Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be born/raised in another country?

[CyberCubed]

I am a true blue American. I was born and raised in the good 'ol U.S. of A. My parents and all my grandparents were born here too, so I have roots dating back to the 1920's here. I also live my entire life in New York, so I grew up in the most important city on the planet.

Yet sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I was born or raised in a different country. Like what if I was born in France? Or England? Or Germany? Or Argentina? Or Australia? etc.

It's just obvious so much of our lives and how we exist depend on whatever country we were born in. For example if I were born in Russia my outlook on the world might be completely different than it is now. All the stuff I liked as a kid in terms of shows/movies/games might also be completely different. Had I been born in Japan I probably would be more into anime/manga of course.

Do you ever wonder how completely different your life might be, if your parents had moved to another country and you been born there instead of wherever you're from?

[Candy Kappa]

I haven't really thought much about that, but. I think I'd be dead if I was born in USA with how crummy the healthcare is, dead or deaf.

[ToTheNines]

Yeah cubed, you might not be such a retard.

[newfan]

On occasion, the Mediterranean or I've thought of the more undesirable places and been glad not to be there.
I actually lived in NY for a year and met people from other countries whilst there which did give a view of life elsewhere.

[Cure]

Nah. I don't really think about what-ifs.

[IndigoErth]

I guess vaguely on a rare occasion, but it's hard to really imagine that having never been outside of this country and the usual (and I'm sure likely false) angle that it's worse everywhere else.

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

so I have roots dating back to the 1920's here.

If that's how far back... you guys are practically new immigrants still.

Spoiler:

*cough* Late 1500s minimum here, maybe further but records stop... Then there's the fading native line, who knows how far that goes.

[Katie]

Haha. Right?! Baby in terms of being an American. My white roots go back to the 1500s at least here. My other half is Creek, so, what? Prehistoric?

Having an active tribal presence is like being raised in two countries.

[CyberCubed]

The 1920's is literally almost 100 years ago (and will be in 3 years when we hit 2020), how old does something have to be considering the U.S. didn't exist until 1776?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Your point? My American "roots" go back to 1848-49 (I'm iffy on the exact year) on one side and certainly MUCH further on the other side (Apache) if rumor is to be believed. The side that came over was Irish, and some French and German pretty far back as well. I have learned a bit about Irish culture and food, dance, abd even a little of the language, so I guess I can imagine what it would be like to have lived there.

And then there is that OTHER thread about being born in a different place(time)......

[snake]

I've thought about it before. I love Murica so I'm pretty happy that I'm here.

[Cure]

My sister and I were the first of our family born here.

[Spike Spiegel]

If I could choose where I was born, maybe a more secular European country...or one of the coastal states.

The Midwestern U.S. can get pretty lame.

[Prowler]

This is actually a pretty interesting question, CyberCubed. I know people are chuckling again at a possible other "oh that CyberCubed!" thread, but if, let's say, I or someone else had been the OP of this thread, I bet it would've gotten only serious replies. CyberCubed can be accurate too, guys.

But first of all, you don't need to be born in a different country to be a totally different person. I'm sure I'd be very different if I had been born to my next door neighbours or if my older brother had been a different person than he is.

Now as for your question, CyberCubed... I honestly doubt I'd have had a very different life if I had been born in a different European country, for the most part. Maybe if I had been born in Bosnia or Russia, but I doubt a Dutch or an Italian person around my age have had very different life experiences than I have, generally speaking.

If I died and could pick a new country to be born in my second life? Eh... that's a difficult one. But I'd pick a small European country. I have a feeling that if I had been born in a rather large country in the vein of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, USA, Japan, China, etc.; I'd be a more self-absorbed individual who only consumes media in their own native language, and also someone who'd consider their culture the pinnacle of mankind, and thus not know much about the outside world.

[DestronMirage22]

I would never change the way things went throughout my life (even with all the bad stuff) so I don't see any point in imagining how things would be different if this happened instead of that.

[ProactiveMan]

I probably have wondered that.. yes. It won't matter soon, as everywhere will be the same. Til all are one.

[AT-Man]

Hell no, all other countries suck.... except for Netherlands.

[snake]

Originally Posted by AT-Man

Hell no, all other countries suck.... except for Netherlands.

Netherlands sounds like "nether regions" so it automatically sucks.

[sdp]

As someone whose family constantly moved, I lived in two different countries and have visited many others; you really get a different perspective in life. Living in a city and a town also changes your perspective, you don't even need to go to another country.

To me, it makes it hard to relate with people who have only lived in one place and my strongest friendships are of those who have lived in different countries.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by snake

Netherlands sounds like "nether regions" so it automatically sucks.

I have a feeling he only likes Holland for weed and hookers