World Citizens Guide

[formerly known as hf]

American bashing is old, boring, and largely pointless, the large number of cliche obese, bible bashing idiots (of which we thankfully have none here) don't listen, and the few intelligent, wordly ones just get annoyed, or agree.

But American tourists... They deserve all they get. Living in London, I can say, hand on heart, that no tourists are more annoying than American ones. even when I've been abroad and have had the infortune to bump into American tourists, the skin on my back has crawled like never before.

But, at least the US government has realised just how annoying American tourists are...

http://www.worldcitizenguide.org/files/WorldCitizensGuide.pdf

At the same time as giving me a very welcome giggle, it is, in fact full of really spot-on advice:

Be proud of being an American, but resist any temptation to present our way as the best way or the only way.

In conversation match your voice level to the environment and other speakers.

leave politics alone if you can

Oh, and the last page, the 100 people of the world, it's nice to see it done like that. Too often people (not just Americans) think they are the centre of the world.

[zisked]

I'll agree that we Americans can be annoying (I always say I'm from Canada when abroad), but we ain't got nothin' on the Japanese. I remember when I was a kid and a few friends and I were practically molested by a group of Japanese business men who thought it was adorable we were all wearing the same shirt (summer camp group).

But frankly, and tourist who comes to NYC and doesn't walk fast enough is the most annoying at any given moment

[AoM]

I am proud to be an American, even in other countries. But then again, I've never claimed that we're the best nation, even in my own country (much to the annoyance of some of my fellow Americans).

[nitefyre]

I was listening to this Indian comedian the other day, or rather through hearsay from my Indian friend who hates America more than he would Britain, rant about the arrogance of the British. In order to undermine it, he claims that the next time he runs across a British tourist, he'll ask, "Where are you from?"

"Britain."

"I've never heard of it."

"You've never heard of Britain? Why you speak our language!"

"I don't know what you speak, but I speak English."

Oh, I forgot that online you lose all the necessary accents to make it funny. And I always ask my Indian friend why he bothers living in America then. He says, "Oh no, this is New York City." He has a point.

[Crosshair]

To Quote Dylan Moran... "Sometimes i go into a cafe looking for an American to annoy... i sat down and pulled out a cigarette... the American on the opposite table immediately looked over and said "are you going to smoke that?".... "yes... but i'm not going to enjoy it... i'm just using it to LIGHT THE NEXT ONE!!!!" "

Dylan Moran is Irish, by the way...

[Stan]

Ever been in a pub with a bunch of Englishmen?

Americans have nothing on them. How about at a "football" match in another country when the Brits are playing? They're great travellers.

I've travelled all over the world and aside from being a different color or dressed a bit different than the locals I'd bet you 100 whatevers that you couldn't pick me out as a tourist.

In fact, last summer on the tube I was asked for directions before it was realized that I was American.

[SekoETC]

Well I was asked for directions twice when in London, now how about that?

[MrPenguin589]

Look, I live in Long Beach, so I see plenty of tourists (especially since my house is on the water near a beach) and the worst by far are the asians. Especially when they want you to take a picture for them. *Shudders* And wearing shoes to the beach... and taking pictures of EVERYTHING. And they can't drive for crap (usually). You get the picture. But it's not just asians that are annoying, it's most of them. But then again, Long Beach is the most diversified city in California (and maybe all of U.S. too) so I see a lot of every race. So whatever.

[formerly known as hf]

All those Asians, all alike... All looking the same and doing the same funny things...

I do admit that us Brits are generally pretty piss poor tourists too. Our tendency to go abroad then look for the nearest 'Irish Pub' to watch footie is hardly endearing. Hooliganism has hardly given us the greatest of images. Then again, I hate football, always have done.

[Antichrist_Online]

Invariably the worst tourists are those that think it's a good idea to take other peoples photograph without asking first. Forget country of origin.

(Mind you, some of us ask for it by looking like extras from the rocky horror picture show or the circus of horrors...)

[Stan]

HF wrote:

All those Asians, all alike... All looking the same and doing the same funny things...

This was sarcasm for someone grouping all Asians together. However, to start this thread we read this:

HF wrote:

But American tourists... They deserve all they get.

Us crazy Americans we're all the same.

Aren't you grouping people together?

*sits back puffing on an invisible cigar* Gotcha on that one!
*puffs again and blows the smoke out slowly*

[Dee]

Asian Tourists:



American Tourists:

[formerly known as hf]

HF wrote:

All those Asians, all alike... All looking the same and doing the same funny things...

This was sarcasm for someone grouping all Asians together. However, to start this thread we read this:

HF wrote:

But American tourists... They deserve all they get.

Us crazy Americans we're all the same.

Aren't you grouping people together?

*sits back puffing on an invisible cigar* Gotcha on that one!
*puffs again and blows the smoke out slowly*

Unfortunately, for me, there isn't sarcy alongside the good old bold, italic and underline styles.
I wish their was, else I would actually be able to write here the same way I talk in a conversation.

[Stan]

I know...I'm just messin' with ya'! That's why I was puffin' on my Castro cigar.

[Mafia Salad]

WARNING: This post contains many personal bias, stereotypes, and overgeneralizations. If you can deal with that it should be a good read.

Well, between growing up in Las Vegas and spending a lot of time at places like the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park I've grown to love and find entertainment in tourist from all over the world. My favorite type is large groups of Japanese tourists. Especially when they have the guides that lead them around with the ping pong paddle signs. I'm 6'6" and quite obviously Caucasian so working my way into the middle of the group and walking around with them for 15-20 minutes proves to be a lot of fun and gives me something to giggle over for the rest of the day.

German and Scandinavian tourists are usually the most polite and easiest to deal with, plus if your nice to them they give you food. Italian and French are more likely to be rude (at least by American standards) and difficult to be in close contact with because they often smell bad.

When it comes to American tourist, the coolest ones are from the Northwest, Midwest and the South because they adapt quickly and know how to read signs. Californians whine way to much ("Boo-hoo, that man four tables away from me is smoking I'm afraid I'm going to die.") and like to flaunt their money by buying lots of stuff they don’t need. It doesn’t seem to matter if they have money for them to do this.

People from East coast cities seem to think that everything everywhere is, or at least should be, like it is in their home town. They also seem to think that pedestrians have the right of way before cars, which is stupid because cars are bigger and move faster. Simple physics makes it clear that stepping in front of them is a bad idea. And people from the great plains generally look lost and awed wherever they are. I assume that they don't get to see big canyons, mountains or crazy flashy casinos very often.

It doesn't matter where the tourist is from when they are drunk, drunk tourists seem to have their own categories that transcend cultural boundaries. Something universal that happens to all drunk tourists is that their accents get thicker and thicker until they stop speaking understandable English (tourists from the Southwest US included).