TheDavinciCHODE wrote:Black Jack wrote:Anybody who has traveled knows Americans have a reputation as the yahoos of the rich world. Maybe Aussies are similar but they're more savvy. Arrogance is often observed.
YEAH there are many exceptions but on the travel circuit it's a bit of a joke how silly Americans act. It's noticeable and embarrassing as an American.
I don't really think that's true at all.
I have lived abroad for nearly 5 years now and am perpetual traveler and E-commerce nomad. I've lived around Europe and now SouthEast Asia, including Thailand and Malaysia. About to move to the Phillipines for some time (and check out the amazing basketball scene!!!)
I think young American tourist in party centers behave poorly, and have a bad reputation for that; however, my experience is that the locals think this about EVERY young group of tourists. In Czech Republic, Americans have a bad rep for drinking and getting rowdy, but it pales in comparison to the reputation of the British or the slimy reputation of Turks and Italians in the center of town.
I experienced the same thing in Budapest, where tons of young American college kids were drunk and loud but so were 99% of groups from everywhere else.
In Thailand right now, Americans are definitely one of the drunk rowdy groups but so are the Brits, Aussies, and Kiwis, and again the reputation always comes from the same group (young college kids on holiday looking for a good time).
I don't think the average American tourist is as negatively viewed (older people, familiies, mid 20's solo travelers etc) at all by most people.
One stereotype that Americans have abroad that is certainly true is that we aren't very "cultured" and don't know much about other places in the world. It's definitely true on average. We just aren't exposed to much in America in terms of other countries, and anything we do get is filtered to us by the media through American eyes. Our views of the French, British, Germans, Italians, and Russians, for example, are pretty much nothing like how they actually are.
So yeah, I definitely agree that there's a negative view of some Americans abroad like that but the view is almost always targeted at one demographic (18-23 year old males).
All of the negatives I've heard of outside of just playing around in good fun is aimed at these people and not your average American. At least that's the vibe I've gotten in Europe and Asia so far.And BTW, Asian people LOVE Americans. You say you're from America and Thai girls eyes light up like you just bought them a mansion on the beach. Philippines? Forget it. You're having 5 babies THAT SAME DAY with two different girls. Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines love the US.
There's a lot of love out here folks. don't believe the TV.
Exactly,i'm Greek and i live in Creta island.
I can't remember if i met or if i spoke with Americans ,i mean more than a few words,i actualy only remember a beautiful older couple (about 55-60) but they were the exactly opposite of what people describe here
,great persons and human beings,well spoken too.
The big difference is that here people older than 18 can drink(actually to be honest if you look older than 16 they let you drink,no one ask here for IDs to prove your age),especially here is a place call Malia and few others that young tourists go there and drink to death,British are the most popular ones but many Americans too
,that not end well of course,accusation of rapes all the time,beatings ,drank people all over the road.
If you are a stupid guy then yes,you believe thats how they behave in their real life and that maybe they don't respect the Country they are visiting.
But how truth this is,first of all the first mistake comes from us,if they didn't want it its easy to avoid it,but we do nothing because of the money,its like the drug dealers who invite people to a party and sell them drugs and next day they go mad against them because they destroyed their house.
Like it or not America is maybe the first power in the world ,maybe as i outsider i don't like a lot of things that America as a country do but we are not livyng in a perfect world,for me also America is far away than a perfect situation ,i don't know where to start and where to finish so i say nothing
but still that goes for all the countries,maybe different problems and situations but no country is close to perfect so i can't accuse Americans for being arrogants or if they our proud for their country,if they are also believe that they are better as a persons or clever because they are Americans than a guy even from a third world country then yes,i accuse them for stupidity.
Its the way they learn us to be,the propaganda every day,,as an outsider i can't understand why in every game that 2 professional teams playing we must hear the national anthem,only reason they do that is to remind you that you are Americans and you must be proud,maybe with different ways but with the same target is what other countries do,you go to school and you hear you must be proud for being Greek,our ancient brothers brought the light for the west,we always fighting for good reasons,Great Alexander wanted to bring the Greek civilization and educate the east countries..
Peace brothers,we are people of the world,be proud for you country but still criticize the bad,better and more educate people make the countries better and all the world.
Sorry for my English.
