The guy who said he was "half Irish",was actually English with one Irish parent I guess. You can't claim nationally of a country you neither were born in or live in.
I lived and worked in Germany for 7 years in total at various times and I have to say I loved it there. Every country has its fair shaire of arseholes but Germans in general aren't that different to us (or anyone else for that matter) Some of the things they did I struggled with. They do not seem to understand the concept of queueing and waiting your turn. That boiled my piss at times and I ended up in confrontations especially with the young males as in their culture it just seems to be the biggest and strongest just barge their way to the front - you could easily tell if there was a Brit in the queue because we would not stand for that. The strange thing was not once did a German step forward to say we were right or help us enforce the common courtesy - when you stepped up you stepped up alone unless there was another Brit also present. Got into trouble with the German Police a few times - usually ended up with one of them having a quiet word in your ear to the effect of - "You're not in Britain, this is just how it's done here". I even had a couple say they wish Germans were more polite and considerate and they got it but........ On the other hand I found Germans in general to be polite and pleasant people but their habit of being absolutely blunt and direct could be misconstrued (and sometimes was). I've lived, studied, worked across the globe as man and boy (Dad was military so we just followed where he was sent) and the only group of people I have genuine disdain for are the Russians. Lived and worked in the states and my wife is American. I have to say most of the Yanks I met and socialized pleasant, well meaning people. We moved to the UK over 30 years ago simply because life is more pleasant here and it suited us. We go back to the US every couple of years to visit but she states quite categorically she could never live there again after living in Britain and having Europe as a playground. I agree. I'm part Irish, part English with all the usual mongrel bits stretching back in history to who knows where. Wife has Spanish/Jewish/Greek and probably N African but mainly Sicilian in her ancestry. People are just people. Some are arseholes, most are not.
no wonder there are racism inn america, when this is on your mind. Most people are good people all over the world. its is bias, media and bad governments that creates unjustified hate among the different peoples. I have met amazing people all over the world, and most are welcoming and curios. To be critical to a culture is ok, but hate? no, wont help anyone.
