Unscientific research on Anti-Americanism in Europe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve not been treated badly because I’m American but I have regularly experienced a “test” where someone in Europe will try to find out what kind of American you are…trumper or not. If you “pass” the test, i.e not a trumper, you are treated great.

I have personally seen A LOT of nasty tourists from all over the world, most notably American, British (quite a few tbh), and Chinese and Japanese (this last one was more about HUGE groups of tourists and they will cut off others.

I'm calling you out as making up stuff that never happened. Because most people in Europe don't spend their time thinking about US politics or "trumpers." They're much more interested in their own politicians. Of which some are pretty populist themselves. Marie Le Pen is the leading contender to win the next French election. Giorgia Meloni is the PM of Italy. The ADF in Germany is winning elections. There's a significant pro-right tide sweeping across Europe, which you'd notice if you paid attention to the papers.

DCUM isn't Europe and what people are saying in DCUM pretty much only happens on DCUM. Newsflash, a lot of the hotel staff across Western Europe aren't "natives" of the respective countries. But that didn't enter your mind because it doesn't fit the narrative you're trying to peddle on here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They like your partner better? I get this. My DH makes a better impression. People react better towards him. Wish I could change it but it's always been the case.

OP here. Not just me. My partner speaks English with a distinctly American accent and of course our permanent address is in the US. When they see that there is a distinct chill, even if a fake friendliness. When they ask for a passport and he hands them his EU one, the attitude is immediately better, like wow, you’re one of us. It’s remarkable actually.

I think you're imagining it. In all my years of travel, and it involves multiple trips each year for work, I have never experienced any particularly different treatment in Europe due to American nationality. The vast majority of Americans abroad are well mannered and civil.

Sure, but how would you know if you’re always “presenting” as an American abroad? Honestly, when they find out my partner is not American, they are sometimes so surprised that they end up dishing openly on America and Americans, and it’s not pretty. It’s something I never would have seen or observed unless I traveled with a European, so I’m not surprised you haven’t experienced it yourself.

I mean people always have things to say and assumptions about people from different places. People up north have thoughts on people from the South and vice versa. Some legit, some not. Why do people take this stuff so personally ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is Confirmation Bias. We have presented American passports at six hotels during the last two weeks (in Northern Europe) and all of the staff were extremely friendly, as have been museum and restaurant staff. The only people who seem to uniquely hate tourists of any nation are the cyclists in Amsterdam.

Also think it's confirmation bias. You clearly have a hypothesis and it's easy for you to run into a few people who will confirm it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is Confirmation Bias. We have presented American passports at six hotels during the last two weeks (in Northern Europe) and all of the staff were extremely friendly, as have been museum and restaurant staff. The only people who seem to uniquely hate tourists of any nation are the cyclists in Amsterdam.

Also think it's confirmation bias. You clearly have a hypothesis and it's easy for you to run into a few people who will confirm it

Open to the possibility, but can’t it equally be said that all the Americans here who think they are so well liked and accepted by Europeans also have a confirmation bias and self interest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is Confirmation Bias. We have presented American passports at six hotels during the last two weeks (in Northern Europe) and all of the staff were extremely friendly, as have been museum and restaurant staff. The only people who seem to uniquely hate tourists of any nation are the cyclists in Amsterdam.

Also think it's confirmation bias. You clearly have a hypothesis and it's easy for you to run into a few people who will confirm it

Open to the possibility, but can’t it equally be said that all the Americans here who think they are so well liked and accepted by Europeans also have a confirmation bias and self interest?

This. No idea if OP’s post is correct but it’s weird to have posters disputing it purely on the basis that they think they haven’t been treated any differently. How would you know?

[Anonymous]

Lived in Europe for 10 years. American. I have been treated very nicely! I always start any conversation with a hello in the language of the country I am visiting and end with a thank you in the native language. The one time we were treated with disdain was in Amsterdam. We had German license plates and the Dutchman at the hotel started yelling at us for pulling into the circle in front of the hotel to unload our luggage. As soon as he realized we were American, he did a complete turn around. He apologized for yelling at us and told us he thought we were German. He then proceeded to go out of his way to help us.

[Anonymous]

I think you will find what you are looking for OP.. As someone posted earlier, A lot of hotel staffs working in Europe are from all over the place. I think I actually often get treated better. Hotel staffs are well aware that the late night flights from the US arriving early in the morning in Europe turn Americans into zombies and seem to be accommodating about that. I always am so thrilled to be in whatever European country I am in that the hotel staff seem happy + helpful.

Maybe it is just you OP, not "Americans".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve not been treated badly because I’m American but I have regularly experienced a “test” where someone in Europe will try to find out what kind of American you are…trumper or not. If you “pass” the test, i.e not a trumper, you are treated great.

I have personally seen A LOT of nasty tourists from all over the world, most notably American, British (quite a few tbh), and Chinese and Japanese (this last one was more about HUGE groups of tourists and they will cut off others.

OP here. These days I’m afraid the assumption in a lot of Europe is that you’re a Trumper unless and until you produce a European passport. That’s what we’ve been told at least!!

I had a private tour guide in Munich in 2019 complain to me about “gun-toting Texans” and rich Americans. He almost stroked out when he found out that my 24 and 19 year olds (also on the tour) what been homeschooled. Yes, Europeans have stereotypes also. But I have a few about them too…

[Anonymous]

We have US and Canadian passports and EU residency cards. i don't find any difference which one we use when checking in and sometimes due to location of various IDS, we provide a mixture between the family. None of us are treated any differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you will find what you are looking for OP.. As someone posted earlier, A lot of hotel staffs working in Europe are from all over the place. I think I actually often get treated better. Hotel staffs are well aware that the late night flights from the US arriving early in the morning in Europe turn Americans into zombies and seem to be accommodating about that. I always am so thrilled to be in whatever European country I am in that the hotel staff seem happy + helpful.

Maybe it is just you OP, not "Americans".

Maybe you’re right. I’m definitely not thrilled to be in any one country. Maybe I’m jaded.

I’m always impressed with people who resort to ad hominem attacks because they have no substantive argument to add. Sorry to upset your limited perspective (see how easy ad hominem is) by asserting my inconvenient hypothesis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve not been treated badly because I’m American but I have regularly experienced a “test” where someone in Europe will try to find out what kind of American you are…trumper or not. If you “pass” the test, i.e not a trumper, you are treated great.

I have personally seen A LOT of nasty tourists from all over the world, most notably American, British (quite a few tbh), and Chinese and Japanese (this last one was more about HUGE groups of tourists and they will cut off others.

OP here. These days I’m afraid the assumption in a lot of Europe is that you’re a Trumper unless and until you produce a European passport. That’s what we’ve been told at least!!

I had a private tour guide in Munich in 2019 complain to me about “gun-toting Texans” and rich Americans. He almost stroked out when he found out that my 24 and 19 year olds (also on the tour) what been homeschooled. Yes, Europeans have stereotypes also. But I have a few about them too…

OP here. That’s an amusing incident. I’d have been tempted to embellish it a bit if I were you!

One other stereotype I hate that Europeans quote endlessly is how few Americans have passports. It’s an endless mantra. I wonder if it’s sung as a lullaby to kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve not been treated badly because I’m American but I have regularly experienced a “test” where someone in Europe will try to find out what kind of American you are…trumper or not. If you “pass” the test, i.e not a trumper, you are treated great.

I have personally seen A LOT of nasty tourists from all over the world, most notably American, British (quite a few tbh), and Chinese and Japanese (this last one was more about HUGE groups of tourists and they will cut off others.

OP here. These days I’m afraid the assumption in a lot of Europe is that you’re a Trumper unless and until you produce a European passport. That’s what we’ve been told at least!!

I had a private tour guide in Munich in 2019 complain to me about “gun-toting Texans” and rich Americans. He almost stroked out when he found out that my 24 and 19 year olds (also on the tour) what been homeschooled. Yes, Europeans have stereotypes also. But I have a few about them too…

OP here. That’s an amusing incident. I’d have been tempted to embellish it a bit if I were you!

One other stereotype I hate that Europeans quote endlessly is how few Americans have passports. It’s an endless mantra. I wonder if it’s sung as a lullaby to kids.

In general, the rest of the world, not just Europeans, are fascinated in a very not positive way about US gun culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve not been treated badly because I’m American but I have regularly experienced a “test” where someone in Europe will try to find out what kind of American you are…trumper or not. If you “pass” the test, i.e not a trumper, you are treated great.

I have personally seen A LOT of nasty tourists from all over the world, most notably American, British (quite a few tbh), and Chinese and Japanese (this last one was more about HUGE groups of tourists and they will cut off others.

I'm calling you out as making up stuff that never happened. Because most people in Europe don't spend their time thinking about US politics or "trumpers." They're much more interested in their own politicians. Of which some are pretty populist themselves. Marie Le Pen is the leading contender to win the next French election. Giorgia Meloni is the PM of Italy. The ADF in Germany is winning elections. There's a significant pro-right tide sweeping across Europe, which you'd notice if you paid attention to the papers.

DCUM isn't Europe and what people are saying in DCUM pretty much only happens on DCUM. Newsflash, a lot of the hotel staff across Western Europe aren't "natives" of the respective countries. But that didn't enter your mind because it doesn't fit the narrative you're trying to peddle on here.

I hate people like you who dismiss things because they haven't happened to you. I was in Italy in 2017 and had the "Do you support Trump?" question posed to me by a takeaway pizza place guy. Then again in 2018 by a food service worker in Alberta, Canada. We only vacationed in America during the rest of the Trump years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve not been treated badly because I’m American but I have regularly experienced a “test” where someone in Europe will try to find out what kind of American you are…trumper or not. If you “pass” the test, i.e not a trumper, you are treated great.

I have personally seen A LOT of nasty tourists from all over the world, most notably American, British (quite a few tbh), and Chinese and Japanese (this last one was more about HUGE groups of tourists and they will cut off others.

OP here. These days I’m afraid the assumption in a lot of Europe is that you’re a Trumper unless and until you produce a European passport. That’s what we’ve been told at least!!

I had a private tour guide in Munich in 2019 complain to me about “gun-toting Texans” and rich Americans. He almost stroked out when he found out that my 24 and 19 year olds (also on the tour) what been homeschooled. Yes, Europeans have stereotypes also. But I have a few about them too…

OP here. That’s an amusing incident. I’d have been tempted to embellish it a bit if I were you!

One other stereotype I hate that Europeans quote endlessly is how few Americans have passports. It’s an endless mantra. I wonder if it’s sung as a lullaby to kids.

In general, the rest of the world, not just Europeans, are fascinated in a very not positive way about US gun culture.

Op again. Yes, this is absolutely true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we use a US ID checking in at hotels, most people are less friendly or accommodating. When my partner uses an EU ID, they are far nicer. It’s almost jarring how quickly the attitude changes. This is especially true in Northern Europe. We’ve tested it out because we’re traveling in Europe all summer and we have a good sample at this point.

Do you think it’s because Americans are perceived as more demanding or entitled? Have you see or experienced behavior that would explain the disparity?

We're foreigners in Europe. While not universal, some Europeans will treat us differently than European brethren.

It's just like here. Obviously there's going to be variation, but some Americans will treat non-American tourists differently than American tourists.