World's friendliest countries (move, office, rated)

[nwlv]

Thailand very friendly. I'll take it over Singapore any day of the week

[Neuling]

With some countries I got the impression that people are only friendly because they are expecting something from me, but it is not authentic friendliness from the heart, more like professional friendliness so to speak.

[Boxcar Overkill]

Canadians aren't friendly if you are from American. In fact, they're generally pretty rude. Upon first meeting you, they will typically feel obligated to tell you everything that is wrong about your country, culture, and society. Not all of course, but more than a few.

[Neuling]

Originally Posted by Boxcar Overkill

Canadians aren't friendly if you are from American. In fact, they're generally pretty rude. Upon first meeting you, they will typically feel obligated to tell you everything that is wrong about your country, culture, and society. Not all of course, but more than a few.

Maybe you shouldn't tell them that you are from America, but from the US instead

[Boxcar Overkill]

Originally Posted by Neuling

Maybe you shouldn't tell them that you are from America, but from the US instead

I said they were a rude, not stupid. Surely they know that "America" is one of the conventional short forms of "United States of America". Just like people shorten "The Republic of France" to simply "France", people will often refer to the United States of America simply as America.

Surely there's no one who is confused by this convention. When an athlete is an "All-American", or when someone sings "America the Beautiful", "American Pie", or a movie is called "American Beauty", I don't think most people are so ignorant that they don't know we are talking about the USA.

But if they are as stupid as you suggest, then wouldn't they be equally puzzled by your suggestion to us the phrase "U.S."? After all, we aren't the only United States in the world. Even on our own continent there is a country called Estados Unidos Mexicanos, which like "America" most people just call Mexico, but is literally the United States of Mexico.

[renlouis]

I don't think Neuling was suggesting that the canadians were stupid.

[minibrings]

Originally Posted by fromac

one thing that i wanna mention is that Hongkong is not a country anymore and i think everybody should know that well already. i dont know who did this ranking but apparently it is wrong to put hongkong as a country.

The survey is done from the perspective on an expat living overseas. HK has separate immigration laws from China, being allowed to work in HK does not automatically give you the right to work in China.

[Goldwing]

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

I came across this article today:

World's Friendliest Countries - Forbes.com

The ranking is the countries that are friendliest and most welcoming to foreigners.

1. Canada
2. Germany
3. Australia
4. U.K.
5. India
6. U.S.
7/8. Hong Kong/Spain (Tie)
9. France
10. Netherlands
11. China
12. Belgium
13. Singapore
14. UAE

Canadians hate American's, what the he*l are you smoking?

[Neuling]

Originally Posted by Boxcar Overkill

I said they were a rude, not stupid. Surely they know that "America" is one of the conventional short forms of "United States of America". Just like people shorten "The Republic of France" to simply "France", people will often refer to the United States of America simply as America.

Surely there's no one who is confused by this convention. When an athlete is an "All-American", or when someone sings "America the Beautiful", "American Pie", or a movie is called "American Beauty", I don't think most people are so ignorant that they don't know we are talking about the USA.

But if they are as stupid as you suggest, then wouldn't they be equally puzzled by your suggestion to us the phrase "U.S."? After all, we aren't the only United States in the world. Even on our own continent there is a country called Estados Unidos Mexicanos, which like "America" most people just call Mexico, but is literally the United States of Mexico.

It's not about being stupid. I happen to know a couple of people in South America and some of them react quite negatively when you refer to the US as America because Brazilians etc. are just as American as US-Americans. It sounds as though the US were the real America whereas all the other American countries were something else. I personally don't care, but others are more sensitive about it. Maybe the Canadians, too...

Your France analogy is not really valid as France is not part of something that is French and bigger than France. But go to the UK, Britain, England and Scotland, people in Scotland are pretty pissed when you put it as though they are part of England.

[pigeonhole]

Your France analogy is not really valid as France is not part of something that is French and bigger than France. But go to the UK, Britain, England and Scotland, people in Scotland are pretty pissed when you put it as though they are part of England.

...some Corsicans or Basks are pretty pissed when one tells them they are French too...