Man of Honour
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Why are Americans so nice?
- Thread starter apeZ
- Start date
Yeah, the Parisiens aren't the friendliest bunch
The Med French are though!
Agreed about the med French, make an effort to speak French and they love you
Yeah, the Parisiens aren't the friendliest bunch
The Med French are though!
Parisians are to France as Londoners are to England
I was thinking of mentioning this. Generally if you have a decent job you are covered (for Canada anyway) but yes the health care over here imo isn't as good as the UK.
In a word: Christians.
I've lived here 6 years and I've noticed a link between kindness/friendliness and the number of churches.
For example I when we moved house my 70 something neighbour, who has CANCER, came out and attempted to help me move a couch! He would not take no for an answer and in the end I convinced him to just help me back the trailer out.
My other neighbour's teenage kids and on a church mission in Africa building a well for some village right now.
Another example I remember is a local church getting together and building a new house with their own hands for a man who is a single dad after his house burned down and he had nowhere to live.
Might not be PC to say it, and I'm not a Christian myself but it's what I've experienced.
I've lived here 6 years and I've noticed a link between kindness/friendliness and the number of churches.
For example I when we moved house my 70 something neighbour, who has CANCER, came out and attempted to help me move a couch! He would not take no for an answer and in the end I convinced him to just help me back the trailer out.
My other neighbour's teenage kids and on a church mission in Africa building a well for some village right now.
Another example I remember is a local church getting together and building a new house with their own hands for a man who is a single dad after his house burned down and he had nowhere to live.
Might not be PC to say it, and I'm not a Christian myself but it's what I've experienced.
Associate
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Yes, Canada seems to have a reasonable system (Tommy Douglas, "father of Medicare", was voted greatest Canadian in a 2004 CBC poll) - US not so much unless you have endlessly deep pockets (and Obama's current health bill is collapsing around his ears).
Soldato
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Americans are really nice. My brother married an American and we've met up with their family for the wedding etc and they are all really nice.
Also when I was in LA, I was wandering around some streets in Beverly Hills and there was some absolutely massive african american stood there in the street. Now normal British culture would mean to ignore him and walk past. He greeted me with 'sup man!' which caught me off guard and I quickly said hi. Now I felt like a **** and went back to him straight away and asked him for directions back to the hotel (even though I knew where I was going
) We ended up chatting for about 5 minutes and he was such a nice guy!
Also when I was in LA, I was wandering around some streets in Beverly Hills and there was some absolutely massive african american stood there in the street. Now normal British culture would mean to ignore him and walk past. He greeted me with 'sup man!' which caught me off guard and I quickly said hi. Now I felt like a **** and went back to him straight away and asked him for directions back to the hotel (even though I knew where I was going
) We ended up chatting for about 5 minutes and he was such a nice guy!I'm fro South Africa, and my entire family is nice. I've met my British gf's family, and they are all really nice too.
Human being in general are nice, I think Yanks just might be more forward.
With only a small amount of experience (went there for a couple of weeks last year) I have to say Americans seem similar to the UK in (true) friendlieness. So many of the people I met were just fake, mostly people in motels/restaurants, it was starting to grate a little. We also had a bloke shouting at us because we were British and were somehow voting for Obama...
However there were some genuinly friendly people around but they were the same kind of demographic that would be kind in the UK.
However there were some genuinly friendly people around but they were the same kind of demographic that would be kind in the UK.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18078688&page=2
Come and banter please, it's lonely in there
There's a guy, Lyndon LaRouche, who is a proper mentalist and I met some of his supporters in a carpark outside a supermarket once They believe that Obama is a British agent, and that the financial crisis was engineered by the Queen and Prince Philip so they could re-establish the USA as a colony in the British Empire. It all sounded very plausible until the notion of Prince Philip being involved
Oh, he also thinks that the Beatles were "a product shaped according to British Psychological Warfare Division specifications"..
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http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18078688&page=2
Come and banter please, it's lonely in there
Alas, I am a most rare breed of dual citizen, as I don't give a monkey's about ANY sport
Been to America quite a few times, while I was in New York we had a chat with several Americans telling them how friendly everyone was (It was snowing at the time, the city was beautiful and it was impossible to keep a bad mood going for more than 5 seconds).
We spoke to a waitress in the Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant who said before 9/11, New Yorkians in particular weren't fantastically nice to everyone, she said they were nice but not dramatically. Then after 9/11 everyone realized how the world saw them (This is her opinion not mine) and became much nicer people.
The waiter in Planet Hollywood, said they were all horrible before 9/11 and then turned nice for the same reason.
The doorman (Who always had a conversation with us on the way out and in of the hotel while he held the door opened and helped us plan our day and even walked us to restaurant one night) said only the black folk were nice before 9/11, but now everyone was.
They were slightly different opinions but everyone agreed on the same thing, 9/11 changed New York a lot.
We spoke to a waitress in the Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant who said before 9/11, New Yorkians in particular weren't fantastically nice to everyone, she said they were nice but not dramatically. Then after 9/11 everyone realized how the world saw them (This is her opinion not mine) and became much nicer people.
The waiter in Planet Hollywood, said they were all horrible before 9/11 and then turned nice for the same reason.
The doorman (Who always had a conversation with us on the way out and in of the hotel while he held the door opened and helped us plan our day and even walked us to restaurant one night) said only the black folk were nice before 9/11, but now everyone was.
They were slightly different opinions but everyone agreed on the same thing, 9/11 changed New York a lot.
Soldato
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I have never been to America. There are a lot of idiots here in the UK but there are also a lot of nice people. It tends to be amplified in cities, I wouldn't say worse or better, simply more people so more of each.
It wouldn't suprise me though. I think the weather here is rubbish. Meaning there isn't much point in really going anywhere, there isn't much to do outdoor wise. I would rather save my money and go abroad.
Also housing is very expensive.
I imagine nice cheap houses and more space meaning you don't have to work until retirement age to get a decent sized house not in a ghetto and the option to live in an cimate you wish and only being a drive away to somewhere else helps.
I live up North for cheap housing and get cheap flights to europe as often as possible. This is as close as we get.
It wouldn't suprise me though. I think the weather here is rubbish. Meaning there isn't much point in really going anywhere, there isn't much to do outdoor wise. I would rather save my money and go abroad.
Also housing is very expensive.
I imagine nice cheap houses and more space meaning you don't have to work until retirement age to get a decent sized house not in a ghetto and the option to live in an cimate you wish and only being a drive away to somewhere else helps.
I live up North for cheap housing and get cheap flights to europe as often as possible. This is as close as we get.
As an American in the UK the first thing that strikes most people is how crappy British customer service is. It seriously is the worst I've ever encountered and I have been to a number of different countries. The majority of of people working customer service are friendly, happy to help you, greet you instantly as you walk in ...etc. Here it seems no one can ever be bothered to do anything. And then they go on strike lol.
Soldato
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I went to Florida for the first time in May this year and I also agree the American's were all friendly.
I didn't like the idea of gtoing to America but it was my best mates wedding so had to go. I am glad I did as it was awesome. I even enjoyed the theme parks lol!.
I want to go to New York, then west coast way next.
Then check out Japan, New zealand and Oz in later years.
I didn't like the idea of gtoing to America but it was my best mates wedding so had to go. I am glad I did as it was awesome. I even enjoyed the theme parks lol!.
I want to go to New York, then west coast way next.
Then check out Japan, New zealand and Oz in later years.
I'd agree that the customer service can be improved in some areas, but I certainly don't want poeple greeting me when I walk in the shop. I get annoyed enough with people approaching me and asking me if I need any help - if I do, I'll ask for it.
OK, allow me to also add to this, since to me this is a very interesting topic.
Here's why I think I'm much happier in America. This is someone from a respectable part of the UK London / Surrey having lived there for over 30yrs and having travelled the country up and down. Spending time up North, down South, East and West. With the south being the best by far.. (Sorry all you northerners)
1.\ The standard of living, I am not getting fleeced for just about everything and anything that i was in England. Petrol, home costs, just about everyone in England is ripping you off. Hopsitals charging you parking fee's It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
2.\ No chavs and much lower crime rate. I can leave my two car garage open and not worry about some hooded teen trying to rob me.
3.\ The weather, sunshine goes a long way towards happiness.
4.\ Knowledgeable staff who take a little more pride in what they do.. I often goto Home-Depot (the equiv of B&Q) I ask advice, i get given a wealth of experienced knowledge. Unlike some stupid Sat worker who just doesn't give a toot and can't get til his shift is over to go home and listen to his jungle and smoke a joint.
5.\ Much much lower taxes, car prices, home prices, my wife can afford to stay at home and raise my kids.. In the UK she'd have NO HOPE of that.. I'm no tycoon, just a regular guy with a regular job.
6.\ People in all walks of life say hi to you wherever you go, and are much more welcoming.
Now all of the above just adds to my general day to day attitude of being a much friendlier person myself. and thus people around me being happier also. I was definitely not as happy in England..
Now here's the bad parts.
Yes they are all a little brainwashed and have to be part of a church or group of some kind, 80% have most likely never left their country and couldn't point out the UK on a map.
Healthcare is tied to your employer.. Without healthcare you can get cleaned out pretty fast.
It is the country of litigation.. You are more likely to get sued than anywhere else.
Employers have about the same level of respect for you here as they do there, expect everyone is more on the guard for their position.. As you know you can just be let go without so much as a reason. Staff seem to be less relaxed for this reason. Alcohol is so frowned upon it's almost a joke.. I'd get fired for having a beer at lunch ??
Yes there does seem to be superficial kindness when money is involved.
Of course you get bad people here also, of course there's crime but it just doesn't seem as much in your face... A nice home a nice community all goes a long way. Hard to find these in England at an affordable price.
Yes to anyone who's thinking about moving out here.. GOOD LUCK with that.. It's not easy. I've had to take some huge financial risks getting out here. and guess what, with the economy the way it is, i may even have to move back since they are closing the doors on Employment based Visa's. Which is what I am on now.
The thought of having to come back to the UK after having it so good for the last 5 yrs is not a pretty one.. Still not definite but a 50/50 possibility.
Here's why I think I'm much happier in America. This is someone from a respectable part of the UK London / Surrey having lived there for over 30yrs and having travelled the country up and down. Spending time up North, down South, East and West. With the south being the best by far.. (Sorry all you northerners)
1.\ The standard of living, I am not getting fleeced for just about everything and anything that i was in England. Petrol, home costs, just about everyone in England is ripping you off. Hopsitals charging you parking fee's It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
2.\ No chavs and much lower crime rate. I can leave my two car garage open and not worry about some hooded teen trying to rob me.
3.\ The weather, sunshine goes a long way towards happiness.
4.\ Knowledgeable staff who take a little more pride in what they do.. I often goto Home-Depot (the equiv of B&Q) I ask advice, i get given a wealth of experienced knowledge. Unlike some stupid Sat worker who just doesn't give a toot and can't get til his shift is over to go home and listen to his jungle and smoke a joint.
5.\ Much much lower taxes, car prices, home prices, my wife can afford to stay at home and raise my kids.. In the UK she'd have NO HOPE of that.. I'm no tycoon, just a regular guy with a regular job.
6.\ People in all walks of life say hi to you wherever you go, and are much more welcoming.
Now all of the above just adds to my general day to day attitude of being a much friendlier person myself. and thus people around me being happier also. I was definitely not as happy in England..
Now here's the bad parts.
Yes they are all a little brainwashed and have to be part of a church or group of some kind, 80% have most likely never left their country and couldn't point out the UK on a map.
Healthcare is tied to your employer.. Without healthcare you can get cleaned out pretty fast.
It is the country of litigation.. You are more likely to get sued than anywhere else.
Employers have about the same level of respect for you here as they do there, expect everyone is more on the guard for their position.. As you know you can just be let go without so much as a reason. Staff seem to be less relaxed for this reason. Alcohol is so frowned upon it's almost a joke.. I'd get fired for having a beer at lunch ??
Yes there does seem to be superficial kindness when money is involved.
Of course you get bad people here also, of course there's crime but it just doesn't seem as much in your face... A nice home a nice community all goes a long way. Hard to find these in England at an affordable price.
Yes to anyone who's thinking about moving out here.. GOOD LUCK with that.. It's not easy. I've had to take some huge financial risks getting out here. and guess what, with the economy the way it is, i may even have to move back since they are closing the doors on Employment based Visa's. Which is what I am on now.
The thought of having to come back to the UK after having it so good for the last 5 yrs is not a pretty one.. Still not definite but a 50/50 possibility.
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Associate
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American version of a chav is 'white trash'.
Soldato
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Because they believe in god or something, i don't know.
I found a lot of americans to be quite rude when in new york, it was like a load of people from london in america, but maybe it varies accross the us?
Those of us who live in the real world though, it's true we're a bit grumpier, but I can't say I don't enjoy life.
Customer service is better in the US, because tipping is common. Or maybe the shops are run properly, I don't know. But over here, customers are my sworn enemy, just get your shopping and go I couldn't care less about you or your stupid shopping. Just leave the shop, i'd rather you went to a good shop.
I found a lot of americans to be quite rude when in new york, it was like a load of people from london in america, but maybe it varies accross the us?
Those of us who live in the real world though, it's true we're a bit grumpier, but I can't say I don't enjoy life.
Customer service is better in the US, because tipping is common. Or maybe the shops are run properly, I don't know. But over here, customers are my sworn enemy, just get your shopping and go I couldn't care less about you or your stupid shopping. Just leave the shop, i'd rather you went to a good shop.
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