are not responsible...

for the misdeeds of the management!