my anti-american employer

I'm not incredibly nationalistic. Some people may take issue with that - some believe that makes you less of a person to be American by birth but not one of those flag-waving, might is right, AMERICAN Americans... especially overseas.

I try not to lump people in to groups and label them good or bad as a whole according to their country of origin (not perfect in that respect, but I try), much unlike this guy I met a few weeks back.

I hadn't planned on a late night out as I was still recovering from my illness (and am STILL recovering to date). But I ran in a DJ friend and his group after he finished his set while I was waiting for my tram - they talked me in to grabbing a drink since I had 20 minutes to wait... it turned in my hanging out with them for the next few hours.

During that time span a few things developed - I was the sole remaining female, the only American, and with a group of British and Czech guys out having a good time. UNTIL some guy tugged in the front of my top and I knocked his hand away with a lighthearted, "What the hell?"

Then he ripped in to me about how he hates Americans, American women especially as we're all uptight bitches and pushy and loud and self-righteous and demanding and selfish and blah blah blah. He'd already mentioned something disparaging before but I had chalked it up to him just teasing. I responded this time - let him know he was essentially a stranger and pulling my clothes off and that any woman would react in the same way, not matter where they were from. He argued that European women wouldn't have a problem with that and Czech women wouldn't mind at all. I laughed - it was a ridiculous stance and I said so. I thought he was kidding a bit, but I was wrong. It was a stupid conversation and it continued for a bit - I was absolutely incredulous, couldn't believe he believed his own words but he kept going and going and then got in to how even trying to talk to an American was basically a waste of breathe and he never does it voluntarily outside of the work environment and our little exchange, was the most time dealing with Americans than he's had in the past 5 years... with all over conversations combined. I asked - why start now? I forget what else was said, but one of the other guys, a giant of a man, standing behind me told he him he'd better stop talking because first he was wrong and second he was rude.

It ended with him just going further and further and my getting a little mad, and then, after the giant guy interjected a few more times, he said he was just trying to push my buttons and tried to laugh it off.

Earlier this week I sent my cv off for a teaching position with a school - within the next 15 minutes I had a response from the owner. She asked to meet with me at a cafe the following day. I arrived and she was seated with a man. Her boyfriend. The co-owner. That guy.

I couldn't place him immediately but when I did I started laughing. He was somewhat embarrassed as he recalled our conversation. He asked if I had mentioned to him that I was looking for a teaching position and I said no, I hadn't. He laughed that the meeting was pretty much to get a feel for people and make sure they're articulate. And then remarked, "that's not really a concern - you're definitely articulate."

I got the job. And no, I will not be working with the guy, just for him... and his girlfriend.