LAwoman

I never understand complaints from American tourists about Europeans being rude to them. It's not like they've never experienced rudeness from their fellow Americans at home, especially when it comes to customer service.

ira

Hey, LA,

>I never understand complaints from American tourists about Europeans being rude to them. <

Maybe it's because they have some sort of romantic idea that Europeans exist on a higher plane than they do.

LAwoman

Ira, could be, my theory is it's because they're on vacation so they want everything to be special for them.

logos999

It's so much easier if you just say to yourself. "It's only because everybody here hates Americans". Otherwise they would be sooo nice. There may actually be about three people that hate Americans and a zillion that have other things to worry about than who they hate. Does being indifferent about a nationality count as hate? ;-)

Clifton

Pete, I guess that was kind of my point, but badly made. My original post was in reference to the comment about someone not liking that someone else referred to themselves as "American". But the point there's a lot of different ways people look at place names, etc. Sometimes it's a lot of people, sometimes a few. But if there isn't a set answer, then I can't see getting too worried that there's various people in the world who don't care for what I refer to as my own nationality. That, and the fact that there really isn't anything else to call ourselves anyway.

sunstar

I have always gotten along with the Germans. Maybe it is because I am of German heritage myself and have been mistaken often for being German or Swiss. There will always be some people who have preconceived ideas about a certain group of people based on many things. Maybe appearances, or world politics or whatever, but in general, I think most people, German or otherwise, do not set out to intentionally dislike someone.

Now playing:

Jefferson Airplane: Never argue with a German

Cowboy1968

Looking around the different threads, you have these kind of discussions popping up every once of a while, just with a different host country in question.

Therefore, I assume, that there must be some other contributing factors for this.

One reason could be the way many people choose to travel.

<b>The Incomplete Guide on why Tourists get the Blues</b>

1. Changing places every night or every other night is not a good idea.
Your chances to run into unfriendly people increase dramatically, just from a statistical point of view. And it takes 10 positive encounters to equalize 1 negative impression.

2. Being on a whirlwind tour increases your stress level.
You have to visit towns in the baking sun, and have to tour the countryside in the pouring rain, because your itinerary leaves you no other choice.

3. London-Paris-Rome. The best way to run into people who do not care about your business, is to go where everybody goes.

4. For the tourist, every day of his trip is 'special'. It cost a truckload of money to get here, and to stay here, so why can't everybody understand that and make my day special.

5. Every minute of my trip needs to be well planned in advance to avoid bad surprises.
While some planning may help to get you where you want to go, it also gives you a false sense of security.

Anything else? ;-)

Don't get me wrong: I neither want to make fun of you, nor tell you to travel this way or that way.
I simply think that a lot of misunderstandings and frustrations come from the stress you expose yourself to.

ira

Hi Co,

Thank you for the guide. Now I know what I've been doing wrong.

sansman

I was in a Turkish restaurant in Germany recently and a the waiter asked my friends visiting from New York if we were Americans, I hestistated and answered yes. Expecting a barrage of negativity. Instead, he was overjoyed and telling how great our country was and that George W. Bush was a great man (for getting rid of Saddam), he pointed to his neck several times so I think he was referencing to hanging Saddam. If I understood his German, I believe a Kurd. That was a very strange experience.

Cowboy1968

Looking back at my last message and reading ira's remark, I think I overdid a bit on patronizing.

It was supposed to be more tongue-in-cheek...

Gary_Mc

Cowboy,

You made some good points and did it will pretty decent humor. I suspect Ira was a bit tongue in cheek himself.

It is nice to get off the conveyor belt sometimes and visit parts of Germany that are not solely devoted to tourism. Germans (and Americans, Italians, etc.) that have to deal with tourists all day, everyday must have their patience strained, even if they are normally saints.

Regards, Gary

Padraig

Cowboy, don't you know that the one thing that unites Americans and Germans is a complete inability to understand tongue-in-cheek remarks?

logos999

&gt;complete inability to understand
You quite obviously don't know any Bavarians, they are able to understand anything! The only true Germanic tribe! All others are fake

hypatia

Ira adds needed levity to the board and cowboy I agree too!

Cowboy1968

Ouch.. touch&eacute;, Paddy ;-)

But at least I will be able to pour down my shame with a good bottle of Jameson that costs only half as much here as where you (probably) live ;-)

Sl&aacute;n agus beannacht leat!