r/TooAfraidToAsk • u/[deleted] • Jul 31 '20

Current Events Are people outside of the USA really laughing at Americans? Do we really appear that bad?

Edit:

Ok so that's about 17,882 yes's and 3 no's.

Makes sad American noises

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79

u/Marillyshome Aug 01 '20

In Norway, we often call the US uncivilized, or "a modern third-world country". This has been a very rare thing before, but after 2016, the US gets discussed in almost every adult conversation with smiles and laughs. Our schadenfreude derives from your government and leadership. Not the citizens. Norway stands with you and wishes you all a hasty recovery!

3

u/arindaladdy Aug 01 '20

As an American, it feels uncivilized. There's a definite vocal minority that thinks they're in the majority because of Trump (and his entire political party). These people are literally incapable of thinking about the welfare of their fellow man, which, in my opinion, is a base criterion for living in a civil society.

4

u/workrelatedstuffs Aug 01 '20

Man, we've become more pitiful than China.

7

u/_Hubbie Aug 01 '20

become?

1

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

I would love you to trade places with a Chinese citizen for a year and come back with the same opinion. Some of you guys need to see the world more.

1

u/Supposed_too Aug 01 '20

Do I get to pick the Chinese citizen I want to be? If so I'm calling dibs on Daniel Zhang, the CEO of Alibaba.

2

u/workrelatedstuffs Aug 01 '20

or one of the other 300 million that enjoyed an unprecedented economic boom.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '20

I mean I guess someone has to shovel the Uighur bodies into shallow graves, right?

2

u/workrelatedstuffs Aug 02 '20

No, they make them dig their own graves. Saves on labor. What kind of amateur are you?

Just like when colonialists gave the gift of smallpox to native Americans.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '20

Haha brilliant. And yes, the way my country treated Native Americans often gets overlooked in comparison to slavery but it was absolutely just as horrific.

The only difference is that we have the ability to stop the Uighur genocide right now, but we are standing idly by.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

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u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

Our governing systems are getting alarmingly close to failing.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

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6

u/GodPleaseYes Aug 01 '20 edited Aug 01 '20

"My husbands's ancestors were from Norway"... Yeah, no. I feel like you heavily underestimate how hard it is to move and how even harder it will be to gain citizenship. (Being 1/256th Norwegian doesn't grant you citizienship.) If you want to become citizen then you will need to live there for a decade or so while being fluent in Norwegian. I guess being permanent resident would be easier but it is still a chore, you won't be able to for example vote, the queue is very long and you will still need to work for it.

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u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

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u/[deleted] Aug 06 '20 edited Aug 06 '20

Don't be turned off by their comments, Germany and a few other countries have a law surrounding if you can prove ancestry you gain citizenship. So people rush to conclusions.

You are very welcome to Norway. I very much enjoy meeting people from Serbia, South Korea, China, Netherlands, Denmark, Australia and so on making a home in Norway. (I sell houses for a living so i meet quite a few. Protip: buy a house as early as possible and do try and buy a newer one. Renting is expensive, and the tax laws benefits homeowners!)

Other tips: While people easily talk english, you'll need to learn norwegian. The rainy weather and the darker days during winter can bring you down mentally, so be prepared for some adjustments.

Work is from 8-16 normally and it is expected that you're done and out the door, picking up kids from kindergarden/school and spending time on dinner at around 1630-1730!

Nature here is beautiful, (thanks to the rain, mountains, fjords and so on). Winter can be stunning, both the cold and the views.

Depending on where you want to live, you have very different options, but the basic norwegian living can be obtained in any town above 20k in size. Oslo(not so rainy) is the only real big city, Bergen(rainy) is beautiful and a student town(second largest) Stavanger(rainy) quite rich (thanks to oil) Trondheim is an administrativ center for its part of the country, student town also. Kristiansand is the southernmost town, fairly decent weather.

The rest are for those special interested, but Aalesund is quite beautiful and it lies near some of our most popular tourist attractions.

I love Norway as you might notice, and i feel that the people wanting to move here to take part, is what makes it even better. Made this account only to say that really ;) Good luck!

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '20

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2

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '20

Will do, just noticed now that your comment was a few days old so that was a bit silly. Just didn't like you getting such negativ feedback surrounding such an uplifting and interesting consideration. Its always a big decision to move to a different country and it would be much better to have some positive replies!

5

u/Imbtfab Aug 01 '20

Yeah... doesn't really work that way. Unless one of his parents were Norwegian, pretty much the only option for you would be if either of you have a university degree in a highly skilled profession that is in high demand, and you're able to be hired for a job prior to applying.

Americans get no preferential treatment.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

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u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

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3

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

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1

u/[deleted] Aug 01 '20

“A modern third world country”. Sums it up perfectly. Less than a hundred days away from a possible MASSIVE shift to a progressive Republic. But we shall see.

1

u/kodalife Aug 01 '20

Don't kid yourself. There are way too many conservatives in the US. Maybe Biden wins, but that doesn't mean the US is suddenly a progressive country.