My British Rant for the Day

I like living here, but it drives me crazy how the British think they are the only ones who speak proper English, French and Spanish. For example, when speaking of Madeira, I say "muh dare uh" as it is truly pronounced in dictionaries and the Wikipedia entry as well - believe me, I've checked. However, when I say the name, British people not only look at me like I am from a foreign country, but perhaps from outer space as well. Then they say, "Where is that?", I tell them and I inevitably get, "OOOHHH, you mean Madeeeeera" like I am an idiot. I also get, "Oh you mean po tah toes", "Oh you mean the shops" and stuff like that. And if I hear the /ae/ sound like in "quack" one more time when it should be /a/ like in "hot", I think I might scream! Yes, I know you say it differently or have a different word, but really how different is shop from store? If you understand what I am saying, why tell me how you say it? Because I probably already know but am consciously using MY word because I am from AMERICA!
And usually this doesn't bother me because I like to learn and observe new things, but it's been non-stop today at the shops and people are driving me nuts. I need a good cup of coffee and no, I am not PMSing.
Also, the kids are learning French and Spanish in school. Both Owen and Finn have a real knack for languages. Evan does as well, especially the grammar component, but I think his "window" is closing in terms of French. Anyway, Finn and Owen will come home and will talk about their lessons and pronounce the words in such a horribly Briticized foreign accent, I am just appalled sometimes. For example, in French, you tend to glide the last sound from a previous word into the next one especially if the next one begins with a vowel (kind of like how we say "gotcha" and "wanna"). This is common knowledge that is definitely taught in the US. Here, the French teacher just ignores it so the kids sound like French robots. And don't get me started on vowel pronunciation. It's just so British it sounds NOTHING like the foreign language. There is a candy here called "Bueno" which should be pronounced "bway no", but no, it's "bwen oh" because ya just gotta put that British spin on it. Luckily, Evan's Spanish teacher is from Italy so he has a real grip on good pronunciation.
But my point is, there is no telling a British person what is truly correct when it comes to pronunciation. I think accents here so define one's heritage that it falls upon deaf ears. (That was actually a funny thing to write - accents falling on deaf ears, get it?) And also all that Imperialistic attitude of imposing one's beliefs upon other cultures. Oh well, I guess I will just have to make sure that the kids don't sound like they've just taken a crash course in Britain in whatever the language when we travel.