Real statements people have made to me that I bet they don’t say to most other immigrants:
“Oh, I don’t think of YOU as an immigrant…”
“Don’t change your accent. It’s so charming.”
“People from your country always sound so intelligent.”
“Why would you leave there to live here?”
Things people have said to me that have left me speechless:
“Thank you for taking the time to learn English. So many people come here and don’t even bother…”
“Scotland? Is that near London/in England?”
(I have learned to be less snooty about this kind of comment as I’ve realized how many places there are in the world about which I know very little.)
“Isn’t it great that people can come here and live in a free country?” (Said by a plus-one at a gathering of mostly-lawyers. “Ever heard of habeas corpus?” one of them sniggered, sotto vocce, which made me want to punch him and hug the well-meaning plus-one.)
Things you might need to know about me for this post to make sense
I am Scottish (culturally), British (legally), and I significantly increase the albedo of any area I occupy.