Will Be Treated Badly In Europe?
Oct 18th, 2000, 11:27 AM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Will Be Treated Badly In Europe?
After reading many, many posts in these pages I am really concerned on how I will be perceived and treated in Europe. I am leaving in 2 weeks for London, Paris, Munich, Zurich, Florence, Rome, and Venice.
My concern is to put it bluntly me.
I am a large woman, and appear to be even larger since I am short. I am 5'1" and weigh 420 pounds. Although I am large I do get around well and expect no problems walking through the cities. However, I an concerned that the locals may belittle me for being large. Do most Europeans take a dim view of large people? Will I be laughed at?
Also, due to my size, I tend to wear loose fitting clothes, as comfort is important to me. Will my tent style dresses be appropriate? I know not to wear sneakers, but will I be OK in nice black Reeboks (they are the only shoes that offer me adequate support).
I hope you can help me. Oh yes, one other question concerning the flight over. Will I be able to sit for 8 hours in the airplane's coach seat? A friend is concerned that I might be too big for the seat and he is trying to get me to upgrade to Business Class. Is it worth the extra money or will I be OK in coach?
My concern is to put it bluntly me.
I am a large woman, and appear to be even larger since I am short. I am 5'1" and weigh 420 pounds. Although I am large I do get around well and expect no problems walking through the cities. However, I an concerned that the locals may belittle me for being large. Do most Europeans take a dim view of large people? Will I be laughed at?
Also, due to my size, I tend to wear loose fitting clothes, as comfort is important to me. Will my tent style dresses be appropriate? I know not to wear sneakers, but will I be OK in nice black Reeboks (they are the only shoes that offer me adequate support).
I hope you can help me. Oh yes, one other question concerning the flight over. Will I be able to sit for 8 hours in the airplane's coach seat? A friend is concerned that I might be too big for the seat and he is trying to get me to upgrade to Business Class. Is it worth the extra money or will I be OK in coach?
Oct 18th, 2000, 11:31 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
GOOD GOD LADY! Loose some fat. You would be the laughing stock no matter what city you went to. I pity the poor traveller that gets stuck in the seat beside you with all of your blubber hanging all over the place. Jeez, 410 pounds and you are concerned about balck Reeboks.....get a life and slim down.
Oct 18th, 2000, 12:01 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Definitely, absolutely a troll.
Several clues: Heavy people do not refer to their clothing as "tent style." Severely obese people of this size do not "get around well" and would not claim to. Severely obese people are painfully aware that they cannot fit into regular coach airline seats and would not be naive on the subject. Bertha is a stereotyped name for heavy women. Hence, a troll, and an exceptionally ham-handed pathetic one at that. Really, people, if you can't troll better than this, leave it to the pros.
Several clues: Heavy people do not refer to their clothing as "tent style." Severely obese people of this size do not "get around well" and would not claim to. Severely obese people are painfully aware that they cannot fit into regular coach airline seats and would not be naive on the subject. Bertha is a stereotyped name for heavy women. Hence, a troll, and an exceptionally ham-handed pathetic one at that. Really, people, if you can't troll better than this, leave it to the pros.
Oct 18th, 2000, 12:20 PM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
If Bertha is a troll it means that, considering the mensurations given, Sumo wrestler Konishiki just had a sex change.
If not, she should upgrade to business, bring here black reeboks, and come enjoy Europe, where we stopped laughing at fat people some time ago, the novelty ran out ... Actually, we couldn't care less about how you look, as long as you refuse politely the menus suggestions containing "organs" instead of just saying "yukk", don't insist to pay for everything in dollars, and your "tent style dress" is not hot pink.
Seriously, we had an 600 pounds American sumo wrestler visiting Switzerland 3 years ago (I got pictures to prove it), people were surprised at his bulk but nobody except children laughed.
If not, she should upgrade to business, bring here black reeboks, and come enjoy Europe, where we stopped laughing at fat people some time ago, the novelty ran out ... Actually, we couldn't care less about how you look, as long as you refuse politely the menus suggestions containing "organs" instead of just saying "yukk", don't insist to pay for everything in dollars, and your "tent style dress" is not hot pink.
Seriously, we had an 600 pounds American sumo wrestler visiting Switzerland 3 years ago (I got pictures to prove it), people were surprised at his bulk but nobody except children laughed.
Oct 18th, 2000, 07:19 PM
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Bertha, I would expect fewer problems in Europe than you encounter in the U.S. My experience living there has been that they have a finer sense of courtesy having been more strictly raised than Americans. You could sum that up by saying that they have more reserve. Often Americans rant a bit about how they were treated, but we found that there are enough really loud and crass Americans, albeit a small minority, that the occasional rude European might be justly blowing off steam.
Sure, the Europeans are slimmer than us, but being overweight is not an object of derision. They see that a large percentage of Americans are overweight and sort of shake their heads at our apparent bad diet, etc., but they will be courteous.
You can help yourself considerably by learning a few key phrases in French, German, and Italian and using them as frequently as the setting allows. Your effort to do so is always appreciated and gets you off to a good start.
Regarding the airplane, I fly almost weekly. Doing a transatlantic in tourist class is bad even if you were at any weight. When I estimated my seat partner at about 275, I was very squeezed by him/her and he/she was using the extensor belt that they give you to enable the regular seat belt to join. At your weight, I expect it simply isn't possible to fit into the seat on an L-1011. I think business class will be a must. I suggest you call the airline you expect to travel on and find out the seat widths for the business and tourist class seats. It could be very important.
Lastly, the clothes you wear is of no special significance unless you are attending a dress-up function which is unlikely.
Hope this info is helpful. By the way, I can't figure out what those young boys were prattling on about, can you? Childhood is such a difficult time; their mommies should be made aware of their antics!
Sure, the Europeans are slimmer than us, but being overweight is not an object of derision. They see that a large percentage of Americans are overweight and sort of shake their heads at our apparent bad diet, etc., but they will be courteous.
You can help yourself considerably by learning a few key phrases in French, German, and Italian and using them as frequently as the setting allows. Your effort to do so is always appreciated and gets you off to a good start.
Regarding the airplane, I fly almost weekly. Doing a transatlantic in tourist class is bad even if you were at any weight. When I estimated my seat partner at about 275, I was very squeezed by him/her and he/she was using the extensor belt that they give you to enable the regular seat belt to join. At your weight, I expect it simply isn't possible to fit into the seat on an L-1011. I think business class will be a must. I suggest you call the airline you expect to travel on and find out the seat widths for the business and tourist class seats. It could be very important.
Lastly, the clothes you wear is of no special significance unless you are attending a dress-up function which is unlikely.
Hope this info is helpful. By the way, I can't figure out what those young boys were prattling on about, can you? Childhood is such a difficult time; their mommies should be made aware of their antics!
Oct 19th, 2000, 02:20 AM
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
I waited until this morning to see if anyone would take this seriously. Looks like some did. This is the same person who is "Charles Wilson III" on this forum and posts under various aliases on the Airlines forum. Fatty Mcfatty, Survey Mc Survey, Jay's Friend, Bag Lady, etc This person is vulgar and very rude. Please ignore him and hopefully he will go away.
Oct 19th, 2000, 06:31 AM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Oh well Troll Buster:
I guess you are right,
Read the post, instantly feel sorry, don't see what others see, post and honest and earnest response only to have the TROLL sit and laugh at us.
This person should have a least 20 different names by now. I sense this Troll usually by the alias and then after the first few sentences. Hopefully others will catch on soon.
I guess you are right,
Read the post, instantly feel sorry, don't see what others see, post and honest and earnest response only to have the TROLL sit and laugh at us.
This person should have a least 20 different names by now. I sense this Troll usually by the alias and then after the first few sentences. Hopefully others will catch on soon.
Oct 19th, 2000, 06:40 AM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
AC, upon reflection, we need a new name for people who post on a thread like this and take it seriously after it has been discredited and exposed as a troll.
Let's review. We have "Snipes" and "Crabs" for mean people. We have "Chumming" to describe intentional attempts to be provocative. We have "Trolls" for fake posts. I propose "Billygoats" for gullible people who take a troll seriously after it has been exposed as a troll. What do you think?
Let's review. We have "Snipes" and "Crabs" for mean people. We have "Chumming" to describe intentional attempts to be provocative. We have "Trolls" for fake posts. I propose "Billygoats" for gullible people who take a troll seriously after it has been exposed as a troll. What do you think?
Oct 19th, 2000, 09:48 AM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
I truly enjoy this site. I have learned much to use in planning future trips. However, I do not understand responses from people that are either mean-spirited or condescending in nature. Perhaps Bertha is real, perhaps she is not. It is a statement as to what one is lacking in life if s/he has nothing better to do than fake posts on websites. It is a further statement as to what one is lacking if s/he has nothing better to do than hurl insults and belittlement. Please let me be the judge of what or whom I choose to respond to.
Oct 19th, 2000, 10:06 AM
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
Well, I thank everyone for responding. I am really grateful to those that posted some things of value. I am not surprised by the nasty ones, as I am used to that. I am always the butt of jokes and rude comments because of my size. It hurts but I try to ignore it as best as possible. I plan to go on my trip and have a good time. I will upgrade to Business Class. I just hope those of you that found this to be funny and chose to make fun of me don't ever have to contend with a weight problem. It is no fun, and the insults hurled my way are indeed hurtful. Sometimes I just have to go hide in my room and have a good cry, and then I fell better.
By the way, to the one poster, you have no idea how I refer to my clothes. I do call my dresses tents, in an attempt to have a little humor in my life. If I can not laugh at myself then what else am I to do.
So, yes I am big, yes I am made fun of, and yes I will go to Europe and I will fun and I hope none of you negative posters are there. I wouldn't want to spoil your trips by exposing you to my large body.
Bertha
By the way, to the one poster, you have no idea how I refer to my clothes. I do call my dresses tents, in an attempt to have a little humor in my life. If I can not laugh at myself then what else am I to do.
So, yes I am big, yes I am made fun of, and yes I will go to Europe and I will fun and I hope none of you negative posters are there. I wouldn't want to spoil your trips by exposing you to my large body.
Bertha
