Americans behaving badly

[Anonymous]

People all over the world already have negative feelings towards the US. Americans behaving badly abroad is making the sentiment worse. DC was in Europe over spring break and saw some American teens being super obnoxious. We seem to export some "not our best people".

https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-tourist-climbs-over-fence-055248475.html

[Anonymous]

The Italians said that the man was from Taiwan, so why is the article referencing an American?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Italians said that the man was from Taiwan, so why is the article referencing an American?

American living in Taiwan.

The man — a 47-year-old American citizen living in Taiwan

https://www.foxnews.com/world/american-tourist-reportedly-impaled-romes-colosseum-fence-dozens-watch-horror

[Anonymous]

Americans also tend to just be loud. I don't really know why or what it is. Even just regular conversations are just loud.

[Anonymous]

French person here. Honestly, a lot of tourists on vacation behave badly regardless of nationality. It's because they work hard all year and let loose on their fun trip.

If you want some stereotypes: I have years' worth of memories of very rowdy, drunk Germans at French watering holes! I've never seen an American behave badly, unless you count clothing choices as a crime The American stereotype is that they're fat and wear unflattering clothes. Paris and Provence used to get mobbed by hundreds of tour buses full of Japanese tourists who would descend on fancy stores and clean them out. Now it's the Chinese.

So let's not deal in stereotypes. You'll be fine abroad, OP. No worries.

[Anonymous]

Meh. We went to Amsterdam and they specifically don't like young Brits who come for stag nights and get trashed. There are badly behaved people everywhere. It's just that Americans make more $ in general so they can afford to travel further and spread their uncouthness elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

^ and no, I haven't noticed that Americans are particularly loud. It's all the Latin countries that are loud: Italians, Spanish, and yes, us French too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh. We went to Amsterdam and they specifically don't like young Brits who come for stag nights and get trashed. There are badly behaved people everywhere. It's just that Americans make more $ in general so they can afford to travel further and spread their uncouthness elsewhere.

Lol that’s not a fair comparison. Young Brits are in a league of their own.

[Anonymous]

We're headed overseas this summer- we're not intending to behave badly. We already have primers on social/cultural expectations at our destination and intend to follow them.

DH is overweight and we will likely dress for comfort because we intend to do a lot of walking. Other than that, we will be model tourists.

[Anonymous]

We’ve been to Europe several times in the past couple years. Everyone has been very friendly to us and never held the US dynamic against us. Most of the time folks have been genuinely concerned with how things are going and sometimes asking “WTH is going on over there?”

We always dress for comfort as we do a LOT of walking. We don’t stand out from any of the other tourists (US or non-US).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:French person here. Honestly, a lot of tourists on vacation behave badly regardless of nationality. It's because they work hard all year and let loose on their fun trip.

If you want some stereotypes: I have years' worth of memories of very rowdy, drunk Germans at French watering holes! I've never seen an American behave badly, unless you count clothing choices as a crime The American stereotype is that they're fat and wear unflattering clothes. Paris and Provence used to get mobbed by hundreds of tour buses full of Japanese tourists who would descend on fancy stores and clean them out. Now it's the Chinese.

So let's not deal in stereotypes. You'll be fine abroad, OP. No worries.

Yeah Americans in Asia specifically are thought of as well-behaved but fat and hideously dressed. My BIL in Japan specifically pointed out a 30ish couple, both chubby and wearing North Face type clothing that he described as "camping clothing, not for sightseeing in a city." But as long as you're quiet enough, don't eat or smoke on public transit, you're considered ok.

[Anonymous]

I live in a tourist city overseas. Nationality isn’t usually that problem when it comes to poor behavior.

Issues arise when you have some combination of a large group traveling together, drunkenness, often young and inexperienced, inability to communicate. With this combo it can be any nationality causing issues.

[Anonymous]

I'll take young Brits over arrogant rude Russians any day.

But how about those Dutch, can we all agree they are the worst? j/k! Stereotyping is kinds silly even though there are definitely underlying reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Americans also tend to just be loud. I don't really know why or what it is. Even just regular conversations are just loud.

I notice this too. We could hear other Americans come from a mile away…

[Anonymous]

Tourists from almost every country are behaving badly somewhere.