re: How Americans are being perceived abroad these days..

quote:

---

Brits: in the 90s we went to Spain to go to the beach around Malaga. Hotels full so had to hit the campground. Beach all day then at night everyone at the campground would congregate, eat and drink. There would be two bonfires, one for the Germans, French, Italians, Dutch, Belgians, Norwegians, Finns, Swedes, Americans and a smaller bonfire for the English. Nobody likes them.

---

I've had many enjoyable encounters with Brits while traveling over the years. That can be witty, engaging and fun to talk to.

BUT..

They can also be arrogant, condescending and live in the past.

I have NEVER seen behavior as drunk British Men on holiday or stag dos, as I've seen in Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona to name a few. They're like a pack of rabid animals sometimes. Never been to a World Cup, but you hear the same thing about them as a group (they're not the only Hooligans, but they seem to dominate the landscape with their boorish behavior).

Was in Rome in early May. Saw a few "Yanks Go Home" stickers on lamp post. Other than that the Romans were wonderful and welcoming.

I land in Malaga in a few weeks, as entry to a trip across Southern Spain. From this thread, I have learned that I should not be sporting my favorite Tottenham Spurs jersey upon arrival.

Just spent a couple of weeks in Eastern Europe. Mostly pretty friendly. I did meet an older couple from the UK and the guy was adamant that Trump had been in the KKK. Also met a young couple from Stuttgart and they said that they wished they had someone like Trump who would do something about illegal immigrants.

One thing traveling teaches you is the vast majority of people everywhere are good, decent people.


You’ll find the overwhelming attitude is that for better or worse they don’t even think about Americans very much. And to the extent they do, they don’t judge you for it. They’ll probably want to practice their English.

Daughter married an Englishman and we had the wedding there last summer. Every, and I mean every Englishman I met at the reception eventually commented about - "Hope you Yanks do the right thing in your election" - all meant that we elect Trump.

Only time I've ever heard any un-American sentiment was years ago in Paris (like early 90's). Met some people in a bar (French, Belgian, Dutch) and we are all drinking. Belgian got a bit inebriated and started giving me crap about America - at that point I had not been anything other than respectful and was very sure not to say anything derogatory about Europe at all - in fact I didn't think anything bad about the place. I just told him all he really needed to say was thank you or he would be speaking German today. His girlfriend have him the stink eye look and he shut up after that - everyone else started laughing and we went on with the night.

quote:

---

All love Trump, they just don’t pronounce it loudly.

---

quote:

---

I just told him all he really needed to say was thank you or he would be speaking German today.

---

That's pretty obnoxious.

Just got back from a two week trip in Portugal and southern Spain. Not many people bring up politics, but those that do are more just curious what our views are, and are usually surprised to find out most of us don't really give a shite about politics. You'll find the rest of the world is more interested in US politics than the average middle class american. Our economy and political decisions seem to have more impact on other countries than it does on us.

And I was treated just fine every where we went. As someone else said, we likely look like walking ATM's to most people.

It sure was cheap as shite for the wife and I to eat out every day. Bottle of wine, appetizer, two entrees, desert, and it would end up being around 60 euros, and the food was spectacular almost everywhere we ate.
If you went to Olive Garden and got a bottle of wine, breadsticks, some appetizer, two entrees, and dessert, it would be $100 easily, and would be shitty chain restaraunt food, and you've have to tip them, unlike in europe.
I was in a beautiful city on the beach in Portugal and stopped in a little souvenir shop and had to buy 2 power adapters, 2 pairs of sunglasses, and a nice coffee mug. 24 Euros. The guy rang it up and I thought for sure he was missing something. Had I bought that in some souvenir shop on the beach in Florida it would have been $60 easily. He could have charged me 24 Euros each for the power adapter and i wouldn't have blinked an eye at that.




If you want to find a country obsessed with american politics, then go to Canada. Go stay in a hotel over there and they''ll have like 60 channels you can watch on tv, and 40+ of them are news channels.

Had no issues in Dubai, Kazakhstan, or Istanbul a couple of months ago. Headed to Japan in a few weeks and not concerned with it.

I'm gonna leave my American Flag tees and jean shorts at home and just try and blend in.