Really, you're American? But you're German is so good!
Is that supposed to be a compliment? Perhaps you meant well, but this and other stereotypes about Americans piss me off. Some Europeans are under the impression that Americans don't travel, have no interest in other countries, and cannot speak any other languages. That's simply not true. There are morons everywhere, but the people I grew up with are extremely intelligent. My best friend, Charlotte, is extremely well traveled and speaks French. Felicia has studied abroad in New Zealand, has been to Europe, and speaks Italian. Monica has traveled to England and is currently performing community service in Haiti. Mellissa speaks German. Kristy knows sign language. Gracie speaks Spanish and went on a school trip to Austria.
I myself have been to over 10 countries and speak 2 foreign languages. And although I cannot say whether or not my friends and I are a good representation of the entire country, I can say that there are more intelligent Americans than Europeans may think.
So what was that you were saying?
While I totally agree that it's annoying that that's almost always the response you get, remember there is at least some truth in all stereotypes. The fact of the matter is, a majority of Americans, and English speakers in general, are not proficient in another language. Of all the stereotypes out there for Americans, this one is actually true for a majority of Americans. Many stereotypes are much worse and have much less truth behind them than this one, and those are the ones that really bother me.
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