World Citizens Guide

General chitchat, advertisements for other services, and other non-Cantr-related topics

Moderators: Public Relations Department, Players Department

User avatar
formerly known as hf
Posts: 4120
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 2:58 pm
Location: UK

World Citizens Guide

Postby formerly known as hf » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:59 am

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.
Whoever you vote for.

The government wins.
zisked
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:12 pm

Postby zisked » Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:30 pm

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 ;)
User avatar
AoM
Posts: 1806
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:52 am
Location: Right where I want to be.

Postby AoM » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:17 pm

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).
User avatar
nitefyre
Posts: 3528
Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2003 3:29 am
Location: New York City
Contact:

Postby nitefyre » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:33 pm

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."

:P 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." :lol: He has a point.
Last edited by nitefyre on Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Crosshair
Posts: 1255
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:05 pm
Location: Brighton, UK.

Postby Crosshair » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:34 pm

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...
[url=http://dragcave.net/view/tvkg][img]http://dragcave.net/image/tvkg.gif[/img][/url]

[url=http://dragcave.net/view/RgKP][img]http://dragcave.net/image/RgKP.gif[/img][/url]
User avatar
Stan
Posts: 894
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 3:29 pm
Location: KENTUCKY, USA

Postby Stan » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:43 pm

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.
Stan wrote:I've never said anything worth quoting.
User avatar
SekoETC
Posts: 15525
Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 11:07 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Postby SekoETC » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:48 pm

Well I was asked for directions twice when in London, now how about that?
Not-so-sad panda
User avatar
MrPenguin589
Posts: 391
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:07 am
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Contact:

Postby MrPenguin589 » Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:52 pm

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.
All of my endings are waiting to begin.
User avatar
formerly known as hf
Posts: 4120
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 2:58 pm
Location: UK

Postby formerly known as hf » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:21 pm

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.
Whoever you vote for.



The government wins.
Antichrist_Online
Posts: 950
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 4:49 pm
Location: My Mistress's Playroom

Postby Antichrist_Online » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:47 pm

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...)
Mistress's Puppy
User avatar
Stan
Posts: 894
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 3:29 pm
Location: KENTUCKY, USA

Postby Stan » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:57 pm

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*
Stan wrote:I've never said anything worth quoting.
User avatar
Dee
Posts: 1985
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:06 am

Postby Dee » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:21 pm

Asian Tourists:

Image

American Tourists:

Image
User avatar
formerly known as hf
Posts: 4120
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 2:58 pm
Location: UK

Postby formerly known as hf » Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:04 am

Stan wrote: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.
Whoever you vote for.



The government wins.
User avatar
Stan
Posts: 894
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 3:29 pm
Location: KENTUCKY, USA

Postby Stan » Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:12 pm

I know...I'm just messin' with ya'! That's why I was puffin' on my Castro cigar.
Stan wrote:I've never said anything worth quoting.
User avatar
Mafia Salad
Posts: 832
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2005 12:53 am

Postby Mafia Salad » Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:09 pm

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).
Fortune Cookie Says:
You should consider a career change, you'd make an excellent doormat.

[quote]1441-7: You skillfully kill a racoon using a broom.[/quote]

Return to “Non-Cantr-Related Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest