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Here in the U.S.? Here, there's proselytizing of religion and politics, people feel insulted if you don't agree with them, and you'd better damned be on board with saying that the U.S. is one hell of a fantastically great place, or you're considered a Commie enemy combatant.
The American fall-back stance. If you lose the other person must be a Commie.
American do have ego problems far more than Europeans. It is wrong to lump all Europeans together. The east are very different to the west. Some Europeans, especially the French in my experience, can be very direct which appears rude to others.
American do have ego problems far more than Europeans. It is wrong to lump all Europeans together
Uh... ok. Lumping all Euros together is wrong, but lumping all Americans together is fine.
This is all anecdotal, of course. Anyway, a lot of the time the world around us is a mirror. If everyone you run into when you're out traveling or talking to people is an ill-mannered jackass, maybe it's time to examine your own behavior and attitudes...
I've met my share of obnoxious twits anywhere I've been, whether it's been the US or Europe. They've always been a very small minority, though. I don't think people are "nicer" in one place than in another.
here in Europe the situation changes a lot from country to country, for example the general atmosphere here in Italy is really different from the one in some norther country. also the US are huge, so probably there are also differences between different areas. and then also in the same country really often there are big differences of attitude, for example between people that live in the cities and people that live in the countryside.
American do have ego problems far more than Europeans. It is wrong to lump all Europeans together. The east are very different to the west. Some Europeans, especially the French in my experience, can be very direct which appears rude to others.
It's wrong to lump all Europeans together, but it's not wrong to lump all Americans together -when there is such a wide variety of cultures and differences between the north, south, east and west of the US?
Opposite. Most Europeans are very cold, arrogant and would never talk to strangers. Indeed, they would never even smile or say hi to you anywhere unlike Americans who would most likely talk while staying at queue, grocery store, elevator, etc.
This is as much bull**** as the opposite would be. Cultural habits differ, but there's simply good and bad people everywhere. A clash between your culture and that of the other person can cause you to interpret things in a different way than theyre meant, good or bad, but people are just people everywhere in the end.
I should also add that I've never experienced this famed American friendliness in America that NewishtoLA claims is so widespread. Most people I met were rude and cold, sometimes even right in my face when I would ask for assistance with directions. The only friendly Americans I met were tourists in Europe and there were two factors at play there: 1. The average American tourist in Europe is relatively well-educated and does not represent the average American and 2. We were both foreigners in a third country/continent and they were more at ease associating with non-Americans. I visited the U.S both before and after September 2001 and there is a perceptible difference between the US before and the US after. After 2001, I found people in the U.S to be much more defensive and suspicious of speaking to strangers.
Edit: Actually, I did meet one VERY friendly American family in the U.S but that was pre-2001.
I should also add that I've never experienced this famed American friendliness in America that NewishtoLA claims is so widespread. Most people I met were rude and cold, sometimes even right in my face when I would ask for assistance with directions. The only friendly Americans I met were tourists in Europe and there were two factors at play there: 1. The average American tourist in Europe is relatively well-educated and does not represent the average American and 2. We were both foreigners in a third country/continent and they were more at ease associating with non-Americans. I visited the U.S both before and after September 2001 and there is a perceptible difference between the US before and the US after. After 2001, I found people in the U.S to be much more defensive and suspicious of speaking to strangers.
Edit: Actually, I did meet one VERY friendly American family in the U.S but that was pre-2001.
Maybe you shouldn't wear your "USA Sucks" T-shirts when you're visiting the US.
Just kidding - but my point is valid: You get what you give generally speaking. People in the US are known throughout the world for their friendliness and openness with strangers. If you've actually spent a significant amount of time (in other words, outside airports and metro city centers for several days or longer) then I'd be very surprised that most of the people you met in the US were rude and cold, even right to your face, and that the ONLY friendly people you met in the US were other Europeans. I'd have to consider the possibility that you emanate a very negative, unfriendly vibe yourself. I don't know you at all - so it's not an accusation. Just consider it as a possibility.
Someone literally asked you to take the shirt off your body? Do you mind expounding on that? The only time I've ever been asked to take my shirt off, I was either in an intimate situation or at the doctor's office. Can't say that I minded it in either scenario, but I definitely prefer one over the other.
Haha, sorry, guess i was speaking dunglish Thought you guys use the same expression. In dutch "het hemd van je lijf vragen" It means so much as some one asking a lot of questions, actually a bit to much.
This guy i met sat next to me on the plain, said hello and started litterally firing all kinds of questions at me. Like where i was from, were i went in the states, how long, where i was going now, what i did for a living etc etc. I thought he must be CIA or something
I mean, i don't mind having a conversation with a stanger in the bus or in the store, i actually like it, but the way he did it made me feel pretty uncomfortable. I answered some of 'em but he went asking further and i then just kind of ignored him, didn't know what to do with it. Same story, but a little less extreme with some other people i met on the rest of the two weeks i was there.
Seems like they easily jumped to conversation about stuff we normally keep private and if i'd do that in Holland to a stranger on the bus he'd be either offended or think i'm a little crazy.
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Thought you guys use the same expression. In dutch "het hemd van je lijf vragen" It means so much as some one asking a lot of questions, actually a bit to much.
