Have you ever met an American?
 

Obviously, this thread is intended for the non-American members of the forum.

Have you ever met an American, and more importantly, what did you think? Do Americans live up to your expectations, or are they different? If so, how?

hmmm... well being an American.. I've met other Americans.. Canadian Americans and Mexican Americans... They are both in North America and qualify as being American.

At least that's what my mexican friend keeps trying to convince me....

what are these....... Americans?

hmm

what's porn?

is Z a cool letter?

*so confused!*

Yes, and for the most part they've been good people but just like in other places there are exceptions to the rule.
If you don't look for a chip on there shoulder the wont be looking for the one on yours, it applies to anyone.

Did meet one. He was smart and liberal. Very disappointing.

One of my mates is a Jewish American, he's got so many funny jokes, most of them are jewish ones too hehe. Not one of your stereotypical Americans at all :p

I am a Canadian and I've met Americans that meet the stereotype (loud, obnoxious and stupid) and I've met American's that defy the stereotype (and all shades inbetween).

What I can say that all Americans that I've met have one thing in common... a fierce pride in their country.

Re: Have you ever met an American?
 

Jeez, Louise!

I've met and know lots of Americans. When I was a kid, I attended an American school while living in a foreign country. I also spent a few summers down in Florida (St Pete) visiting friends.
One of the things I've noticed over the years is how uninformed a lot of people are to world events (TFP excluded). I did meet some in Europe that made me roll my eyes, but I blame the person not the country.
For the most part, the people I’ve dealt with have been nice ordinary people that just want to live a peaceful normal life.

i live in texas, but am from california, I have met and american. his name is named Sang. He had been in the country for 2 years when I met him in Sacramento California in the mid 90s. He moved to The US for the american dream. he was tired of his family living in a despot society. he wanted his kids to get a good education and go to college. he bought 5 acres of land and turned it into a strawberry patch. everyday for at least 6 months out of the year he and his entire family would spend each waking hour bent at the waist tending the plants. he made great money but not for nine people. it was still more money in 1 day than he had ever had in his life. I consider myself to have a pretty strong work ethic, but nothing compared to this man, if his children have his work ethic and a good education, they will be richer than they ever dreamed. Sang is not a citizen, but he is the most "american" american ive ever met

i'm an Aussie, and i've met lots of Americans, or seppos as they are sometimes called here.

i've met some VERY intelligent Americans, and some EXTREMELY ignorant ones as well. just as i'm sure that you've all met dumb Aussies and smart Aussies.

having worked in the hospitality business for a while, i've met and seen some American tourists who have been incredibly offensive and arrogant. but yet even more, who have been remarkably generous, erudite and friendly.

one perception of Americans is that they are incredibly unaware of the rest of the world. but that just comes down to the individual like splck said.

oh, and another interesting thing i've noticed, is that all Americans that i've seen in the media, and met in real life, have an ability to talk endlessly, and/or aimlessly for long stretches of time. its as if Americans are trained at a young age to fill the air-time if they had a tv camera put in front of them.

It's a bad idea to group us. There are good people in America as well as bad. Also, what makes us so unique is that there is one of everything here. I bet no one could walk through San Francisco and not see all sorts of different people, Latino, Asian, White, Black, Gay, Straight.

For the foriegners who have met only idiot Americans, keep talking to people, and not just tourists.

Bundy, that is an astounding observation, and one I can understand. BTW, where does "seppos" come from?

Ignore BillyBaldwin, because grouping Americans into a general perception is exactly what I asked you to do when I started this thread.

Yeah. for one subject at uni, i teamed up with an American fellow. Pretty cool bloke, did his work on time and with excellent quality, and was generally fun to be around. (he seemed especially amazed at australian women for some reason... which was odd, because somehow i thought american women and australian women would be alike...)

Although i must admit his accent drove me gaa-gaa =)

well i am american and i have met non-americans and they were different from what i expected: they all know english they just dont wanna talk to you in english, lol, ok seriously tho most people in europe that i have meet are opened minded and didnt seem to treat me any different cause i was american

i didnt know what to expect and i was nicely surprised

I haven't been to States, so I've met americans only in Finland or somewhere abroad. The ones I have really spoken to and get to know a bit better have been intresting & intelligent people but they have been in here for some computer or rpg related event or as exchange student or guest lecturers for my university.

The random american tourist groups have been hella annoying. When japanese tourists walk up to some monument, one of them takes a picture and the other stand in front of it with stupid grins on their faces and then they switch the one holding the camera untill everybody have gotten to take a pic with everybody else in it. Americans do the same. With video camera. I had wanted to go to impressionist painter Claude Monet's garden since I was like 5 and then there's a family consisting of 5 huge americans and their frail grandmother standing on the famous japanese bridge and filming it for several minutes. I get excited that they are leaving but nahh, they are just changing the camera man! The same happened in Versail & Mont St Michel & Notre Dame & some other places.. :)

I quite often travel to the States for work (I'm from the UK). I have seen/met many sorts. Most are bright, funny and intelligent - characterised but not trying to stereotype as
- Very polite (even NY), but don't always say "please" when I would normally do so. The upwards inflection in their voice at the end of the requests is sometimes used instead
- Simply do not understand sarcasm - as a sense of humor
- Patriotic
- Very service oriented - you pay for eveything. One strange thing I notice is that tips are used to demonstrate how much money someon has, as much as they are used to tip good service -strange. American wear ther wealth on their collar

This is all obviously IMHO - and just based on my observations to date.

Do have one funny story when an Amercian work colleague came to the UK. She is intelligent, white collar and paid big money for what she does. But get this .... she actually got in an argument with a Black Cab driver who wouldn't accept dollars for the fare :)

I've seen some tourists here and there. Never talked to one.

A new guy recently started at my workplace, and he's from Houston, Texas. He's only been in Australia for 7 years, so we can almost call him our own :P Anyway, its so interesting to talk to him about all the different things over there, and how society is so different. Heck, I even know what Wal-mart is now, and how its different to anything here! I must admit, I am very skeptical when it comes to talking to American (as in, the US) people, because of tv, etc. But I've met a few so far in my life, and they have all been totally and utterly fantastic, and every single one has taught me something new. It's good to learn!

The English wit is much more rapier sharp than American wit, IMO. I've found that the only AMerican counterpart to English sarcasm is Southern women; they can slice you to the bone with a smile on their faces, and you don't even feel it for the first several minutes.

And by the way, I keep seeing that several American members simply cannot hold their tongues and feel they must reply on the defensive to what's being said.

The purpose of this post was to hear what non-Americans think about Americans they've met, NOT to debate the merit of thier opinions. I'm just curious, that's all.

I've been pondering this Q all morning, I guess Im one of the people this Q is aimed at.
Im Irish, I now live in Madrid & Ive been to a few different places around europe.

I used to go out with a girl from Alabama, & I know what some people say about Peps from Alabama & Its not true. I visited Alabama, Atlanta, Florida for a bit too. Had a fucking ball, Loved the weather & gulleywashers are mental.
I met some wonderful, interesting people in the US. Musicians, Freaks, Ravers, Some guy in a second hand record store. (Im a bit of a wierdo) Guy in a kids toy shop. The Mall's pretty cool. Went to 6 flags, too crowded. Ball game too, Go Baves!
I also met some really strange people. Some Americans are annoyingly patriotic (sorry). Alot of them, especially young men, seemd to me a little hostile because I was from another country, Like they had to proove something. Teenage boys were worse, very macho, always wanting to arm wrestle or something. (please, no offence intended)
Im not blowing my own trumpet here but alot of girls over there were very affectionate to me, much to the frustration of my GF.
I felt sometimes like I was on display, The GF's parents forcing me to go to thier church (cult) & talk to old people who didnt know what to make of me.
I met a guy at a truckstop who didnt know where Europe was, never even heard of it! Thought it was in New Orleans. I think that guy was what you call a redneck. Speaking of rednecks, They sure do like thier trucks. & Nascar, fuckin ell, Nascar nuts.

And whats this about:

Me: Im Irish
Some Guy: No way, me too.
Me: Fuck!, really, where are you from?
SG: Birmingham.
Me: Riiiiiiiiight.

Having said that, almost everyone was super friendly, I think I answerd a million questions, Hospitality cant be faulted, Airports are pretty good, I love ATL.

The food is amazing, chinken things, grits, IHOP, chitlins, ocre! I fucking love ocre (sp?), Mexican food that enduces nosebleeds, Bubblegum flavour ice-cream, Massive piña colada flavour slushies, meatloaf.

I think thats all for now, maybe Ill edit later.

At the risk of castration here I'll explain that. Most Americans have only been in the country a few genereations. Most of us when asked "What are you?" We will most likely reply where our ancestors came from. For example, I was born in Florida but I'd say I'm Polish, Irish and British. In America, much emphasis is put on where your family originated from.

It is "okra" and it is good deep fried or in gumbos (stews with a roux base usually with seafood as a main ingredients). Plain ole okra by itself is a strange vegetable because it comes with its own mucus. What other vegetable can claim that.

I think that the relative ignorance towards geography that you see in the US is because of the distances involved. In Europe, you can cross borders for a weekend trip. Most in the US will never visit another country. Most who do, do so as a "trip of a lifetime" that they save years for.

Foriegners are always "exotic" to members of the opposite sex and they are seen as a threat by members of the same sex. I have heard that Americans experience the same phenomenon in Europe.

Yeah I see the logic, but I am Irish, that guy was American. My ancestors were vikings but that doesnt make me a viking. Some guy thats never been outside Alabama telling me "he's Irish too" doesnt sounds a little odd.

Im not criticising here, just observing. My geography is probably worse than most anyways. I think europeans have the advantage coz we're surrounded by loads of other countries (or so they tell me!)

Americans met a load of them while on holiday in Majorca a few years back, turned out there was this huge air-craft carrier there with about 6000 personell in tow.
Being a Welsh man and the friendly type i will talk to anyone, but I do have to say that I found these lot hard work, especially the black guys who would glare at you if tried to strike up a conversation; is it a thing in the states that you just stick your own kind or what? Having said that there is a black guy from Newyork who lives in my area and is one of the friendliest funniest people you could ever meet. I just found it strange there being groups within groups.

bluearmy:

I think it's the fact that they are army men and you are a stranger wanting to chat with them, probably in a bar, that makes them reserved. Civilians might be another species altogether. :)

This is one area where is is certainly appropriate to criticize Americans. I am a little unusual in that I love to study maps. I know more geography than most. When I took history in school, l learned much of it by studying the maps in the textbooks. I am saddened that more Americans are not more interested in the rest of the world. In the last five years I have been to 23 nations and the big 3 of the US Virgin Islands. I am making up for lost time earlier in life.

Buearmy, I would discourage you from generallizing about your experience with Americans, especially if they were all or almost all Navy. Very few American will ever be to Majorca unless they are in the Navy.

I dont know how reliable this is but I heard that 7% of americans have passports.

I have re-read my own post and it does sound like I am generalising. That is not my general view of Americans that was just an experience l had a few years back, and a curious experience at that.

There are a lot of American tourists that visit my local city of Chester, and my experience of them and others is one that you would associate with any mix of individuals and ages, so please dont think that I hold a dim view of the American nation.

Im an American and have been through a good portion of the world. The only two places Ive received a rude demeanor from someone is the state I currently live in and Hawaii. Hawaii is a little understandable as it was a native Hawaii shaking his fist at me yelling "Its my Island!!"

The great thing about America which is not so common else where is people from every corner of the Earth call themselves American. The only other countries I've heard people have desires of giving up their citizenship (even Americans) to migrate to are Israel and New Zealand. Thats only what I've heard.

I once met Bones, but he just dismissed me as a weird hallucination.

blah blah blah

I used to live in the states- in Los Angeles, to be precise, so I know a lot of Americans. I tend to agree with what Bundy said- they're pretty nice on the whole; some, like any other population, can be astoundingly ignorant; and damn, they can talk.

And warrrreagl, FYI "Seppo" comes from the rhyming slang for "Yank"- "septic tank". Now you know.

No need to apologize, because that's EXACTLY why I created this thread. I WANT to hear generalizations about Americans.

Everything I know about Americans I learned by watching Elimi-date. :-)

I'm kidding, I've met lots of Americans. Used to work retail in a store along the Alaska highway in Canada, and met lots of Americans travelling to Alaska. Also I have been in the U.S.A. a few times myself.

My impression has been that Americans can be exactly as they appear on bad T.V. shows, but once you get to know them a little more, the real person emerges.

But seriously I hope less Americans are like the ones on reality and talk shows than statistics would dictate.

I still remember when Jerry Springer & Ricky Lake Shows came here. That was a shock. Sure there's weirdos in every country, but.. Teenage sisters were pregnant both for older sister's boyfriend who had then confessed that there was a third teenage-mother-to-be. A wife wants to follow his husband with camera crew, thinks he is having an affair, but no, he went to Ku Klux Klan meeting. Audience laughs and adds insults to injury. After seeing a few shows my granma voiced her opinion that it might be better that my cousin wouldn't spend her last high school year abroad in a country like this. She did and had gained a bit weight when she came back and I haven't heard that granma would have complained again afterwards.

Well , I have not met any Americans other than family that have come over here to visit, and the dreaded tourists.
I have noticed as stated here already the humour is different.
looking at posts here in the TFP for the last year or so you can get a good feel of how the majority of Americans think.
When I started talking to them they were very friendly and helpful which is no different than most places in the world.

I've met quite a few. Spent a few months in the states.

The funniest one was the old American lady visiting Stockholm, asking my friend for directions. After recieving instructions how to get whereever she wanted to go, she turned to him and said;
"I've heard you have the same problem here with Vikings as we do back home with the niggers".

Silence ensued. For about half an hour. Then it slowly became kind of funny.

I'm from Sweden. I met a couple of mormon missionaries a couple of weeks ago, they where nice but I didn't get a chance to talk much to them.

I have met quite a few americans, both while working and since I have quite a lot of family over there. My general impression is that they are like europeans in general but much louder, for good and for bad.

If I could point out one thing that I've seen that seems to be typicly american that would have to be the false optimism. Even if they don't belive in something everything is "great" and "yeah let's go" just to avoid making someone disappointed face to face. That can be confusing until you get the hang of it.

I went to uni with a great bloke who was from Anchorage. Matt had a crash course in the Aussie imagination the first time he turned up at Rugby training, when, to his initial objections, we named him 'Alaska'. Yep, we're a bunch of thinkers, we think things. He had a go at just about everything that had anything to do with our culture and could skull beer like the wind blows.

Also lived with a guy from North Carolina called Tre. He was a bit more a stereotypical American (i one exists at all) but was still a great bloke. Loved the fact that he could call someone a 'cunt' here and not get beaten up.

All in all i've found American men that come to Australia to be great blokes who love beer and women, and that'll win me over everytime! The women, though, seem to spend most of their time here telling us how far behind our television is, whinging that we don't have the shopping there is back home, and tend not to sleep with anyone while over here. I'm sure i've just ran into the wrong ones...

I think people are forgetting that Canadians are Americans too... and I don't mean that as a joke. We're all on the continent of North America, making us all Americans. Why the term "Americans" always seems to apply only to people from the United States is beyond me. South Americans are Americans too. I think people need to come up with a better term for us... like... United Statesians... or something...

I for one have met americans and am myself not any american.
Of the americans i have met, some are smart some are dumb, some are kind some are mean.
I think it is wrong to make an opinion on a country or culture based on one or few of that perticular culture one have met.
Of course, that s just me. I dont like to generalize anything based on limited background knowledge. I hope non of u will generalize my people based on the comments i have made

actually, we are not. I have immegrated into canada six years ago. I lived in american for a few monthes befor that.
Candians and americans do share alot in common. Like landguage and media influence etc. But we have many subtile diffeerences, include political, social views. For example most americans support war on iraq whereas canadians do not.
So i think include candians into americans is disrespectful to us.

Must... not... apologize... for country.:)

That is kind of funny, once you stop trying to figure out what the hell it means. hmmm...

Please say that you have Vikings who wear afros and are mad hiphop breakdancing fools.

I... make no sense. All is right with the world.

You're misunderstanding my point. America, as a whole, includes not only the United States, but Canada, Mexico, etc. It's called "North America" and "South America" for a reason. Last time I checked, our country was not named "America." I am not saying that Canadian people are the same as people who live in the United States, far from it. What I am saying is that calling us "Americans" is kind of silly, due to the fact that everyone on the rest of the continent is also an American.

I agree we share the americas, north, central, and south. What do you like people to call you then?
I found it weird the in the UK they call your country "america" while we in canada call your country "the states". When I think of "america" I think of the continent rather than the usa and when I think of "american", I think of usa citizens.

When I was growing up, I suddenly understood that indians don't live in India! Then I go to dad and ask why not, and he explains it. "Ok. So what do they call people living in india?" "Indian indians" "a-haa.."

Pertty good way to look at it. I call my country "the states" as well. I just think we need a better name then "Americans," as that SHOULD be used to represent all people from both North and South America. Too bad our country picked such a lame name though. I mean, you can't call us "United Statesians." There's just no ring to it.

I was going to say the same thing, but saying that would get me in shit with some of the people here:D

i'm american, and I have a feeling that if I wasnt born here I would hate america along with everyone else.

dont believe what you hear, dont give in to easy stereotypes. we're people, living in a country. some of us are good, moral, some of us are assholes. just like everyone other place on earth

I have to admit that I personally prefer to say "Americans" over "United States of America ns". Maybe it's just because I'm lazy ... could of course call them "yanks" but that wouldn't be entirely correct either :p

As for Americans, if I am to assume that the ones I have met are representative for the nation, I would say that there are smart people and stupid people there as anywhere but that the general level of ignorance and arrogance (arrogance as in lack of humbleness) is somewhat higher there. Oh, and the people I have met have mainly been college students/teachers, people who are supposed to be the intellectual elite :)
Of course I may have been terribly unlucky in my choice of friends/acquaintances.

And as I said, I met some great people there as well, but if I were to draw an 'average line' ...

Correct. There are a LOT of people living in the Southern United States who would rather die before they allow anyone to call them "Yankees."

Earlier, bundy clued me in on the Aussie habit of calling Americans "seppos," which comes from rhyming slang for Yank-septic tank. I know that Americans have names (some VERY unflattering) for people of other nationalities. I also know that some people are highly offended by those names.

I can't think of anything you could call an American that would offend me, so let's have it. What kinds of names does your non-American culture use to refer to Americans (U.S. Americans, that is)?

Personally, I think seppo is damned cool. Thanks, bundy.

Atleast in Finland, someone might say "jenkki" as in yankee and mean all "United States of America ns" as Atan put it and mean nothing ill by it. People know about the Civil War and stuff, but don't understand that the word is offensive.

Thanks, suviko. I like the sound of that (assuming I'm pronouncing it correctly). To the best of my knowledge, people from Finland are called "Fins" by us jenkkis.

To the rest of you, I'll tell you all the names we have for you if you'll tell me what you call us. Deal? And no fair getting thin-skinned...

*warreagl sits anxiously hoping that magpie will respond*

Uh, the only Norwegian name for US Citizens I have heard is Amerikanere -> Americans *shrugs*

Yeah, but norwegians are colled "cods" cos the popular saying is that by having a cod in your mouth and talking swedish you are actually speaking norwegian. :] The same goes for danish, just subtitute cod with a hot potato.

We should have a general "what jokes you tell about other nations?" thread.

Hmmm, sounds strange. I mean, yeah, the Danes speak with a potato down their throat .. but .. ehh ... hey, if you say so ;)

I think we now do. Cods? That's a scream. What would Victor Borge think?

I'm Canadian, and I've met quite a few Americans during tourist season, and unfortunately most of the ones I've met do fit the stereotypes. Many are very loud and obnoxious, and yes it's been said but theydo really talk ALOT. It also always surprises me how Americans can be so ignorant of Canada when they share a border with us. All that being said, this is not the rule, and not all Americans fit this pattern. It's just what I've seen :D

The original post of this thread is really laughable. I mean this is what blacks complain about in America, by which I mean being representatives for their entire race. You can't base "Americans" or anything else by meeting a few of it's members.

I wanted to revive this thread in the hopes that I could still learn something. Plus, a lot of new members have signed on at TFP and haven't had a shot at this.

Here are the rules:
1) This thread is intended to gain the opinions of non-Americans. If you are an American and can't stand to hear generalizations about Americans, then look at the top-left of your screen and hit the BACK button, please.
2) This thread is intended to gather generalizations. I WANT to hear stereotypes that non-Americans have for Americans they've met. Don't censor yourself, please.
3) Mods, please allow unsavory nationalistic comments from non-Americans. The usual rules should apply to personal attacks of forum members, but I would like to offer immunity for cultural/nationalistic comments that may be difficult to hear.
4) Respondents, please refrain from making this into a political policy debate. I'm not interested in what you think about George Bush or Global Warming, because I see your opinions on those issues every day on CNN. I want to know your opinions on personal encounters with individual Americans.
5) Americans, RESTRAIN YOURSELVES from being defensive about what may be said. This thread is not intended for thin-skins. I want to learn something here.

Thanks.

I've met a few americans, some of my relatives are american, and although they're pretty smart, they're not the...ahem...thinest of people. Although on the whole they're pretty nice to be around, the average american knowledge of the wider world is somewhat limited.

Going on from the whole fat thing, me and a friend tried to figure the ratio of hot women in america (admitedly when drunk).

60% ish of americans + are overweight/obese. only 50% of those who are at a normal weight (ignoring those underweight, since i don't know the numbers) are women.

We now have 20% of americans being normal weight women. Due to an ageing population probably only 40-50% of those are going to be what can considered a (for a generic young male) 'hot' age, i.e. 18-30, for overt hotness (and legality).

So far, we have about 10% of the american population, then considered that probably only 50% of those are going to be good looking. So, only 5% of the american population, at an estimate, are hot females.

It would explain why i keep seeing the same women come up in porn shoots all the time though...


For some numbers, at a rough population of 300,000,000, and a country size of 3,710,000 sq mi (rounded numbers), that gives 4 hot women per square mile. There are endangered newts with larger numbers than that.


:lol:

Gee Charlatan you called yourself an American once trying to be clever, how do you know he wasn't talking about Canadians :lol:

Ohhh stevie! I'm gonna jump on you (because I can!)--so a woman has to be 30 or under for overt hotness?!?

You are so unscrewed! :lol:

lol, thats why i said generic male:thumbsup:

Being only a generic oddball, you and many many women over 30 still get stevie667's big red stamp of approval:love:

:lol:

Edit: so if i'm unscrewed now, does that mean i was going to be screwed before?:suave:

Well, here's a twist to this thread so far. I'm an American, born and raised. I've happily lived here for 29 years. However, I believe that many Americans are only such by title, and not by action. I'll do my best to explain without getting off topic. Historically (and our country has a rather short history), the things Americans tolerate and/or stand for today violate every intention of what our country was founded for. Sure, strides forward HAVE been made.

Bah, it's Sunday, I'm too tired to think. I'm an American and I've met many Americans, most of whom I find to be VERY un-American!

So far most Americans I've met have been either tourists or teachers at the University. I've been told teacher-student interaction is much less formal in Sweden than in the US (or most parts of the world actually), and my first American teacher didn't like that, he was very haughty and cold and wanted as little interaction with students as possible, so until I had other American lecturers I pretty much thought all American academians were like that. But at the English Institution mostly everyone are very friendly and maybe even more open to the students than Swedish teachers. They manage to combine informality and friendliness with a high professional level, and that's very admirable to me. For Swedes, you must be a bit cold to be seen as professional and serious.
The random tourists, they are no worse or better than the Germans or Japanese in my opinion - except I understand what they say! (I know a bit of German as well, but I have to make an effort to understand it.) I don't think they actually talk much more than anyone else, but there's something about a lot of American accents that sounds, well, a lot. It can't be ignored. And maybe it's a bit louder, a bit sharper than German or Japanese or Swedish. I've noticed their tendency to film stuff, I've seen American tourists film utterly unimportant Stockholm houses for minutes, and then move on to film the house next to it. What does the average human want with hours of shaky handycam footage of random 19th century facades? I don't get it.

Maybe you guys could get your president to stop ending his speeches with "God Bless America", unless he is blessing all of both continents ;)

Now, to the topic. I've met quite a few both here in Oz and in the US. Most seem pretty 'normal' to me. The further you get from major population centres, the more inward looking people become, and this is true of here as well as the US - we just have a shit load more empty space here, so it *seems* we have less rednecks. On a per capita basis we are pretty close. Ditto for inward focussed people/geographically challenged people.

Someone earlier mentioned how low the percentage of passport holders is in the US. While I don't think our is as low as the 7% mentioned, it is probably not that high either. My parents are in their sixties and only got passports about 5 years ago and I'd say they are typical of older people.

I guess the biggest stereotypes are driven by news bulletins, Springer and Co. and other TV exports. What are the things likely to be seen on the news? Bush stuffing up a speech / coming across looking like a dill. That 20 second sound bite reflects badly on all USAians :) Other things on TV - don't you notice how TV shows generally portray the people? It is almost never "normal" people, so no surprise that everybody else gets the bad impression.

I have come across the older/loud american tourist, wearing the stars and stripes tracksuit. He/she is definitely cringe worthy. Don't worry - everybody else has their own loud obnoxious idiots - you are not alone :)

Comes in handy when you're the guy running the camera. All I have to do to get someone to say more than perhaps they wanted to, or should, is sit there quietly. They'll ALWAYS fill the silence - even the politicians, and nine times out of ten I use what they fill it with.

Yes and BillyBaldwin is trying to explain to you that grouping people is a dumb idea. And he's right. There's no such thing as a stereotypical American. In fact there's no such thing as a sterotypical anything. It's a flawed concept, just as the concept that you're a nerd because you use an online message forum is flawed.

As an American I find this thread quite interesting and am glad I can get read these sorts of opinions about my country.

I would just like to point out that, being as populous and as large geographically as we are, Americans differ greatly state to state. Texas alone is larger than most European countries. That said, we're also a modern country so we have lot in common too, thanks to a shared media and well developed national travel services.

As to why we are so bad at geography, I think it has a lot to do with the fact that people in Europe, Asia, and Africa can look within their own country and see the influence other nations have had on their soil throughout history. You have a lot of old and ancient landmarks that say something about other cultures...England is really the only major European player in American history and very few buildings still exist from Americas earliest days, particularly on the populous western coast, which has only been settled since the past 200 years or so.

Oh, and "American Indians" are generally referred to as Native Americans by the politically correct, here.

I myself have only visited europe once, and that was as a teenager on a tour of Spain and France. It was very interesting and exciting but I found my fellow classmates to be very rude, a little over excited about the lack of a minimum drinking age in Spain, and somewhat...empty headed.

One of them passed out on a tour of the Spanish royal pallace due to a nasty hangover...

As for my own troubles...I felt terribly out of touch with fashion and a little uncomfortable with the lack of public restrooms.

Not yet. Denmark isn't exactly overruned by American tourists every summer, you know :p

It seems that if I want to meet one, I'll have to go to America.

I have met a few americans and have some american friends.

You can't really generalise because that wouldn't be fair, but I find that most Americans I have met are usually quite self-assured people, confident and sometimes they also have this really strong "facade" going on if you know what I mean. Like they are untouchable and very sure of what they want, and will get it in a sense. Usually I also find americans rather loud when they talk, though some of my american friends aren't like this (but they have lived in Europe for several years). I think it's because of the way they place their voice - quite nasal and throaty all at once.

Generally they are open and pleasant people, though I have to agree that they often seem a bit oblivious to the world outside the states. And to the poster who said that the reason the american geography skills are so bad is the distance, can I just point out that we in Europe are the same distance away from you, just in the opposite direction....get it?

Now THIS fascinates the hell out of me.

By the way, thank you humbly for all the responses and thank you as well for those who have bitten their tongues.

IMO the reason Americans are so bad at geography is the way it's taught in schools. Around 7th or 8th grade you take a geography class. You're given some time (usually a day or two, maybe a week) to memorize 10-20 countries. You're tested on them, and then it's never brought up again. It's the kind of quiz you can start studying for about 5 minutes before it's given, get the answers right, and then forget about them by lunch. Since it's never looked at again, why would anyone remember it?

The real question is: Why would we need to?

Or so we are made to think. America (USA) has, for a very long time now, distanced it's self from the rest of the world. Why? Because we can. We have everything we need right here. Not true in most European countries. No wood, or no cheap wood to build a house in your country, go next door.

Think of the USA as being raised as an only child, and as such, we are different from the 'big families' you Europeans are used to.
We aren't bad people, but we have been brought up differently than you have.

Or such is my take on the issue. :thumbsup:

Interesting thread. I love the comment about the 'Irish' person from Alabama. I've always thought that was one of the stupidest things about our culture here. Sure, your great-great Grandparents may have come from Ireland but that doesn't make you a real Irish person.

Native Americans vs. Indians - Now I've only talked to a few of them in depth but none of the ones I've talked to called themselves Native Americans. They were Indians and proud of it. Obviously there is a sample size issue and the fact that they were angst-filled people in their 20's has an effect on it but it is interesting.

I've only met two americans in my life so far, both were big, friendly and very open people. Something that struck me was as said before in this thread, their almost cripling lack of geographical and non american historical as well as present day knowledge.
It's almost as if it is deliberatly censored in the american medias.

Otherwise the rude obnoxious and loud stereotype I've found with the two I've met not to be true. Both were nice friendly though seemed totally lacking any form of humbleness. Not that they were disrespecfull just that they more than willingly boasted about their sucesses (Something that is almost conciderd social suicide here in Sweden lol).

That aside.. They weren't at all very different from us. Found it easy to socialize and hang out with both of them due to the shared media thing... well, as long as we kept to discussing american TV and american Movies and other thing related to america.. ;)

:lol: I dunno why i find that so fucking funny :icare:

If you want stereo typical Americans (i.e fat, loud, somewhat annoying, unindividual), visit a city in central California called Fresno. :thumbsup:

I'm marrying one.