I am from the UK but live abroad and am just learning the local language. I go to a group each week for people in my situation to practise the language, and I have a lot less language experience than the others in the group, as they've all been here a lot longer than me. This evening, I was idly fiddling with my hairband which had been on my wrist, when one of the group suddenly interrupted the conversation and said 'Can we talk about nervousness?' as our next topic. It was clear he was alluding to me and the hairband, as he stared right at me. The facilitator picked up on this too, I think, and gave the impression he thought it a bit odd, and said 'Let X finish first, then we can move on'. We did then address the topic of nervousness and the guy then explicitly said I looked nervous, and asked me if I was etc. It was very bizarre and totally out of context, and not done in a sympathetic way. I managed to laugh it off and stick up for myself, but I've come away feeling sad and stupid. Can't decide whether to ignore it and pass it off as just one guy's weird behaviour, or to actually wonder if I come across as nervous (in my mind I now equate this with 'pathetic'). I am now worried that other new people I am meeting think this too, and it just makes me feel belittled. Trying not to let it bother me, but it actually does!! AIBU to let it get to me?
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AIBU?
AIBU to feel deflated by this odd comment, or should I take it on board?
41 replies
andabookaboutsandwiches · 12/05/2014 20:56
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