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floridaphil007 Jan 8th, 2008 10:14 AM

locals
 
what is the attitude towards people from the states in Australia

cheryllj Jan 8th, 2008 10:22 AM

Very friendly. Aussies in general are very friendly and outgoing, at least they were to me when I visited.

LizzyF Jan 8th, 2008 11:05 AM

Do you have a hunch back or two heads? It really depends on those two criteria.

speckles Jan 8th, 2008 03:34 PM

To be truthful, some Aussies have an impression that Americans are a bit self-absorbed as a nation in general. For example, tv shows from the UK and Australia are remade for the American market, even though the original show is in English.

However, how you get treated as a tourist depends on individual personalities. If a tourist is rude and arrogant (regardless of their nationality) they won't get treated as well as someone who is friendly and polite.

Australians are generally relaxed, laid back people.

DownUnder Jan 8th, 2008 04:48 PM

Australia, as with most other countries, like American people it's just American politics that is given the thumbs down. You will find Australia to be a very friendly country as are all Islands in the Pacific.

LizzyF Jan 8th, 2008 04:57 PM

floridaphil007 - not everyone in Australia gives the thumbs down, or up for that matter, to American politics - it is not our place to do so nor is it our business seeing we are not there to really know what is going on .

sunsurfsand Jan 8th, 2008 06:04 PM

what states?

oliverandharry Jan 9th, 2008 01:34 PM

In 2004, we were repeatedly asked if George Bush would be re-elected. In 2006, we were repeatedly asked why he was re-elected. We didn't see that so much as thumbs up or down, but people are interested and they tend to follow American politics much more that we follow anyone else's. Doubt 3/4 of this country could even name their prime minister! The top question is always why Americans don't vote.

Bokhara2 Jan 10th, 2008 04:18 AM

That's an intersting question, Floridaphil ... why do you ask?
As we're a nation of some 20m from all around the World, I would guess our "attitude" is probably more plural than singular, and as diverse as our people.

Don't think we've eaten any visitors for a little while though :)

WMR Jan 10th, 2008 06:50 AM

We had the same experience several times, upon being approached by people in shops, restaurants, etc.: started with "love your accent"; a few times the conversation got more in depth, and we were asked about gun control (lack of) in the US, and why all public schools don't get the same funding. Not at all judgmental, just curious, and very friendly.

Neil_Oz Jan 11th, 2008 02:08 AM

"and why all public schools don't get the same funding"

That's an interesting one, presumably from someone with a special interest in the subject. I've visited the US twice for extended trips covering maybe 20 states, have American friends (Fodorites of course) and follow American politics with interest. But I have no idea about funding discrepancies in the US public school system.

As has happened just about everywhere the Bush administration has damaged America's image, but it would be most unusual for anyone to take it out on individual Americans.

Most Australians have never visited the US and suffer from Hollywood stereotypes, but that doesn't matter either. Most Americans I met had an equally distorted image of Australia and Australians seemingly based on Steve Irwin shows. That's probably why many people we met thought we were English.


baysidegirl Jan 22nd, 2008 12:39 AM

Interesting thread. I am Australian and I think that the questions asked are just through curiosity and not judgemental in any way. We get reasonable coverage on US affairs - I'm quite surprised how much we are getting regarding the Presidential election, but maybe that's because of the high profile candidates. We are laid back but I think a lot of us are interested about other countries and cultures. I have always found US tourists here really friendly and interested in our way of life and quite open to talk to a stranger. It's funny I too often get mistaken for being English which I find interesting, obviously my accent isn't too broad.


JohnFitz Jan 22nd, 2008 01:12 AM

Just be what Americans are noted for and what I have generally observed or experienced and that is being polite , nice and interested.They are universal good qualities beloved by all and which we all like to think we possess .That said all the cliches about you are well and truly alive - loud , dressed in polyester pants suits , not aware that other currencies are used other than the US$ and are all obese . We know that is not universally true just as we do not all have kangaroos as neighbours or speak with strong Aussie accents . It is always a delight to meet or observe someone from another country who dispels the myths .

Because Australians travel a lot we tend to forget that statistically only a small percentile of citizens of the USA have a passport and travel out of the USA. Experience makes a good traveller . Anyone who uses and contributes to this site is likely to be a good traveller or at least wants to be one - I hope .

Austalians like to help and if asked will do so .We are generally not likely to take the initiative in offering to help unless it is clear that it is needed as more often than not we feel we may be poking our noses into where they do not belong or where they are not wanted .We love this site because it gives us a chance to promote a place/s we love and help someone else - or ourselves - have a great trip .
So floridaphil007 if you come here expect to be welcomed and if you are not we want to hear about it and either way we expect a Trip Report .

afterall Jan 22nd, 2008 01:57 AM

People in most countries are glad that people from other countries are sufficiently interested to come and visit.

You'll be welcomed, I'm sure.

If there is any antipathy it is towards the government and its policies not the people.

But I do have to take issue with Lizzy.

"not everyone in Australia gives the thumbs down, or up for that matter, to American politics - it is not our place to do so nor is it our business seeing we are not there to really know what is going on."

WHAT?? That is totally illogical. Are you saying, Lizzie, that only Americans have a right to an opinion on (a) the USA's continued over consumption in the light of climate change (B) the economic mismanagement and blind faith in an unregulated free market that has lead to subprime. (c) Guantanamo Bay? I'll stop there.

Is that what you really think?

These policies affect us all.


dkw Jan 22nd, 2008 10:54 AM

My Husband and I moved to Sydney from the US in December and have not had any negative experiences with Australians at all. Most, when they meet us are curious about where we're from, why we're here and how we like it so far.

I did have a funny experience at our bank. When the teller realized that I was from Detroit, she got excited and informed me that she wanted to move to Detroit. She was wondering if I knew any Rap Musicians, if there are really drive-by shootings, if it's really the ghetto.... I guess that all sounds exciting to her!? When I explained that I lived in the suburbs she said "Oh....Like Wisteria Lane" Um......Not really :)

Melnq8 Jan 22nd, 2008 11:59 AM

Let's face it, we Americans ARE self-absorbed as a nation. I'm reminded of that every time I go back to the US for a visit.

Generally speaking, we're just not as worldly or well traveled as our Australian and Kiwi counterparts. Some of us never think beyond our borders, which completely baffles me.

I have American friends who'd never consider moving from their home state, let alone leave their country. Very few of my non-expatriate friends even have a passport.

I've been fortunate enough to visit Australia (and NZ) several times in the past few years and I firmly believe that the Aussies (and let's not forget the Kiwis) are the most friendly, hospitable people I've ever come across.

My husband and I were in New Zealand on 9/11 and I'll never forget the outpouring of condolence we received as Americans. All we had to do was open our mouths and let forth our American accents and we were immediately embraced and offered sympathy and kind words.

I've never experienced anything quite like it.

Neil_Oz Jan 22nd, 2008 12:13 PM

"Most, when they meet us are curious about where we're from, why we're here and how we like it so far."

Fortunately we're not quite so insecure as we used to be, when the first question asked of every visiting celebrity was "And how do you like Australia?" The correct and expected answer was, of course, effusive praise.

In the 1950s Vivien Leigh arrived for a theatre tour with her husband, Laurence Olivier, and hadn't even got out of the airport before she was asked how she liked Australia. "I can't tell, young man - you're standing in the way of it", she replied.

And Ava Gardner, in Melbourne to film the movie "On the Beach", pronounced the city to be "the perfect place to make a movie about the end of the world". She instantly made a million new fans in Sydney.

Neil_Oz Jan 22nd, 2008 12:31 PM

I think it's true that most people appreciate the fact that foreigners have taken the trouble to visit their country (althiough I'm told that doesn't hold as true for the French).

I've certainly found that in countries as different as the US and China. The conversations I had with English-speaking Chinese people invariably revealed great pride in their country's progress and the hope that we'd be treated well and go home with a good impression.

In the US the reaction was more likely to be solicitous concern that, being a variety of naive country cousins, we'd stumble into trouble in the Big City of the USA. One very nice New York couple we met in Vermont gave us all their home and work contact numbers in case we got on the wrong train, strayed into the South Bronx and needed rescuing, or something equally dire. They even drew a map of the five boroughs to make sure we didn't go near the Bronx.

floridaphil007, if Australians are as nice to you as Americans were to us you'll do fine. But as I'm sure you know, it mostly depends on one's own attitude.

Melnq8 Jan 22nd, 2008 12:45 PM

That's hilarious Neil (your story of American "solicitous concern").


Neil_Oz Jan 22nd, 2008 07:38 PM

Every word true, Melnq8. We seemed to go through America being warned against going into places that turned out to be perfectly safe. Or maybe we were just being the naive country cousins?


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