Quote:
Originally Posted by RummyBoy
Have you travelled much before?
It sounds like it was your first time spending a lot of time outside the USA.
Sure but you're talking about attitutes and as the other guy said you cannot generalize. USA has some serious problems, is not as free as it used to be and is the largest debtor nation in the history of the world. But Americans are some of the most ambitious and entrepreneurial people on the face of the earth.
Its a culture there so if you compare like that with just average people attitudes, you maybe get that result. Also when you're just visiting, you wont necessarily mix with the business people and the high classes etc.
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This was my first lengthy ( 8 weeks ) business trip to Europe / Asia. I do however have a home outside the USA & have travelled extensively in Central & South America.
I understand what you are trying to say about "Also when you're just visiting" .... this was a business trip however
Anyhow ... The overall summary wasn't that everyone else sucks ...
As I said in an earlier post
All of the countries had:
Great beauty
Great art
Great food ( well mostly )
Great Cities
And so does the USA
But it is fair to "generalize" things from time to time....
For example the term "Ugly Americans", a term used to describe "our" attitudes when traveling is a fair generalization.
Is every American rude & arrogant when traveling? No. But there is a pervasive "attitude" that can rightfully be applied to us as a group of people. We generally expect people to speak our language, we are generally demanding with hospitality workers etc etc...
Again .. is this true of every American .. no... but you see it often enough that it can rightfully be considered a generalization.
And I found certain personality traits & political issues to be pervasive enough that I thought wow .. I really do love the USA.
I was honestly expecting the opposite and believed I was more "European" in my world view .. I'm not.