Countries/people you respect (crime, house, living)

[ybflady13]

I am an American and I admire Brazilians, they are so warm and friendly.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

...What are countries/people you admire or respect?

At the end of the day, it is the Brazilians. It has nothing to do with their country's history, but solely to do with the people themselves.

I knew many Brazilians in NYC, and have known, been acquainted with or dealt with many in Europe. It doubtless amounts to many hundreds of people, perhaps more. And I have found them to be very, very friendly and outgoing, very courteous, and extremely warm people...and mercifully free of chest-thumping nationalism. They seem to wear themselves and life with rare ease and grace.

In my opinion, their culture must have something special abou it that the rest of the people of the world could well benefit from.

[seacreature99]

Yes, I'm familiar with Les Banlieue, Clichy sous bois, etc.
However don't you think the UK and every other developed country has areas like that?
Areas in Northern England are littered with depressed and run down towns full of burnt out houses and poverty (Middlesbrough, Burnley, Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham, Rochdale etc.)
Everywhere is the same in this respect.

I don't think you can argue that France has a better climate and more attractive towns and cities though. Most UK big cities are as ugly as crap!
Visit Birmingham, the UK's 2nd largest and Europes ugliest city!

Originally Posted by pigeonhole

@ seacreature99 : I see you didn't visit the ethnic ghettoes like Clichy st denis la courneuve or the hub of poverty that are the deep rural departements like Creuse or Corrèze. Your admiration for France confines to the childish. Didn't you see the urban decay in some cities ? the punks with German shepherds crapping on the sidewalks and begging agressively? seems you have rose tainted glasses, if you read French , try this (testimonies of French citizens, not tourists) :
Digne-Les-Bains (04000)

I admire only the populations that built their countries -usually former colonies- beating the odds of an hostile natural and / or human environment, or which are , because of their extreme climate or size, a challenge for pioneers :
- the USA
- CND
- Australia
- South Africa
- Israel
- Russia

[pigeonhole]

I don't think you can argue that France has a better climate

Northern (and even central France in winter) has exactly the same grey, depressing climate as Britain. Only the deep south is better.

[EuroTrashed]

Vietnam/Vietnamese

[Trimac20]

I admire people, not countries. Every country has great, hard-working, conscientious people who have a heart for their countrymen and women and others, and every country has people who are a drain or a stain on their nation. I say that because while I do admire the achievements of great nations throughout history, every nation has a history of violence (which is just part of being human) and often these great achievements came at a great price to liberty or the cost in human lives. I'm not sure if I can say I wholeheartedly admire America's economic success because it did come at a price, but I do sort of admire it. I'm ashamed of alot of parts of my own country's history, but I'm proud of aspects of our national character.

[Nightscape]

South Korea is an amazing comeback story imo.
Nestled between China and Japan having dealt with annexation, devastating wars and a completely Looney regime to its north, It went from one of the poorest nations in the world to an economic global power house in a span of 50 years. Koreans are also extremely hard workers, and for the most part I find very hospitable and friendly.

[RiippaKiwi]

Nobody.

[New Wave Carpetbagger]

I also admire South Korea. It's so wired and looks really cool. I watch KBS on my mother's satellite system when I visit her--she really likes their soap operas. Additionally, in high school and during early adulthood (20+ years and many moves ago) I actually had a couple of friends who were from there. It seems like it has made a lot of progress in even that amount of time. I hope to visit someday.

[SmoothBBQ]

Colombia and Japan.