From: guthrie@nb.rockwell.com (Karen Guthrie)
Newsgroups: rec.travel,soc.culture.usa
Subject: Re: Loud irritating obtrusive American tourists.
Date: 25 Aug 92 15:47:33 GMT
Article-I.D.: nb.1992Aug25.154733.541
Organization: Rockwell International


In article <frank2.28@underdog.ee.wits.ac.za>, frank2@underdog.ee.wits.ac.za (FRANK D N) writes:
> It has been my experience when travelling abroad that the majority 
> of American tourists are loud, obtrusive and selfish. They are at their 
> worst in large tour groups, but individuals and families can be almost as 
> bad. They appear to have no consideration for fellow tourists and the locals 
> whose lands they are visiting. 
> 
> Many seem to travel - not to learn about foreign places, people and 
> culture - but merely to *do* a place and be able to tell their friends back 
> home that they've *done* it. When I was in Rome, I met two young American
> males who proudly told me :"Yeah, well we did Paris in half a day. If we 
> 'bust' it, we could do Rome in about the same time.".  AAaargh! This 
> typifies the sort of travel philosophy followed by the people of whom I 
> write.
> 
> A result of this philosophy is that these tourists don't leave the USA at 
> home when they leave for their travels. They carry it with them everywhere 
> they go, and seem to expect all standards and facilities to comply with what 
> they are used to back in the U.S. 
> 
> I do not want to be guilty of generalising. I certainly have met many 
> interesting, interested and considerate American travellers. Unfortunately, 
> they do seem to be in the minority.
> 
> 
> 
> I would appreciate some insight on this issue.
> 
> 
> 
> --
> David Frank       <frank2@underdog.ee.wits.ac.za>
> University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

I think that what you are expressing is basically that Americans are
spoiled.  That is probably true.  I worked at Disneyland for a summer
though and found that many travelers to our country from other lands
also held onto their customs such as not standing in line for ice cream
at the outside vending stand where I worked.  I have also been asked 
questions in languages that I do not understand just to shrug my shoulders
and smile ignorance.  They didn't always bother to learn my language either.
I try very hard when I travel to fit into the place where I am visiting
just to try to soften our image but you would probably never notice me.
I think that ours is such a big country we sometimes don't realize just
how different it is in other countries.  I was shocked at the ammount of
poverty in many countries that I have visited.  It is not something we are
used to here as what little there is we hide all too well.  We are not 
perfect and I am ashamed of some of the money flashing attitude that I
have seen but it is usually the rich who can afford to travel and they
are a pain in many cultures.  The boys "doing" Paris in a day are cheating
themselves of the best of travel, the little conversations with locals and
finding out of the way places.  They should be laughed at for the bafoons 
they are not despised.  We all need a dose of tolleration.

Just a thought,

Karen
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