Last night I got ripped an absolute new one by my German friends for revealing that I would be flying - yes, with an airplane - to Vienna at the end of the month.
"YOU ARE SO AMERICAN!" was my roommate's immediate response, which I found incredibly insulting.
"You guys fly everywhere..." , a friend chimed in, "You gonna take an airplane back to your bedroom tonight?" (We were in the living room.)
Needless to say, I was not expecting such a strong negative reaction from my new German pals. Their shock and disdain at the fact that I would fly anywhere, let alone within Europe, made me feel every emotion under the sun, from confused to guilty to angry. In fact, I believe my emotional reponse in this moment went something like this...
DENIAL: No, I am not "so American"! I am simply being practical! A flight from southern Germany to Vienna is 90 minutes! A train ride would be 10 hours and is just as expensive as flying! And a bus would be 14 hours! Aren't you guys the ones who worship efficiency anyway? I am not made of time!!!
ANGER: Who are you guys to tell me how to get to Vienna? I work 40 hours a week and I'd like to make the most out of my week-long break, you part-time job fucks.
BARGAINING: Okay, sorry for calling you guys "part-time job fucks." Maybe I'll look into taking the train in the future, when I have longer breaks. And I will absolutely make the most of the train for day trips and shorter journeys. I understand the impact airplanes have on the climate is a negative one. I just think you guys failed to consider the negative impact a 14 hour bus ride would have on my mental health and/or irritable bowels.
DEPRESSION: Guess I'll just never see Vienna. Seems like any option I come up with isn't the right one. It's like they don't want me to go at all. Wait a minute...
ACCEPTANCE: It's not the airplanes Germans have a problem with! It's that I want to go to Austria! Now their reaction makes sense. I'd feel the same way if a friend of mine wanted to fly to Ohio.
;)
P.S. I am still flying to Vienna like a proud American. And yes, I will send you all photos.
They're just mad bc they don't get to go to Vienna. We're going to American it up out here. Yeehaw.
ReplyDeletetell those part-time job fucks that i AM trying to take an airplane to your bedroom tonight (also have fun in Vienna and on the flight and in being an American)
ReplyDeleteThis is perhaps the most thorough analysis of this topic ever written... very educational!
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