"I'm Good"

There are so many cultural expressions over here that I am still finding myself getting used to after all these months.  One of those is responding with “I’m fine”, or “I’m alright” when asked if I need help – instead of with “I’m good” as I usually would in The States.  I first realized this cultural difference a couple months ago when we had our friends Maurice & Fiona over for dinner.  The four of us were chatting as the dinner cooked when Dave went into the kitchen to check on the food.  I heard one of the pots start to boil over, and I asked him if he needed me to come help him.  He responded with, “No, I’m good”.  Maurice & Fiona chuckled to themselves, and then explained that if someone here were to use that response it would mean more that the responding person was telling the other person that he was well behaved instead of not needing assistance.  I’ve tried to remember that caveat as I have been out and about, but apparently that response is more hard-wired into me than I realized.  We were at church the other Sunday and a fellow congregant, Joan, approached me and asked me if I wanted any coffee or tea.  I responded with “I’m good” (within earshot of Maurice) and Joan looked at me peculiarly and said, “Yes, I know you’re good, but I was inquiring as to whether or not you were thirsty”.  Maurice and Dave immediately started snickering, especially since they were the only ones who understood the joke/accidental cultural faux pas I had just committed.   I think at this point I am starting to run out of times to use of my “I’m an American, please forgive my ignorance” card, but there are still times like this when I am finding need for it.  I am trying to do more thinking before American phrases pass through my lips and do more of “when in Rome, do as the Romans”.  However, at this rate by the time I head back to the U.S. I will have just gotten down the North Irish cultural sayings and will have to adjust again and turn my brain back to “American English Mode”.