"They don't like Americans." (train station, airline, senior, European)
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I've worked and traveled for most of the last 13 years around the globe. My impressions were:
1) Most of Europe it's a negative to be American from my experience.
2) Usually in Asia, you will receive a favorable reception as an American
3) Middle East (Arab) - Mostly received coldly by ME people.
4) South America - Mostly a positive reception but some negative. I'm working in Peru for the last 14 months and it's definitely mixed and you will be received based on how you act.
5) Canada - mostly favorable although I haven't been to Quebec province.
My perception is from the aspect of a male. If you are an attractive female, you will be received well and pursued everywhere.
I travel a lot for my job (currently posted in San Jose, Costa Rica) and I've never had a problem for being American, unless someone really had a bone to pick. Most people, even if they don't like the US government so much, will be positive towards American individuals because overall we are very outgoing, friendly, helpful, talkative, generous (tippers)...
Of course, if you go out and about acting like an obnoxious idiot, be prepared to be received as such, but if you act decent you will be treated decently.
I've never noticed this outgoing and talkative trait, that Americans associate with themselves. Some Americans do display that trait but overall, it is not a dominant trait that I have noticed. Especially with the current generation of Americans.
I have never had a bad reaction, quite the opposite, they always make me feel like a celebrity.
Which countries? If you are an attractive female, see my comment above.
In 10 of the last 13 years, I've qualified for the 911 credit due to being outside the USA at least 330 days of the year and by earning my income in other countries.
I hear the phrase "they don't like Americans" repeated many times when I mention traveling overseas. I have been to Europe, Central and South America, and while in Europe spent a day in Morocco and not once have I had someone specifically ask if I was American and I have never been forced to identify my nationality. While some people have found out I was American by asking where I was from, not once did they take issue with it. Out of curiosity, has anyone here ever had Any negative reactions if they said they were American? Or is my theory that a lot of Americans need to stop being so paranoid true?
I got a pinch of it during the height of the gulf war. Not enough to make you feel threatened. Just some awkward foreign policy questions once people had built up the courage to ask.
Ive traveled all over and found the reverse to be true. It seems like everyone likes us Americans quite a bit! Maybe because I'm a woman, but I've had positive expereinces down the line. I think Americans are afraid of traveling and provincial, and so they say these things such as people don't like Americans but they are not really true.
I grew up in a resort area that they used to flock to all summer long, and they were beyond rude. Honestly I never met one that wasn't. Ever. I've had overall negative experiences with the locals in Montreal and to a lesser extent the people in Quebec City. Not all, but overall they have been less than friendly. In fact I would say that overall, Montreal was the least friendly and most decidedly anti-USA city I have ever visited. I've been there at least three dozen times, so it's not an isolated occurence. Most of my Canadian friends feel that they are not particularly welcoming to their fellow countrymen for that matter...
that's the rub. it's really an English vs. French thing and has nothing to do with whether
you are an American or not.
This was also our experience in Quebec City. We had a wonderful time and the locals always treated us well. If we walked in to a shop or sat down for dinner, the clerk or waiter would start in french and when we looked clueless would quickly switch to english. Even in shops where they did not know english we were treated very well.
French Canadians not that fond of us? Not in my experience and certainly not in Quebec City.
The only spotty experience I had in Montreal was when I was driving a tractor trailer full of Bounty to a Proctor and Gamble warehouse up there years ago. The guard let me in the lot (after I hit him with the 3 or 4 abominably pronounced words of French I knew) and then proceeded to ignore my conversation in English. He did understand when I told him I was going to turn the truck around and take the load back to the US, though, and spoke flawless English afterwards .
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