I like Americans

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
The kids and I were at the city wall in Xi'an China. We hailed a taxi and after picking us up I hand over the hotel card so he knows where to take us. The driver turns to me and says, "I like Americans."

He then pulls to the side of the street to call the hotel and confirm where we're going. Meanwhile, a lone guy standing on the sidewalk sees us in the cab and sends out a simple, "Hey."

On the Great Wall, we were stopped by random strangers asking us to have their pictures taken with us.

Who wouldn't love moments like these?

After the first few days in China, I turned to my teenage son and asked him what surprised him the most. His reply was, "How nice the people are."

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a similar experience many years ago when traveling with my family in China and Taiwan. At one site in Taiwan there were groups of Chinese students who, according to our Chinese friends had never seen non Chinese in person. So, they swarmed us, locking arms with us and taking pictures.

What made matters worse was our friends as a joke told the students that my brother was famous in America. The girls went nuts!

[Dominic]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The kids and I were at the city wall in Xi'an China. We hailed a taxi and after picking us up I hand over the hotel card so he knows where to take us. The driver turns to me and says, "I like Americans."

He then pulls to the side of the street to call the hotel and confirm where we're going. Meanwhile, a lone guy standing on the sidewalk sees us in the cab and sends out a simple, "Hey."

On the Great Wall, we were stopped by random strangers asking us to have their pictures taken with us.

Who wouldn't love moments like these?

After the first few days in China, I turned to my teenage son and asked him what surprised him the most. His reply was, "How nice the people are."

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a similar experience many years ago when traveling with my family in China and Taiwan. At one site in Taiwan there were groups of Chinese students who, according to our Chinese friends had never seen non Chinese in person. So, they swarmed us, locking arms with us and taking pictures.

What made matters worse was our friends as a joke told the students that my brother was famous in America. The girls went nuts!

[/ QUOTE ]

When I first visited Tokyo, I was about 19...I went to a baseball game with my buddy and it was great fun. Like An American college football game. Colorful banners, songs and chants, and everyone having a great time. Instead of guys walking around selling peanuts, they sold seaweed on a stick!


One experience made me marvel at how completely nice and helpful the Japanese are:

I went to a concession stand and ordered a lemonade. I had seen someone else with one and he had ice in it. Well, I got one without ice and tried asking for some ice to be put into my drink. I didn't speak Japanese, the concession guy didn't speak English. I tried pantomiming ice - cold, brrr, shivering - a group of customers gathered around and tried to help, shouting out instructions to the concession guy.

The guy kept running around behind his counter picking up random things and showing me. I'd shake my head and keep "shivering." Finally, he picked up some ice from below the counter (I couldn't see it) - I pointed and said, "that's it" with a big smile. About 15 Japanese people shouted and cheered and pounded my back like I had just hit a home run.

Best lemonade I ever had.

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The kids and I were at the city wall in Xi'an China. We hailed a taxi and after picking us up I hand over the hotel card so he knows where to take us. The driver turns to me and says, "I like Americans."

He then pulls to the side of the street to call the hotel and confirm where we're going. Meanwhile, a lone guy standing on the sidewalk sees us in the cab and sends out a simple, "Hey."

On the Great Wall, we were stopped by random strangers asking us to have their pictures taken with us.

Who wouldn't love moments like these?

After the first few days in China, I turned to my teenage son and asked him what surprised him the most. His reply was, "How nice the people are."

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a similar experience many years ago when traveling with my family in China and Taiwan. At one site in Taiwan there were groups of Chinese students who, according to our Chinese friends had never seen non Chinese in person. So, they swarmed us, locking arms with us and taking pictures.

What made matters worse was our friends as a joke told the students that my brother was famous in America. The girls went nuts!

[/ QUOTE ]

When I first visited Tokyo, I was about 19...I went to a baseball game with my buddy and it was great fun. Like An American college football game. Colorful banners, songs and chants, and everyone having a great time. Instead of guys walking around selling peanuts, they sold seaweed on a stick!


One experience made me marvel at how completely nice and helpful the Japanese are:

I went to a concession stand and ordered a lemonade. I had seen someone else with one and he had ice in it. Well, I got one without ice and tried asking for some ice to be put into my drink. I didn't speak Japanese, the concession guy didn't speak English. I tried pantomiming ice - cold, brrr, shivering - a group of customers gathered around and tried to help, shouting out instructions to the concession guy.

The guy kept running around behind his counter picking up random things and showing me. I'd shake my head and keep "shivering." Finally, he picked up some ice from below the counter (I couldn't see it) - I pointed and said, "that's it" with a big smile. About 15 Japanese people shouted and cheered and pounded my back like I had just hit a home run.

Best lemonade I ever had.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a similar experience in France trying to make my way to the train station. Totally lost and running very late I asked a woman who was walking on the street with her two small children. Of course I do not speak French nor does she speak English. So after several frustrating minutes(for both of us) I start making choo choo train sounds. Her kids laugh at me and she just smiles and points out the directions.

and yes, I made the train, barely. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

I found the French to be lovely people.

[DarkForceRising]

I am always automatically drawn to Brits. Their accents are generally music to American ears (even the brutal Scottish ones are still fun). They always seem to exude a contagious cheer.

A few months back, a new girl at the gas station I frequent greeted me with what I thought was a British tongue. Gushingly, I responded with some stupid "Cheers, loove" type of lame-ass bit. My flawless impression of a refined English accent fell on deaf ears, as said girl is actually a New Zealander.

I should have taken an extra second to listen, since her Boston style r's would have tipped me off that she was not from the UK.

I watch some BBC America occasionally and I have noticed Americans portrayed in a pretty negative light. On the lighter fare, anyway (Hotel Babylon, Mile High). Usually, the Yank character is some bitchy, demanding woman who winds up getting pwned by the time the show is over. Or the guy is some pushy, loud-mouthed businessman.

I wouldn't say that I'm particularly offended by this generalization, although it does make me wonder if this is the typical perception of Americans.

Other than that, the only truly reprehensible foreigner I have ever met was some pretentious bore from.... Ahh, I'll give you one guess....






































<font color="white"> ...France, ldo. </font>

[Klompy]

diebitter,

This is the first time I figured out that you aren't an American yourself. I think most of the time I just assume that people are until told otherwise as I'm sure the majority of people on here are.

I just got home from a vacation where I hung out with my canadian cousin for a week, and it was interesting to hear his view points on americans. His description wasn't as harsh as I expected so I guess we haven't boned our selves completely yet in the eyes of the world.

edit: Why don't you play on party then?

[raju]

[ QUOTE ]
Let's keep it postive, eh?

[/ QUOTE ]

Aw maaaan.

i wont post then

You Know, we could`ve had a whole lot of fun with the french here.

[ChipWrecked]

When I was a camera store/photo lab drone/manager in Atlanta, I used to get a lot of a-hole customers.

These a-holes would invariably drop off 40 rolls of their trip to insert-offshore-locale-here, brag about their fabulous trip, and act like a-holes.

One of my stock phrases was, "It's people like this who give all Americans a bad name."

Glad to hear some positive opinions of us, db.

[daveT]

[ QUOTE ]
When I was a camera store/photo lab drone/manager in Atlanta, I used to get a lot of a-hole customers.

These a-holes would invariably drop off 40 rolls of their trip to insert-offshore-locale-here, brag about their fabulous trip, and act like a-holes.

One of my stock phrases was, "It's people like this who give all Americans a bad name."



[/ QUOTE ]

Tourons suck no matter where they are, I think most people naturally detract from them. Something about their air.

I thought drunken sailors gave us a bad name.

[katyseagull]

[ QUOTE ]
I am always automatically drawn to Brits. Their accents are generally music to American ears (even the brutal Scottish ones are still fun). They always seem to exude a contagious cheer.




[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. All of the Brits I've met have been good natured so I've made the generalization that Brits are a really good natured bunch of people!

One of my all time favorite coworkers was from England. When he was hired on at my company everybody loved him, from the bosses on down to the admin girls. He was awesome. He'd come over to my cubicle every morning and greet meet. He was super nice and loved to tell me jokes. His jokes were always NSFW, like jaw- droppingly inappropriate and yet funny as hell. The guy was so cool and laid back that he made everyone feel as though we were his long time friend. Wow, I miss him.

Besides my encounter with the Englishman, I have known some Danes. I've got to say they were exceptionally gracious and friendly. Also I really like Germans [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].

[dlk9s]

One-third of my MBA class was "international," which was great. I got along the best with the Japanese students. They were extraordinarily friendly and loved answering any questions I had about Japan, as well as hearing any stories I had to tell. They all said that if I was ever in Japan, I had automatic tour guides.