Gunboat Diplomacy

Once again I've built up a backlog of things I wanted to write about. I have just got to be better about putting up a note right after something happens, or else I get lost. In that spirit I'll write about something that happened to me today.

Language courses are always a great place to meet other students and young people living abroad. Most of them are Erasmus students- European college students on a one or two semester jaunt of a new language, partying and generally low pressure academics.

We were working through an exercise when an answer on the overhead came up, "We didn't feel "good" in America."(wohl - healthy, good, welcome, happy) Everyone's head turned in my direction. How's he going to react? This expectation of response shows that it registered with my classmates that it was odd and unnecessary to use a negative example of a specific country- my country.

I communicated my truly feigned surprise and pique through a tongue-in-cheek toss up of my hands that met with a few giggles.

Teach with a grin: Do you feel discriminated against in German grammar?

(Return fire has been invited)

Mike (sarcasm, overly polite): No of course not. The Europeans and Americans see eye to eye on every issue and I would never say they have something against us.

(More laughs from the peanut gallery)

Teach laughs, then turns serious and concedes: I really don't know why they included a sentence like that. It's really unnecessary.

Me, after a moment of reflection: Maybe they're a little bit envious, or jealous!

(The class erupts in laughter and boos jokingly and everybody, including our instructor, has a good laugh.)

I really like how the class was sensitive to the fact that I had indeed been isolated and insulted, but had rightly chosen to defuse the situation with humor. They picked up right away that I wasn't serious, and only using a perceived attitude for the sake of a joke. It shows they're a savvy bunch and it's nice to know I got the benefit of the doubt.

It's times like these that I ask myself if I've gone to far, but I do think there is something of a lesson here: It is better to openly acknowledge our differences, stereotypes and preconceptions and accept them to the point where we can all joke with each other, than tip-toe around on egg shells for fear of offending somebody. People respect you more, and you can connect with them better, which I do believe is the point in the end.