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hstrybuf
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Posted: Thu Jun 12th, 2008 08:37 pm | 1st Post |
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By Kyle Kreiger, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Jun 10, 2008 11:18 AM
It never takes long for the ugly American tourist to appear.
No, not the stereotypical elderly guy wearing shorts, black socks that seem to reach above his knees, and sandals.
I'm talking about the demon that appears whenever I'm out of the country. This time, it reared up before we had even left the United States.
Passengers had been aboard the Norwegian Sun cruise ship for an hour when I spotted a woman complaining to an employee that her luggage hadn't arrived at her room.
The ship was still tied to the pier. Her luggage was probably being X-rayed in the terminal.
But this woman wanted it — NOW.
She had only the jeans she was wearing, she complained, and certainly couldn't go to dinner dressed like that.
To a dinner that was at least four hours away.
"I expected better,'' she lectured the crew member, who did an admirable job of remaining positive and telling the woman she could call him later if her luggage didn't arrive before dinner.
I would have abandoned ship if I'd been in his uniform. Instead, he probably shared the story about the crazy American woman with the rest of the crew.
Why do so many Americans become morons when they go abroad?
It's embarrassing.
The rest of the story:
http://www.tampabay.com/features/travel/article616040.ece
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"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
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GreatAuntieBonnie
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Posted: Thu Jun 12th, 2008 09:03 pm | 2nd Post |
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| People like that believe that they are the only ones on the face of the earth and no matter where they are demand to have their ass kissed. I'm sure the crew member was tempted to deliver her baggage last.
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glgolfer
Cruiser
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Posted: Thu Jun 12th, 2008 10:33 pm | 3rd Post |
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First, why was he so sure she was American? Why is it that rude behavior is always attributed to Americans in these articles? Are Americans the only nationality that can be bashed with impunity in this PC age?
There's rude people of all antionalities. To stereotype Americans as the only "ugly whatever" is ridiculous.
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GREGandamy
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Posted: Thu Jun 12th, 2008 10:46 pm | 4th Post |
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One of the comments after the article mentioned that the author was a 'self-loathing Americna tourist'. That's what I was thinking while I read the article, this guy hates his country and is condescending as well.
Sure, there are rude Americans, just as there are rude Europeans, Asians, etc.
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mrdawson
Funnel Deck Cruiser
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Posted: Fri Jun 13th, 2008 01:41 am | 5th Post |
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I bet it was just Macop trying to get upgraded to a Garden Villa! 
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glgolfer
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Posted: Fri Jun 13th, 2008 01:47 am | 6th Post |
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| I checked, she wasn't that ship.
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debinnh
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Posted: Mon Jun 16th, 2008 04:20 pm | 7th Post |
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I think the author was trying to point out that some American's perpetuate the Ugly American stereotype when they travel. They did not say anything to indicate that all other nationalities behave better or worse. I liken it to how I want MY kids to act in public, as a refelction of me and my family. I am not asking ALL kids to act that way (as much as I would like to). I think he was saying it just takes one to keep the bad rep going. No one considers how well the other 99 are doing if just one out of 100 makes us look bad.
Similarly I have heard many Americans say they think the French are rude. If they encounter one rude French person in thier travels, they say "see, I told you so." But if they encounter only pleasant, friendly French people, they might wonder why some people think that. Since I have not met any partularly rude French, I certainly wonder why they have that reputation.
If all American's were on their best behavior, whether at home or on vacation, then the Ugly American stigma would go away.
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goodml
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Posted: Mon Jun 16th, 2008 04:28 pm | 8th Post |
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debinnh wrote: I think the author was trying to point out that some American's perpetuate the Ugly American stereotype when they travel. They did not say anything to indicate that all other nationalities behave better or worse. I liken it to how I want MY kids to act in public, as a refelction of me and my family. I am not asking ALL kids to act that way (as much as I would like to). I think he was saying it just takes one to keep the bad rep going. No one considers how well the other 99 are doing if just one out of 100 makes us look bad.
Similarly I have heard many Americans say they think the French are rude. If they encounter one rude French person in thier travels, they say "see, I told you so." But if they encounter only pleasant, friendly French people, they might wonder why some people think that. Since I have not met any partularly rude French, I certainly wonder why they have that reputation.
If all American's were on their best behavior, whether at home or on vacation, then the Ugly American stigma would go away.
That's how I took it too Deb.
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whatawonderfulworld
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Posted: Mon Jun 16th, 2008 07:01 pm | 9th Post |
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goodml wrote: debinnh wrote: I think the author was trying to point out that some American's perpetuate the Ugly American stereotype when they travel. They did not say anything to indicate that all other nationalities behave better or worse. I liken it to how I want MY kids to act in public, as a refelction of me and my family. I am not asking ALL kids to act that way (as much as I would like to). I think he was saying it just takes one to keep the bad rep going. No one considers how well the other 99 are doing if just one out of 100 makes us look bad.
Similarly I have heard many Americans say they think the French are rude. If they encounter one rude French person in thier travels, they say "see, I told you so." But if they encounter only pleasant, friendly French people, they might wonder why some people think that. Since I have not met any partularly rude French, I certainly wonder why they have that reputation.
If all American's were on their best behavior, whether at home or on vacation, then the Ugly American stigma would go away.
That's how I took it too Deb.
As soon as I open my mouth it is clear that I'm from NY. Whilst I don't hear it - I've had a few folks tell me that I have an accent - can you believe that?
New Yorkers tend to have a bad rep out there too...similar to the archtypical "Ugly American." Whenever I'm outside of my home, be that here in NY, in another State or out of the country, I make it a point to be on my absolute best behavior. I am a guest and will act accordingly. And I don't want to reinforce the "Nasty New Yawker" image that some have of my fellow citizens have, unfortunately, cultivated so well.
Last year, when we stopped in Cartegena I wanted to strangle several of the folks on our excursion....one man was from the States and another woman was from Europe. While poor manners are exclusive to Americans, unfortunately it seems that we take the hit. I bought a tablecloth for 11 dollars - the woman said "you should have given him 5 dollars." I advised her that the extra 6 dollars I have him would go alot further for him and his family than it would for mine (oh how I wanted to blow her out of the bus...but I maintained my "guest" posture...but I was thinking about it...oh was I ever thinking about it!!!!!  )
All of this reminds me of a trip my DH and I took to Toronto...in the mid-70's. We were waiting on line to go up that big tower in the center of town. A young woman, with a most definate southern accent, was looking at a diagram of the Needle and the measurement in meters. She said out loud "Meters? I thought they were civilized in this country?" I wanted to crawl under the nearest rug. Bleech!!!!
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Filomene123
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Posted: Thu Jun 19th, 2008 03:24 am | 10th Post |
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I think this is time for me to join the 'ugly American anecdote'. Having since then met US citizens of another level I have revised my views.
While traveling in Portugal at the age of 12 I overheard a couple on the bus behind me say ' I wish I could find a nice bakery to buy nice bread' Being a bubbly young child I promptly turned around and informed them, in English, where they could find a good bakery.
Answer from said American couple -'young lady if we wanted to be spoken to in English we would have stayed in the US'.
I was so hurt and told myself that I would think hard before helping another tourist.
Thank God not all Americans fall under the obnoxious category generalization. 
Okay I know I,ll get shot down but EH I,m not the one who earned the reputation.
No longer a truth 
Last edited on Thu Jun 19th, 2008 03:26 am by Filomene123
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hstrybuf
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Posted: Fri Jun 20th, 2008 01:39 am | 11th Post |
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Filomene123 wrote: I think this is time for me to join the 'ugly American anecdote'. Having since then met US citizens of another level I have revised my views.
While traveling in Portugal at the age of 12 I overheard a couple on the bus behind me say ' I wish I could find a nice bakery to buy nice bread' Being a bubbly young child I promptly turned around and informed them, in English, where they could find a good bakery.
Answer from said American couple -'young lady if we wanted to be spoken to in English we would have stayed in the US'.
I was so hurt and told myself that I would think hard before helping another tourist.
Thank God not all Americans fall under the obnoxious category generalization.
Okay I know I,ll get shot down but EH I,m not the one who earned the reputation.
No longer a truth
Shame on those people! Those are the kind that give us all a bad reputation. I'm glad you've been able to meet the nicer side of our citizens and some of us have been lucky enough to meet you! Maybe I'll get my turn some day.
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Deb
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My pics: http://community.webshots.com/user/hstrycrsr
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