About this topic, I found Austrians some of the most kind people I have ever met: some years ago, I was in Vienna and at a social event there was a group of about 15-20 locals I was introduced to. My German is basic, just enough to ask simple things in a store but not really suitable for actual conversations, so I was using English to communicate. Well, very soon, in a quite natural way and without any request by my part, all people started speaking English, not only when they were talking to me but when they were talking to each other also, so that I wasn't going to feel awkwardly out of their conversations. It seldom happened to me in other circumstances that people in a foreign country were so kind to all switch to English to make me feel less alone (and consider there wasn't any non-Austrian guy but me, in that circumstance). I don't use to be snotty, but I still have to find a country where food is better than in my own country, Italy.
Talking about movie references, are you familiar with Lars Von Trier's "Dancer in the Dark" and Björk's take at "The Sound of Music"'s songs in that movie?
Yes, the movies are not really my thing, but I am here for the off-topic travel discussion! (Obviously the games need to start back up, so that we can get back to soccer.) IME, French people are actually incredibly kind. As an example, once I was in a small French restaurant where the "desserts of the day" were on a board on the wall. I took French in school but found out that I had forgotten too much for real conversations. So I was able to decipher the menu, but my pronunciation was so bad that when ordering dessert the waitress could not understand me. Finally, she good-naturedly went and took down the menu from the wall, brought it over to the table, so I could point to what I was saying. That kind of hospitality was repeated multiple times during my entire time in France. From what I've seen on twitter, most who've travelled for the WWC are experiencing that same kind of hospitality (gotta tie in soccer somehow). England: same type of kindness. They are a bit more standoffish in that they generally didn't approach me for conversation but if I had questions or needed help, no one ever treated me rudely. Generally, those that encounter rude treatment are usually people who fit the "rude, loud American" stereotype and did something offensive first (even if unintentionally...know the culture!). And definitely I'd avoid the tourist packages; most of my travel around the world has been as a solo traveller, and its entirely doable with your own research. And you get much better interaction with locals that way. And I agree on Italian food; some of the best meals I've ever eaten have been in Italy. The trick is not to go to any of those touristy places; get the real thing!
I "think" I have mentioned before that I ran into that phenomenon (people speaking English for the convenience of the listener) when I was placed with a Japanese family for recovery after being wounded. When I was told about it I jumped right to the thought, "Oh boy, I will get to practice my poor Japanese." Well I was wrong. The family, and any visitors they had, absolutely refused to speak Japanese when I was within earshot. They wanted to practice their English and were so stubborn about it that the only Japanese practice I got was when I went out. They seemed to already be aware that for international commerce they needed English a LOT more than they felt I needed Japanese. BTW: Do NOT take this wrong but you are not one of the few "skinny" Italians, are you? I met very few of those and I have no idea, as I said earlier, how anyone could indulge in Italian cooking and the generous portions they tend to serve and remain skinny. I met many many Italians that were not really overweight, just well fed, but I was always surprised when I met one that was truly skinny. Italy is one of the countries I really enjoyed but I gained 15 pounds in four months there. I had to move back to England for a few months to lose that weight.
That is a film I have never seen. I see the reviews are mixed but are intriguing enough that it might be interesting. I think I can find an English copy. So far the only version I have found is in Czech with subtitles and I REALLY do not like subtitles and I speak no Czech. What I have found, so far, are is that it was released in Czech, German and English but I have yet to find a disk or tape that is either German or English. For either I would not require subs unless it is German and the German is very fast or in one of the dialects that I find difficult. But since I just started looking based on your mention I am pretty confident that one of the sources I usually buy from will have it or can find it. After all I have found "Curly Top" (Shirley Temple) complete with all the removed/censored scenes intact. It is amazing what the censors cut back in 1935. "Amazing" is not really the right word, maybe more like "scary" or "pitiful."
lol a few and I dont see us doing a dance over india, we also had treatys with the native americans which you wanted tearing up
For most of my life I've been one of those skinny Italians who can eat everything they want without taking weight, indeed! In the last years, I had less time to do sport and I gained some kilograms (because there is absolutely no way that I could be able to modify my eating habits ), but I guess I still don't look too much overweight.
I think it would help if you were traveling with a native. I'm sure that you, by now, know all the best places to eat in Italy. They do have a fantastic cuisine. I was able to travel around Greece with a native and took me to the nicest taverns. The food there was incredible.
I think the biggest problem with eating in countries like Greece, Italy, and France for me, an American, was getting used to the hours of operation. In Greece, everything shut down for 2 hours in the afternoon. In Italy, all the eateries would shut down for 4 hours in the afternoon. And in France, all the eateries would shut down for 6 hours in the afternoons. We'd be starving half the time looking for ANY place that's open. LOL! We did find a nice place in Lyon (a hole in the wall, as they say), which was packed with people. We ordered the local special and really enjoyed it.
Sometimes the truth flies under the hysteria .@alexmorgan13 said her tea celebration was inspired by Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner. Turner showed her support and gave the haters the tea 🍵 🍷 pic.twitter.com/RtVIKrnLFS— ESPN (@espn) July 5, 2019
At least you have a bit of self-awareness. Who is "you"? We were you until 1776. You think you sent people over here and they were going to land on an empty continent? Why do you think treaties were necessary? Because you were taking their land. You think you honored all the treaties until 1776?
In my limited experience, when you get out of the huge cities (my experience: Paris, Nice), and get into the smaller cities (in Provence, and the small ones on the Riviera), the French are as friendly as anyone else. And, if you speak anything other than English, they are appreciative. At that time I had barely conversational Spanish and word recognition French. If you go to France, don't spend much time in Paris, unless you want a guided tour (yuck).
Ooh, sipping wine like Cersei in the window I was mesmerized by the laser-like color changes in her pupils.
exactly you are not those people most of you crawled off boats 100 years later so that history isn't really yours then. yet many of you celebrate it like you had kin in the battles like my family, its abit fake really
I am very sorry to hear that your experiences with English people have been rather "difficult". Maybe you were just unlucky to keep meeting the "wrong" fellows. As is known, every type of people can be encountered everywhere. However, I'm happy to see you've had the opportunities to travel the world extensively. Europeans often say Americans rarely care about the world outside their country, but you are one of those who took interest in exploring the lands beyond the oceans. It must have been very enriching and enlightening. For sure it has produced countless lasting memories to reminisce about for a lifetime. Thanks for sharing your many stories!
ermmmm, you won't believe this. I don't care. I had two forbears on the Mayflower. One fell off the boat and was lucky to grab a line that was hanging in the water and was pulled back in. He ended up marrying the other of my forbears that was on the Mayflower. So, go ahead ..... keep spouting off about things you know nothing about. But, ya, All Americans embrace the fight for freedom from England. No matter when they, or their forbears arrived.
Err no they didn't it was just over 50 % at the time why lie. And yes they fought for freedom to take more native land Indeed. Weldone on winning the world cup again by the way
I don't know what you're talking about. What country hasn't? Give Scotland back to the Picts. And, FFS, get the F out of Ireland. No one is looking forward to when checkpoints go back up dividing that country. Thanks! USA! ;-)
My favorite quote by the Queen in the North: "No need to seize the last word. I'll assume it was something cleva."