World's Friendliest City? World's Rudest City?
Jun 18th, 2005, 04:05 PM
#101
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Robespierre: You're too adult for me and admitedly I have been known to be pretty dense although I mean no harm. I can't tell if you are referring to my post or not. If so the Frenchy Frenchy reference was to the money, not the french. I thought it was funny the way she did it..all she meant was.."duh lady, these are NOT Swiss Francs, they are French and you can't spend 'em here". It had nothing at all to do with the French people.
Jun 18th, 2005, 04:19 PM
#102
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Hi Crefloors, I don't think Robespiere was referring to you, just that people can get upset about something and than end of disliking the entire group that the person upset them belongs to.
Katya, I am sorry. stepggd was for stepgreatgrandaughter. My stepgrandson married a young lady that is Russian background. And they named their baby girl Katya which is a Russian name. I have never known anyone else by that name, so that is why I asked. It is a pretty name. You sound like a great role model to the young people in your care. Best wishes.
Katya, I am sorry. stepggd was for stepgreatgrandaughter. My stepgrandson married a young lady that is Russian background. And they named their baby girl Katya which is a Russian name. I have never known anyone else by that name, so that is why I asked. It is a pretty name. You sound like a great role model to the young people in your care. Best wishes.
Dec 31st, 2006, 06:35 AM
#105
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I've met good and bad from many different cultures from traveling and going to international schools.
Italians: most of the boys/men are very shallow and desperate. The girls are very nice and may seem cold at first but quickly warm up to you. Adults are very inviting and most love to feed you. The people in the streets of Milan were cold, but the people working in the shops were great. Same with Rome, where I met wonderful elderly men who helped me in their little shops find gifts for my sisters and loved doing it. I ran into some unfriendly people working in Gucci and D&G in Rome, however, but that is expected. I waited for thirty minutes to buy D&G jeans when people waiting for one minute were being helped before me! In Armani they literally pushed me out of the store so they could take a lunch break.
Switzerland: I've only been through the south. It is very clean and the people keep to themselves. I saw many wealthy, standoffish people. But anyone can come across as standoffish. Some shopkeepers are so friendly and humble while others are snobs, especially those working in high-end stores.
Turks: Terribly friendly and kind. The guys are a bit creepy sometime. Most are "aloof" because they are embarassed by their english. But if you make the first step, they are nothing but nice. I'd say that Turks are the kindest.
Spanish: most of the spaniards i've met/studied with are trashy party girls. but i've been in a wealthier environment so this is biased. the girls wore their pants down around their knees with their panties showing and they all got their tongues piereced on a day trip to Milan. Loved to get drunk. Most only talked to you when they wanted something or if nobody else was around. My host mother, however, was wonderful, and she was spanish, although it was an italian homestay.
The boys are different--so, so kind and open and funny and willing to talk. However, they also love to jump from girl to girl, as do the Italians. but they are genuinely nice.
Russians: every russian girl that i have met, which is many, has dressed like a prostitue. If not a prostitute, a goth or a punk. Many got in trouble for having holes in the seat of their jeans and not wearing underwear cover their bare skin showing through the wholes. Most were extremely rude and got many detentions for being rude and refusing to participate in sports and class. They are open and talkative, most of them, however.
The boys keep to themselves. The ones that i have meet were involved in the mafia so perhaps this is biased.
Venezuelans: i hosted venezuelans on a school exchange program and they were so, so kind. Great people--every single one was gregarious and nothing but lovable.
Australians: exchange trip, wonderful but very bold and not afraid to say what they feel to your face. But very kind. I met a few extremely miserable and rude ones but as i said before, i meet a lot of spoiled people.
Germans: The girls are sooo nice, the boys--not so much. The boys are full of themselves, shallow, and rude. Very immature as well.
Puertoricans: great, lifelong friends--if you find the right ones. They always travel in loud, loud groups and never separate from one another. They are extremely loud yet funny, but can get rude. Some of the girls are backstabbers and can be quite nasty but most are nothing but kind and they may seem as if they do n't want you to be part of their group, but once you talk to them they'll be nothing but talkative to you. They love it when they find out that you speak spanish, even though most speak fluent english. They are very gossipy and can betray you, but most are wonderful and sweet.
Irish: great, friendly people. always up for a chat, talkative, personable, gregarious.
Serbia: Some girls were terribly friendly, some not. The male i met was rude and talked about me as if i wasn't there.
Japanese: humble, quiet, sweet, shy.
Thai: sweet, funny, friendly, great friends, humble, open, honest.
French: one french girl i met was the sweetest girl in the world, immature and naive, although she lived in paris. The other was sophisticated and snotty.
The waiters in the south of france are HORRIBLE, especially in Nice. Very, very rude. But most of the shop keepers in the smaller french towns are very kind.
Danes: Great, kind, humble.
Italians: most of the boys/men are very shallow and desperate. The girls are very nice and may seem cold at first but quickly warm up to you. Adults are very inviting and most love to feed you. The people in the streets of Milan were cold, but the people working in the shops were great. Same with Rome, where I met wonderful elderly men who helped me in their little shops find gifts for my sisters and loved doing it. I ran into some unfriendly people working in Gucci and D&G in Rome, however, but that is expected. I waited for thirty minutes to buy D&G jeans when people waiting for one minute were being helped before me! In Armani they literally pushed me out of the store so they could take a lunch break.
Switzerland: I've only been through the south. It is very clean and the people keep to themselves. I saw many wealthy, standoffish people. But anyone can come across as standoffish. Some shopkeepers are so friendly and humble while others are snobs, especially those working in high-end stores.
Turks: Terribly friendly and kind. The guys are a bit creepy sometime. Most are "aloof" because they are embarassed by their english. But if you make the first step, they are nothing but nice. I'd say that Turks are the kindest.
Spanish: most of the spaniards i've met/studied with are trashy party girls. but i've been in a wealthier environment so this is biased. the girls wore their pants down around their knees with their panties showing and they all got their tongues piereced on a day trip to Milan. Loved to get drunk. Most only talked to you when they wanted something or if nobody else was around. My host mother, however, was wonderful, and she was spanish, although it was an italian homestay.
The boys are different--so, so kind and open and funny and willing to talk. However, they also love to jump from girl to girl, as do the Italians. but they are genuinely nice.
Russians: every russian girl that i have met, which is many, has dressed like a prostitue. If not a prostitute, a goth or a punk. Many got in trouble for having holes in the seat of their jeans and not wearing underwear cover their bare skin showing through the wholes. Most were extremely rude and got many detentions for being rude and refusing to participate in sports and class. They are open and talkative, most of them, however.
The boys keep to themselves. The ones that i have meet were involved in the mafia so perhaps this is biased.
Venezuelans: i hosted venezuelans on a school exchange program and they were so, so kind. Great people--every single one was gregarious and nothing but lovable.
Australians: exchange trip, wonderful but very bold and not afraid to say what they feel to your face. But very kind. I met a few extremely miserable and rude ones but as i said before, i meet a lot of spoiled people.
Germans: The girls are sooo nice, the boys--not so much. The boys are full of themselves, shallow, and rude. Very immature as well.
Puertoricans: great, lifelong friends--if you find the right ones. They always travel in loud, loud groups and never separate from one another. They are extremely loud yet funny, but can get rude. Some of the girls are backstabbers and can be quite nasty but most are nothing but kind and they may seem as if they do n't want you to be part of their group, but once you talk to them they'll be nothing but talkative to you. They love it when they find out that you speak spanish, even though most speak fluent english. They are very gossipy and can betray you, but most are wonderful and sweet.
Irish: great, friendly people. always up for a chat, talkative, personable, gregarious.
Serbia: Some girls were terribly friendly, some not. The male i met was rude and talked about me as if i wasn't there.
Japanese: humble, quiet, sweet, shy.
Thai: sweet, funny, friendly, great friends, humble, open, honest.
French: one french girl i met was the sweetest girl in the world, immature and naive, although she lived in paris. The other was sophisticated and snotty.
The waiters in the south of france are HORRIBLE, especially in Nice. Very, very rude. But most of the shop keepers in the smaller french towns are very kind.
Danes: Great, kind, humble.
Jan 5th, 2012, 05:19 AM
#106
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Having lived in various parts of the world and travelled extensively ...Charleston SC is a very friendly place, infact i can't fault South carolina.Also, North carolina, Georgia, Virginia. People were so very friendly & helpful.
I struggled in Germany and France when touring Europe. I found people very unfriendly.
Spent 10 years living in England... the Northern cities were full of friendly people. The South was the complete opposite. Standoffish or rude, call it what you like but despite the beautiful South coast the people were awful!
I struggled in Germany and France when touring Europe. I found people very unfriendly.
Spent 10 years living in England... the Northern cities were full of friendly people. The South was the complete opposite. Standoffish or rude, call it what you like but despite the beautiful South coast the people were awful!
Jan 5th, 2012, 05:43 AM
#107
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I don't think much has changed since this topic started back in 05.
Friendly people meet friendly people. I've been to Germany many times and have met some very direct people. This isn't unfriendly, it's direct. This may be the reason Germany has gotten a bad rap.
My German is not very good and some people get frustrated with it. A woman once said in German to me, "I can't understand you!" and said something else that I didn't understand and walked away. I stood there wondering what else to do and she came back with someone who did understand me. It was nice of her, rude would have been to leave me there. She helped me a lot.
I get frustrated with people who come to my city and can't speak a little English. I speak Spanish pretty well but if someone doesn't make the smallest effort, then I'm not going to bother with them.
"The rudest? It depends on where the rudest tourists are on any given day. The rudest tourists always cause the rudest responses."
So true.
Friendly people meet friendly people. I've been to Germany many times and have met some very direct people. This isn't unfriendly, it's direct. This may be the reason Germany has gotten a bad rap.
My German is not very good and some people get frustrated with it. A woman once said in German to me, "I can't understand you!" and said something else that I didn't understand and walked away. I stood there wondering what else to do and she came back with someone who did understand me. It was nice of her, rude would have been to leave me there. She helped me a lot.
I get frustrated with people who come to my city and can't speak a little English. I speak Spanish pretty well but if someone doesn't make the smallest effort, then I'm not going to bother with them.
"The rudest? It depends on where the rudest tourists are on any given day. The rudest tourists always cause the rudest responses."
So true.
Jan 5th, 2012, 06:19 AM
#108
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Was in Russia recently. We were told by well traveled cousins who were in Russia in 2001 that "you shouldn't do Moscow on your own". People were rude, wouldn't help us, etc.
Well, we ignored them. We found the people we needed help from in both Moscow and St. Pete's went out of their way to help us. Do they walk around with smiley faces? No. But every single person we approached for help, was happy to oblige. Even the scary looking Metro woman who sat in a booth and looked like some Commie from a 1960's James Bond movie, was incredibly helpful. She even left her booth and walked over to me, after speaking with me while in her booth, to make sure I understood the directions she had given me previously.
Was in the Ticino area of Switzerland which we were told would be the friendliest area. We had the rudest waiter of our entire Swiss trip there.
So, you never know.
Well, we ignored them. We found the people we needed help from in both Moscow and St. Pete's went out of their way to help us. Do they walk around with smiley faces? No. But every single person we approached for help, was happy to oblige. Even the scary looking Metro woman who sat in a booth and looked like some Commie from a 1960's James Bond movie, was incredibly helpful. She even left her booth and walked over to me, after speaking with me while in her booth, to make sure I understood the directions she had given me previously.
Was in the Ticino area of Switzerland which we were told would be the friendliest area. We had the rudest waiter of our entire Swiss trip there.
So, you never know.
Jan 5th, 2012, 06:35 AM
#109
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I have been fortunate to travel quite a bit in the 7 years since I first posted in this thread. Today, I would say that the Thai people are the friendliest and most polite I have met, followed by the Turks and Australians.
