Little bit of anti-American in Amsterdam
Mar 25th, 2003, 11:09 AM
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Little bit of anti-American in Amsterdam
Hey just wanted to say that we returned from 9 days in Brussels, Brugge, Amsterdam and Delft and did encounter a small bit of anti-American sentiment. Nothing to ruin the trip about, but had some rude comments when asking directions, purchasing in shops and ordering a few meals. I bit my tongue and just smiled and walked on, but had a dozen retorts in mind. Just didn't seem worth the effort. Other than that, the trip was wonderful and watching the news on CNN Europe and reading local papers brought a different perspective to the coverage we receive.<BR> All the info I got from this site helped tremendously in making for a great spring break trip for us and our children. Brugge and Delft are awesome! Jane
Mar 25th, 2003, 12:02 PM
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I think biting your tongue was probebly the best solution. Perhaps those with the anti-american sentiments are not the best educated on the American citizen's individual beliefs. They are just making generalizations and appearing foolish in doing so.
Mar 25th, 2003, 12:06 PM
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For another perspective, let me slightly reword what JVS wrote...<BR><BR>Perhaps those with anti-French sentiments are not the best educated on the French citizen's individual beliefs. They are just making generalizations and appearing foolish ("Freedom fries", anyone?) in doing so. <BR>
Mar 25th, 2003, 12:21 PM
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How did all these people you encountered know you were American? From all my travels around the world, I have never had anyone assume I was American. In fact, most people I encounter think I am British after talking to me for 20 minutes or so. Were you wearing a big American flag on your shirt??????
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Mar 25th, 2003, 12:43 PM
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I'm not sure about jane, or about you thinGorjus, but when I pull out my Citibank American Airlines Card to make a purchase or buy a meal (two of the three activities jane mentions) then they really do assume I'm American. And many of the people I encounter are smart enough to know the difference between an American and a British accent. Do you deliberatly try to fool them with a British accent? I can do a pretty accurate one (actually a number of British dialects) from my acting training, but I generally am just myself when traveling, not putting on some imaginary characterization.
Mar 25th, 2003, 01:44 PM
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Funny how a person makes an honest post about being on the receiving end of some anti-American sentiment in europe (which didn't prevent them from enjoying their trip) and the usual europhiles have to rise up in defense. <BR><BR>Thanks for the post Jane. Tell us more about your trip.
Mar 25th, 2003, 02:01 PM
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Hi Jane. Glad you had a nice time, anyway. Was it anti American or anti war? I know when we were in amsterdam a few years ago we ran into some general rudeness. I don't think it was because we were Americans, just tourists.
Mar 25th, 2003, 04:00 PM
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Going back to the accent/looks thing .. I've been studying abroad in France for the last 7 months and adults ask me if I'm British, Swedish or German .. it doesn't even cross their minds that I'm American. On the other hand, the perceptive students know right away I'm American -- I must ooze "American" or something.
Mar 25th, 2003, 06:32 PM
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Uncle Sam makes a good point. The US is always the front of the blame for everything: be it world hunger, starvation, war, genocide.... It's always the Americans' fault. Americans are criticized for intervening internationally and criticized for not intervening internationally. To too many people in this world, the Americans can do no right. It is shameful.
Mar 25th, 2003, 06:38 PM
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Patrick, why would you pull out your American Airlines credit card to ask directions??????????????????????? I don't try to affect a British accent. I am from the Main Line in Philadelphia and I have a Katherine Hepburn-like accent. (Also, think Grace Kelly.) I also have a British grandmother. Patrick, you must have a great ear, because most Europeans would not be able to discern an American accent from a Canadian one. (I have friends in Seattle and Vancouver and they both sound the same to me.) I also have a friend who has lived in Philadelphia for 25 years and she is pegged for Australian 99.9% of the time. She was born in South Africa. You, Patrick, must be the Stephen Hawking of the hearing world. Cheers.
Mar 25th, 2003, 06:51 PM
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I'm a native Texan (living in Tennessee - imagine my twang!), but I was once mistaken for Irish in a grocery store on Grafton Street in Dublin! By a fellow American tourist!!!<BR><BR>I'd been travelling with British friends for a while, so I must have picked up on their accent a bit. Maybe I should try that one next time I'm in Europe. Maybe people would have less occassion to be sniffy to an Irishwoman!<BR><BR>Cheers 
<BR>Linds
<BR>Linds
Mar 25th, 2003, 07:34 PM
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Well I'm sure Patrick can defend himself, but I just have to say that some people never really bother to read a post. ThinGorjus, Patrick said he used his Citibank American Airline card to make a purchase or buy a meal. Nothing was mentioned about using it to ask for directions. So where did you read that???????????????????????????
Mar 25th, 2003, 07:42 PM
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ThinGorjus, I guess you should do your posts before you start drinking for the evening. Whoever said anything about the difference between a Canadian and an American accent? I was following your lead in which you said that people assumed you were British not American. Nothing was said about Canadian. Are you suggesting that Canadian accents (from Vancouver, no less) have anything in the world to do with British accents? You'd have to be deaf not to know the difference.<BR>And where in the world did you get the idea about pulling out the credit card to ask directions? JJ has a good point. I have reread my post and can't imagine how you could have possibly misinterpreted it. Now put the bottle down and go to bed.
