Some views gathered from my travels
 

Listed below are some very general observations and stereotypes gleaned from these boards and my travels. Please take them in the spirit in which they are given. I have a £5 bet with my boss as to which nationality will fail to "get it" and object first, and no, I'm not telling. Here goes:

English: There are two types of Englishman. The first is the younger one (under 30, or thinks he is) who lives on a diet of lager and kebabs; he dislikes anything foreign, but goes abroad for his holidays, spending his time hurling abuse at all foreign passers by, before bearing his bum to the local cops, and waking up in jail.
The older Englishman is a curmudgeonly soul, who looks perpetually backwards through his rose coloured glasses. Anything new is to be distrusted, as is anything from outside his homeland, especially from France or Germany. His holidays are spent driving his little car and caravan down tiny country lanes in search of an England that no longer exists.
Scots: The Scotsman spends his days in a tartan coloured, whisky (no “e”) flavoured haze, eating haggis and deep fried Mars bars. A walking contradiction, the Scot is a morosely happy, deeply shallow, prickly, friendly individual. His main (only) passion in life is football, either of the blue or green variety (occasionally maroon if living in Edinburgh). The bane of his life is football, of the dark blue (international) variety, and of course anything English.
German: The German is loud, overbearing and overweight. He spends his days stealing sun-beds from shy sensitive Englishmen, while drinking vast quantities of beer and consuming on a daily basis the equivalent of the EU sausage mountain. He has no sense of humour, and is not prejudiced – he dislikes everyone equally, and is equally rude to all.
French: The Frenchman moves in his own cloud of foul smelling smoke, tinged with essence of garlic and red wine. He speaks several languages perfectly, but he modestly refuses to demonstrate this talent to anyone to whom it would benefit in the slightest. He has no need of prejudices, he knows that to be French is to have won first prize in the lottery of life.
Italian: The pasta eating, impeccably dressed Italian talks loud and long to anyone who even looks as if they are listening. He spends his days drinking miniscule cups of coffee at pavement cafes, watching the people (= women) walking past. He is indifferent to other nationalities, looking down on them all, as befits a descendant of the greatest empire the world has ever seen.
Spanish: The Spaniard knows he has the best lifestyle, whereby he works a bit, sleeps for a few hours in the middle of the day, works a little bit more, then parties all night. Given that Spain is Europe’s playground, he has a great disdain for the uncultured masses from other countries, but their money is good. His aim in life is to do as little as possible, for as much money as possible, and not get caught.

American: The female American in Europe can be spotted by her boxy white tennis shoes, pastel Capri pants and her indefinable air of genteel panic that she will be recognised for what she is. Her male counterpart on the other hand is large, loud and cares not what people think of him - he is after all, American, and is therefore correct in all he says and does. Both sexes love Europe, except for the food, the drink, the lack of ice in drinks, the tiny hotel rooms, the rude people and the lack of air conditioning.

Very funny.

As I read each one I closed my eyes and pictured the caricature you were painting.

LOVE IT!

Hi d,

>I have a £5 bet with my boss as to which nationality will fail to "get it" and object first, ...<

What's not to get?

What's to object to?

"bearing his bum"?

((I))

The only problem wih stereotypes is that there is so much truth in them.

now THAT is funny!!!
:-)

Sorry, Ira - "bearing his bum" is Britspeak for mooning

Funny how stereotypes do, often have the ring of truth (in general terms). I would guess you'd be betting on Americans since we are more than likely the majority on here....we'll just have to wait & see. I am quite certain (BTW) that none of us on here, in any way shape or form, fit the afore-mentioned descriptions...regardless of our nationality.

I'm sure I'll be slammed for this contribution:
I guess I'm just not with it....To me, repeating and/or glorifying stereotypes only serve to foster and/or enhance prejudices.

Who ARE you Doonhamer? Since I grew up and National Lampoon either doesn't exist or I just can't relate anymore I come to FODORS for my satire when I need a fix. Keep em comin, and to find your soulmate on this forum try to find Gardyloo's explanation of 1st class passengers on all the different airlines. You guys should co-author!

Hmmmm, very interesting! I think I've seen a few of those folks, but not by looking in a mirror.

It is interesting - some stereotypes are "acceptable" and others are not - for example what would be the sterotypes for Australians, Japanese, African Americans, Native Americans or greenlanders?

No objections per se, but how come only the American woman gets her own stereotype? Don't European women deserve equal time?

Doon-I think you've got the Germans spot-on, the Italians pretty close (they ARE loud!) and the Scots are prickly-BUT

your take on the Americans-nope-the minute you smugly think you've got that one figured out, mosey on up to them to hear what you invariably will think is nasally spoken English, you'll find instead that they are speaking----Russian.

In other words, you need to work on the American stereotype just a bit more-because you're working off an 80's/early 90's model.

As an American woman who wouldn't be caught dead in pastel capri pants or boxy white tennis shoes, I take no offense to your stereotypes. They exist for a reason.

In talking to a large group of English travelers during our last trip to Italy, the only nationality they derided were the Germans and it was precisely because they steal everyone's lounge chairs on the beach. So apparently you are spot on with that one. See, you learn a new stereotype everday.

I really do hope that in all of your extensive traveling you have done your part to dispel those stereotypes rather than reinforce them.

Are you saying that I should take my boxy white tennies and pastel TROPICAL PRINT capris out of my suitcase?


:-)

First, you are definitely wrong in your assessment of the French. They do not speak several languages fluently. In fact a 2005 European Union survey on language usage in the EU found that 55% of the French can speak only their mother tongue.

As to Germany, in something over 12 weeks in Germany, I have never seen a German who meets your stereotype, although I have observed some Americans over there acting like that. (Sounds exactly like a Texan I observed in a small town in Bavaria.) Perhaps they have your same stereotype and are just trying to fit in.

But then, how can I argue with you. If you are an American, you think you are correct in all that you say!

D'a be fiel, min, Larry He's a doonhamer- from Dumfries in Scotland.

And doon, boy, (apart from that being very funny, and that I can't TELL the nationality of those who don't get it ALREADY) I think you'll find that "baring his bum" is mooning; not "bearing". LOL!

Sheila, LOL, I thought doonhamer meant bearing his bum to the local cops meant that as a good Englishman he took his bum down to the local police station to confess to whatever crimes he may have committed (such as hurling abuse to all the passing foreigners). Finally figured out "mooning" was actually what was meant.

Funny post doonhamer. BTW, a poster in Australia said she could always pick out the American women visiting Australia as every hair was sprayed into place, they had deep tans and their teeth were pure white due to caps or dentures, lol. Thankfully she wouldn't be able to guess I am an American..neither would any woman I know but it was an interesting comment.

Thanks for the days chuckle!!