seetheworld

Tara, mind you now that people from New Jersey have very discriminating taste.

ira

Hi JA,

>Isn't the point of going on vacation to do exactly that? Vacate from home and all that is done at home? <

I think that it is a control thing.

Some folks don't like being in unfamiliar surroundings where they might do something wrong and look foolish in front of the wives and children that they generally bully into submission.

That might be putting it too strongly, but it's the impression I've gotten from the really bad ones.

ira

Hi Holly_uncasdewar

>Ira, gotta ask: do you really go to that many places and say "bonjour" to total strangers on the street?<

Touche'. I had intended to say, "or the equivalent in other languages".

Dukey

I guess unless you actually stay in a place yourself then you'll never know if the people from those three states are

more forthcoming than others

more discerning than others

more honest than others

logos999

I'd bet Ira would say "Grüß Gott" every day to stangers on the street. Actually I'm doing it, if I've seen the person a couple of days before at the same place and/or time. And they do the same. We are courteous people

Neopolitan

Oh, I thought Ira was indeed saying bonjour in all those other places so they'd think he was French, and we all know that EVERYBODY loves the French, so that was probably why they smiled. OUI?

teddybear

ELASTICATED JEANS. 'Nuff said.

Isela

I am Mexican . I once traveled to Europe with a group of Americans and was quite an experience. I was treated really well as long as I kept talking in Spanish. I started to wonder why and questioned some individuals, there seems to be a stereotype for Americans.

* Do not have respect for local customs. I have seem people chewing gum and talking aloud inside of Catholic Churches in Spain. In some countries those are very respected places of workship, not amusement parks. People on archeological sites getting into restricted areas to take a nice shot.

*Inappropiate dress code. There you see girls in tank tops and mini skirts or guys in shorts visiting sacred places of workship for the locals. If you are on vacation that doesn't mean that you are allowed to go on pijamas to the museum.

* Complaining, complaining, complaining.
There are no two places alike, unless you are in the USA (where repetitive seems to be good) . Just because is different does not mean to be bad.
Do not expect to have the same level of comfort or accesability that you have at home. Every culture or country lives by their own code. Enjoy the differences, not complaing about it.

* Bling, bling, bling. It could be bad taste .

I do not know if all these holds true, at least is what I have experienced.

annhig

AS usual, I find myself in agreement with Ira. I regularly say "bonjour" or the equivalent wherever I am. I do this in my own village, which helped us to get to know people when we first moved here 9 years ago. Of course, a lot of the time there is no response, but often enough a conversation strikes up and contact is made. I sometimes embarrass my kids, but that's my job!
It seems to me that "we" [or is it "us"] Europeans forget that just because americans speak english, they are not english, and that their culture is just as different as others with different languages.
All cultures have their little quirks - isn't that why we travel?

seetheworld

Generalizations...tsk, tsk.

kswl

" two large guys, with tiny wives, wearing baseball caps and shorts complaining in loud voices (often with a Southern or Southwestern twang - except when it's a NY or NJ accent) about everything that is wrong with the country that they are currently visiting, oblivious to the fact that many of the people around them understand what they are saying."

I must live a sheltered existence. Although I've certainly read enough about them on this travel board, I've never actually these mythological beasts. One wonders whether they are real, or archetypal.

Carrybean

I guess I live a sheltered existence also.

jules4je7

I've perhaps been guilty a few times of the ugly American stereotype, if that just means I put my foot in my mouth more than once when observing other cultures.

Fortunately, with a 30-day rehab program, I'm in recovery, and now can say "Hello", "Goodbye", "Please", "Thank you" and "I'm sorry" in six different languages -- without doing it too loudly.

Seriously -- Every culture has the capacity for rudeness, since one only needs money and a passport to travel, not a license that proves your ability to appreciate other cultures while hiding your own.

Happy travels,

Jules

Neopolitan

Never forget the power of people in groups. Most people do not act the same at all when they are by themselves or accompanied only by a spouse or loved one as they do when they are amongst a group of 8 or 10 others.

semiramis

In general, I think it is a myth.
Sure there are some rude American tourists just as there are are rude tourists from any country. Personally as a Canadian, I notice rude Canadian tourists more but I think that is because they embarass ME as a Canadian.

kswl

That's true, Neo. People do behave differently in groups, and I guess travelers are no exception, although one might hope they would be.

annw

two large guys, with tiny wives, wearing baseball caps and shorts complaining in loud voices (often with a Southern or Southwestern twang - except when it's a NY or NJ accent) about everything that is wrong with the country that they are currently visiting, oblivious to the fact that many of the people around them understand what they are saying."

Yes I've seen them as well, only the accent does vary.

I think Ira hit the nail on the head in last comment about loss of control or loss of face.

katya_NY

I think complaining in English is funny... it reminds me of a time in Wal Mart a few years ago when an older couple was in line ahead of me. She was admonishing him in Russian for buying cheap socks, and he was saying that if he outlives the socks, he'll buy more... It was great, and I started to chuckle. They looked at me as the wife said to the husband "she doesn't know what we're talking about!".

Of COURSE people understand you! This is why I taught my Russian friends English pig latin... now THAT is hard for others to get.

Neil_Oz

And I worry more about being embarrassed by a fellow Australian than what Americans are getting up to.

Americans more noticeable because of their numbers? Maybe in Europe, but not everywhere. In six weeks in Vietnam and China I was struck by how few Americans we encountered, greatly outnumbered by Europeans and even by Australians. I've found that Europeans can be at least as obnoxious as any other travellers - although by repute the Israelis are very hard to beat in that department.

chicagolori

We have been fortunate to date on our trips to Europe in that we have never encountered and rudeness or Anti-American sentiment.

In Vernazza two years ago while waiting an hour or so for a train, I sat next to a very friendly and sweet British couple from the Cotswalds. I would estimate they were late 60's/early 70s. They were well traveled. I had the best time talking to them about where they lived, where they had visited, how many times they had been to the US etc. They were fans of Americans. On the other hand, they viewed that the Germans were the rudest tourists.

While staying in Ravello however, we witnessed the rudest Americans at the restaurant at Hotel Villa Maria. We stayed there and had dined there several nights/days in a row and were very fond of the waiters due to their patience with our poor attempts at speaking Italian. Most did not speak English but once they got to know us ), the minute we sat down they would go and get the head waiter to translate for us. By the time we left, we had developed a nice rapport with them despite the language barrier. Lots of smiles and nods and pointing and grazie's and prego's.

On our last night, there was a large crowd of Americans from NY who were seated at a table near ours. They were of all ages as they were there for an upcoming wedding. To say that my husband and I cringed at their behavior is an understatement. As soon at they were seated, one of the younger women in the party stood up, walked over to the waiter, and without any attempt to speak Italian or even a polite greeting said, "We need some bruschetta NOW." She went on to explain in english how her friend was tired and pregnant and needed something to eat IMMEDIATELY. The waiter looked perplexed and nodded -he probably had no clue what she said. He went to get the english speaking head waiter who arrived at the table within a few minutes. As soon as he showed up, she said to him, "Is that bruschetta coming?"

I wanted to deck her.

Not sure what the moral of the story is other than I think rudeness is a personal thing rather than a generalized attribute.