Published on March 26, 2004 By Jamie Burnside In Misc
176

As I was responding to another article about America's un-culture, I began to go off on a train of thought about how people behave when they're abroad.

I was thinking that there are some pretty safe ways to tell where a group of people are from when they're abroad. Now since these are stereotypes, they are not necessarily the rules.

My "rules of thumb" on how to determine where the tour groups are from:

Germans often wear black and have smallish eyeglasses.
Americans speak loudly and complain about everything. They also wear shorts a lot.
Japanese are likely to follow someone carrying an umbrella, photograph everything, and wear nametags.
English (men) are looking to start a fight, find a bar, or both.
Russians have a few gold teeth, and prefer wide collars on their shirts.
Australians (see English)
Canadians act like Americans, except they get stuck on complaining about the Americans.
Swedes are tall.

Comments
on Mar 26, 2004
Swedes are tall!! LOL Very funny! Oh, and don't forget blonde.

As a Brit, I do agree with the English Men one... English women are the ones who are very drunk! Well, some of them, anyway! lol
on Mar 26, 2004
As another Brit, I agree with the English Men one too...but you forgot that a lot of British men wear socks with their sandals and shorts (as do some Aussies).

Hmmmm, I wonder if Muggaz does that?!
on Mar 26, 2004
You're a racist 
on Mar 26, 2004
Americans also usually dont speak the language of the country they are in, and expect everyone to speak english.

Germans also love levis and adidas!
on Mar 26, 2004

Someone's blog once had the words.....


"I know in every group of people there are unfavorable members, but should we take that to mean that they are "that way" due to their race, culture or religion? If we base our beliefs on the extremist, how can we not expect others to veiw us the same as our own cultures extremists."

on Mar 26, 2004
Jeremy- That quote was from me. Feel free to use my name when you are quoting me.
on Mar 26, 2004
Americans also usually dont speak the language of the country they are in, and expect everyone to speak english.


Yeah, they're not the only ones....us Brits are good about that as well.
on Mar 26, 2004
If we are talking working class English people then I fully agree.

Working class English men are football hooligans who spend all of their measly wages on beer. Working class English women are what would commonly be referred to as "slags" i.e. they will allow any man to mount them after a few bacardi breezers!

Germans are a war like people who have had their balls removed thanks to the great British nation

Americans are loud, brash, stupid and fat

The Japanese are little buggers, they tortured my Father - bastards!! - but I accept that is in the past and many Japanese are lovely people!

I won't comment on Russians for obvious reasons

Australians (see English working classes)

Canadians - Yanks with a few French thrown in

Swedes are very nice people but have no fashion sense - the females make good sexual partners.

All of the above are of course stereotypes but are true in some cases.


on Mar 26, 2004
Germans suddenly stop every few minutes when walking.

The Irish love to stand in all sorts of doors.

Spaniards form interconnected small groups from one side of the road to the other if left alone for a while.

The Portuguese always seem to speak all the languages they need.

I am in Germany right now and this stopping thingy really gets on my nerves. When I lived in Dublin I noticed that one could not simply enter a shop without asking at least two people to step out of the way.
on Mar 27, 2004
My Goodness - talk about culture shock. Someone forget the French; so I don't think it necessary to go there.

Pam
on Mar 27, 2004
Yeah what happen to the french?
on Mar 27, 2004
They surrendered
on Mar 30, 2004
I dont see how you can castegorise people so easily. How you can take so many values and qualities and reduce them to such simple stereotypes is beyond me......but I do agree about the Swedes
on Apr 04, 2004
I wonder if Muggaz does that?!

Of course i dont Dharma!!!

Jamie, I find it interesting that you find Australian men to fit that stereotype? I wonder what the American women think of that notion?

We are a proud people, but i categorically deny that most Australian men go looking for a fight. When we get picked, we usually win, but that is because some foolish knit-wit has insulted our honour, and we demand satasfaction!

BAM!!!