#Respect to all those who put up with the obnoxious British tourists who think speaking loudly and slowly makes them more understandable

[mjkcskwrites]

Why the British are despised overseas

My dad was an army brat, following his dad from base to base

He spent his life from age 3 to 14 living in Germany

He studied German for seven years in school

Today I asked him; Do you speak German then?

HE SAID NO! He spent most of his childhood in Germany and still doesn't speak German! For fucks sake.

This is why every single European rolls their eyes at British tourists. THIS is why we are despised.

We never try to meet them in the middle. Sure, we might have a few stock phrases from a guidebook. I'm sure they think our badly pronounced sentences are cute. Or, you know, so stupid that they switch to English just to save their poor ears.

Name ten English shops that the employees speak more than English especially in touristy areas. Can you? Now realise that every time I have gone on holiday, to different countries in Europe mind, every single shopkeeper and restaurant waiter has been able to at least limp by in English.

We are required to at least learn one language during school. Can any of you honestly tell me you kept up with that afterwards? Or remember any more than the occasional word? Or that you were close to fluent while learning it?

On the other hand, I saw this cool YouTube video where some English high school students were given a Korean high school English language exam. It was so complicated they couldn't figure it out.

THIS is the effort other countries go to. Why can't we?