Cal

I had some unpleasant experiences in Europe (particularly France) and am looking for a friendly country to visit. I don't antagonize people, just like a smile and an occasional conversation from time to time.

Aussie

We love Americans. If you hadn't had your Revolution the Pommies may have never needed to find another home for all their convicts and I would'nt be here. Come visit and we'll party!!!

LizF

Of course we do. We welcome everyone who wishes to visit this country and enjoy, with us, our culture and places of interest. <BR>Be careful of the occasional conversation though as more Aussies like to "talk the lid off an iron pot" especially if you mention our passions like, sport and leisure.<BR>See ya soon!

Mina

Out of everywhere I've traveled, I'd thought the Australians were friendliest. I'm in love with the whole damn lot of 'em.

Alan

Aussies are casual, laid-back people who tend to like everybody except those who put on airs and act like they are better than anyone else. The only occasions I have heard Aussies complain about "yanks" were when the Americans started complaining because things were not the same as back home. We would like you to accept the differences as being part of the experience. I don't think we are as outgoing as Americans, and the conversations you talk about will probably, for the most part, be initiated by yourself. But you will be rewarded with smiles every time. Give us a try!

Diane

We found the Australians to be very friendly. Actually , in Europe, the only place I have ever felt unwelcome was Paris--certainly not in the rest of France, where we have travelled quite often and found the people to be consistantly pleasant.

ryan

I'll second that Australians are very friendly. I took my parents several years as a retirement present. While in Brisbane, they called a local square dance club and were invited to their Saturday night dance. Every person made it a point to say hello to them and several even offered to drive them back to the hotel.<BR><BR>

dick

I, too, found Aussies to be very friendly towards Americans.<BR><BR>They watch American movies and American TV shows.<BR><BR>The averags Aussie seems to know a lot more about the States than we know about them.

Tom

If you want to meet some aussies on your next trip, take a look at meetURplanet.com. It`s an easy way to meet people who have similar interests as yourself, love traveling, and who are living there. I highly recommend the experience!!<BR><BR>www.meetURplanet.com

lee

We are chinese Singaporean. The only racist experiences I have had were in Sydney and Queenstown. We got spat at. I have been to all of Europe and North America but never had that sort of reaction. Can it be that some Aussies are racist against Asians? (thanks to Pauline Hanson)

Dan

Lee,<BR><BR>I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I can't imagine you were spit upon by more than a couple of people. You have to remember that a couple of people don't reflect a whole country. I live in the US and my next door neighbors just moved, thank God. They were straight off the Jerry Springer show.<BR>They weren't reflections of US citizens, just bad apples that are everywhere. I've met many Australians who were very nice and the country is known for friendly people (although somewhat quirky senses of humor). I think you may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. It can happen anywhere.

Some Thoughts

I'm not sure how many above respondents have been sinhce the 2000 Olympics- but our experiences in December were not what we expected.<BR><BR>We were told by family members who had visited in the late 90's that Australians loved Americans. We have been to over 25 countries and know how to get on in foreign lands. We did not find the Australians to be any more or less friendly than most other places.<BR><BR>When shopkeepers heard or Smerican accents - twice- we found that they turned a cold shoulder. We could only attribute it to some sort of "bad behavior" on the part of our countrymen who had overrun the place in 2000.<BR><BR>I found the New Zealanders to be overtly friendly, while the Ozziues were polite.<BR><BR>I would like to add a bit about the racism. I met a lovely woman in Melbourne married to a Greek restaurant ownber who explained a lot about the racial tensions in Australia- it seems not dissimilar to the situation here about 50 years ago as "old timers" adjusted to "new immigrants."<BR><BR>In time hopefully we can all be more accepting. And I did hear flat our anti-Asian sentiment from people who thought we were talking "among white people" - it disgusted me.<BR><BR>

lee

It did not happen to me only once. We were on a bus tour to Blue Mts when this white Australian was going on and on about how useless the Aborigines and Asians were in Australia, knowing full well we could hear him. He was on the seat across just 3 feet away and speaking very loudly. Usually even xenophobes are not so vocal. On the same trip my (girl) cousin and I were spat at in Sydney Harbour by a bunch of 3 white guys in their 20s. In touristy Queenstown a van pulled up and two white guys wound down their windows and said "GO back you chinks!" and spat at us. <BR><BR>A swallow does not make a summer but these incidents have indicated that in general Aussies could perhaps be more vocal in their racist feelings than other nationals.<BR><BR>Having said that, most Australians and Kiwis are friendlier than Europeans. A case of a country with two extremes?

allan

In response to dicks comment about Australians knowing more about America than Americans do about Australia,; I was told by a tour guide in new york that before Australia won the america's cup for the first time( or the Americans lost it for the first time, however you want to look at it), that hardly anyone in the states had even heard of Australia. In response to the posted Question, I personally don't know of anyone who doesn't like Americans, I can't think of a reason why they would.

Dan

Allan,<BR><BR>Do you really believe Americans never heard of Australia before the cup? Granted most Americans don't know as much about your land as they ought to, but I assure you everyone has heard of Australia. The guide may have been an undercover Canadian trying to stir up trouble. <BR><BR><BR>

Dick

Allan,<BR><BR>Of course Americans had heard of Autralia. It's just that they though the country was mostly kangaroos and koalas and that everyone looked like Crocodile Dundee.<BR><BR>But most Americans know very little about Canada and Mexico. <BR><BR>I read that some radio or tc show in Canada interviews Americans. They tell them that Canada just got 4 lane highway or that they just got there first McDonalds. Surpsingly, many didn't realize that the joke was on them.

Cana -duh?

Canada? Oh, please. If the Canadians are so brilliant why is their money worth almost nothing? Why does it take two weeks to deliver a letter? Why haven't they invented anything? Why do they have to go to the US to shop? Canada, please!<BR>If Americans are so stupid why have we invented 80 percent of the things in your homes, including the personal computer and software you're using right now. Canada, bwahahaha!

dick

You seem to have some pent up emotions.<BR><BR>I never said that Americans were stupid or Canadians were "brilliant". Perhaps you should re-read my message.<BR><BR>Americans, in general appear to be ignorant of current events in other countries..unles it involves the US.<BR><BR>Ask the average school tacher, politician, or college professor of they agree with me or you.<BR><BR>I don't think most Americans have any idea who is the prime minister of Canada or the president of Mexico.<BR><BR>What percentage of Americans do you think know who their represents their congresasional district.<BR><BR>Most American that I know, don't even have any idea who inveted the "80% of thinks in their homes"<BR><BR>Since you mentioned computers, I guess you didn't know that many people consider Charles Babbage to be "the father of the computer" He was born in England in the 18th century.

Dick

Dick,<BR><BR>I did not say computers, I said personal computers. I won't make fun of your grammar, because I'm assuming you are speaking a second language. If not then you truly are an idiot, and I don't know too many "Dicks" from non-english speaking countries. As far as Americans not knowing much about Canada, why should we? Don't make us mad or we'll come up there and buy your houses from you. We can do it too. Most of us have an extra 200 US dollars to spare.

LizF

This particular post has strayed from the first normal question into a slinging match over what country knows what about another - DON'T GET CAUGHT INTO THIS - the poster is, to use an American term, a troll and is trying to stir up trouble as is the person who says he is Asian. Frankly I don't believe him when he says he was spat on as this is NOT something an Australian/European person would do Pauleen Hanson or no Pauleen Hanson, he is just another troll so ignore them.