Friendliest and Least Friendliest Asian Country?... (place, people, speak, experiences)
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Obviously this is opinion based and its hard to generalise but I'm moving to Asia for another teaching English stint and would love to hear some opinions...
Which countries are most open?...most friendly?...most genuine and easiest to become an insider?...least xenophobic?...that kind of thing...
And then feel free to share where you have been which seemed the exact opposite...
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Friendliest and 'easiest to become an insider' are often two different things. I would say it's most easy to integrate in Singapore, because it's historically been an immigrant, multi-cultural nation more along the lines of the American, Canadian or Australian model. They're not the most warm and hospitable in the old world sense, but I think when they are friendly they're pretty genuine.
Many developing countries in SEA appear friendly to the first-time tourist but after awhile you realise a lot of it is merely to butter up tourists. That doesn't mean there aren't genuinely friendly people, however, because there are.
I've been to several countries in Asia and I'd say the countries where I had the most positive experiences are the islands of Sri Lanka and Taiwan. There were a lot of genuinely friendly, helpful people who were very welcoming and loved visitors. With Thailand, I would say the fact I was mostly in very touristy areas meant I wasn't always able to tell the genuine friendliness/openness of the people as they were always trying to sell you something. Vietnam and Malaysia would be in between. I didn't feel China was especially friendly but I can't speak Mandarin.
Least Friendly --- China ( hard to ask them favours )
I think Chinese people are very friendly and are open to people asking for favors. But one can't really integrate easily into Chinese society as a foreigner.
Filipinos are friendly but they will also openly talk **** about you and laugh at you when you are walking by. Maybe that happens everywhere.
I guess it happens everywhere ? Except maybe in western countries .
What is important is a foreigner can talk to people and ask for assistance, directions or any favours. Filipinos would gladly help a foreigner.
Where I am, it is impossible to ask favours. Cab drivers don't bother to help when I am carrying a buggy and when I have to go somewhere I do not really know, they will just drop me off and will not even bother look for the place or ask some people where it is. In the Philippines, cab drivers help me carry my groceries and help me look for the place and not just drop me off in the street.
In the Supermarket, when I would pay for something that doesn't have a code, the cashier would not even ask a fellow salesperson to go there and check the code and the price. Here, it is either I will have to go there again and get one that has a code or I will just not get it any more. In the Philippines, the cashier would make a phone call to ask someone or ask another sales person to go there and get one that has a code.
Friendly: Thailand and Philippines
Unfriendly: South Korea, Hong Kong, and China
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