Are people friendlier in Europe than in North America ?

[1mitnol]

I'm from Canada and many immigrants from Europe have said that people just aren't outgoing and friendly over here .I have never travelled to Europe so I don't have first hand knowledge , but everyone says that on the whole , Europeans are way more hospitable and friendly . Like on the street peole greet strangers more , there is less fear and you can always find a place to stay if you don't know anyone . What can more experinced people tell me ?

 

[Sicy]

Pleasedontfightpeople
Pleasedontfightpeople
Pleasedontfightpeople
Pleasedontfightpeople

 

[Anthony]

We're both exactly the same on both sides of the Atlantic. Its hard to generalise like that, if you ask a European if he or she is friendly, he or she will say it depends which part of Europe you're from.

Ant.

 

[sulawesigirl4]

hmm. Hard to say. As a general rule, I'd say that Americans can *seem* more friendly, ie. smile, talk very openly, etc. As someone who grew up in Asia, I had a hard time when I came back to the States gauging where I really was with a person, because they acted all friendly, but then really turned out not to give a damn about me. lol. In my experience with Europeans, I have found them to be a slightly more reticent at first, but once you've earned their trust, you are true friends and they stick by you.

But of course that's all generalization based on one person's experience.

 

[Zooropa]

Well, I can't speak for Europe, but I know in the states it depends on where you are, New York is known for being a bit unfriendly as opposed to say, Kansas City where everyone seems extrmemly friendly.

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Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Zooropa FTP

 

[gvox]

Originally posted by 1mitnol:
I'm from Canada and many immigrants from Europe have said that people just aren't outgoing and friendly over here .I have never travelled to Europe so I don't have first hand knowledge , but everyone says that on the whole , Europeans are way more hospitable and friendly . Like on the street peole greet strangers more , there is less fear and you can always find a place to stay if you don't know anyone . What can more experinced people tell me ?

Well here is my own personal experience, for what its worth:

People in Toronto are either cold, or so completely paranoid that they are too scared to talk to you. Dont talk or even try to make eye contact with someone on a crowded train, they'll be secretly calling the mental police on you while youre not looking. And I pity you if you break down on the side of the road, you'll be lucky if one person stops to render help.

People in Europe, well at least in Germany, France, and Amsterdam, the places I've been too, were generally a little more receptive to a stranger giving them a nod. Help for subway directions etc was gladly offered, even if you didnt ask..I just LOOKED lost I suppose.

But, having been down the dangerous path of generalizations, there's definately good and bad everywhere.

Im just the type that likes to make eye contact with people and give a slight nod or gentle smile. When someone does it to me it brightens my day. For some reason when I do it to others they do everything they can to look the other way...kinda disheartening to be honest...

 

[anitram]

Well, Gabriel, there are an awful lot of wackos on the TTC, if you ask me.

 

[RavenStar]

people in Newfoundland are sooo friendly. Im from scarborough so anyone that doesn't shoot you is friendly.

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T? m? ?seal.
T? m? ard.
T? m? tana?.
T? m? ramhar.
T? m? bean.

 

[1mitnol]

Yeah , I guess it varies within countries A lot of people say that in the American South people are more relaxed and easygoing than the money-driven East Coasters. It just seems to me that, in Vancouver anyway, if you are alone with someone in an elevator or a subway car it is very rare to be friendly and greet someone . Maybe just a polite nod of the head but that's it . I suppose it starts with us as individuals to be friendly to everyone we meet .

 

[UV2001]

England is a mix. Towns and cities friendly is really not the word. People are cold and cruel. People when you are walking around outside towns especially older people are generally friendly and say hello.

From what I have seen on my visits to Ireland they can be quite friendly a few however have a problem with the English but that is only a handfull out of what seems to be a pretty friendly sociable culture

USA seems friendly from my visits but also kind of false. I apologies if this offends anyone because I don't mean to. The constant "You're welcome" and "Have a nice day" just seem like lines out of a film and not true feelings of the people involved. That's just the impression given off.

Canada I have only been to the French Canadian parts but they seem pretty friendly if you make and effort to speak French even if badly they will then speak English however if you refuse to even say Bonjour they seem to be pretty cold with you

 

[missmacphisto]

Los Angeles is one of the most unfriendly cities in the entire country. Even bands have a hard time making friends here. And they tend to be terrible phonies.

 

[Lilly]

I'm from St. Paul, Minnesota. That whole "Minnesota Nice" thing is totally true. People here are beyond friendly to you.

In example, before prom, my group & I were at a coffee shop when my friend's strap broke loose. A girl there saw my friend freaking out and was like "oh I have a sewing kit in my bag, I can fix it!". How random and kind of her! People up North are friendly in a "omy someone I didn't grow up with! Talk to me!" sort of way, and that's amusing in its own right.

People in the areas of Europe I travelled (Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy) were all pretty friendly, nothing unlike the people here. Except for in Czech, where the people were a bit more skeptical of our presence (the UN really screwed up their country when it got rid of Communism there and they blame it solely on America {which is probably true} but that's moreso in the country {where we drove by a HUGE sign that said "DIE AMERICANS DIE!!" on it }) but in Prague they didn't mind us at all. And in Italy....omy they were uhm friendly there...

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I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel so I learned to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you

 

[BAW]

Originally posted by Miss MacPhisto:
Los Angeles is one of the most unfriendly cities in the entire country. Even bands have a hard time making friends here. And they tend to be terrible phonies.

I have to agree with this. I didn't really notice how rude people were in LA and Orange County until I spent some time in Oklahoma a few months ago. Everyone, from the information lady at the airport to the clerk at the drugstore was so nice, I didn't know how to respond. It was great to go into a Walmart and have the greeter actually greet you!

 

[U2Bama]

Much like Kansas City, Oklahoma, and Minnesota, I think you can include most of the South, Midwest, and Rocky Mountain areas. I don't know if it is our rural surroundings and small towns or what, but whenever I am in these areas and make eye contact with someone, we usually say "hey" or at least nod hello. I must also say that I was pleasantly surprised with NYC and upstate NY last fall. People were genuinely friendly as soon as we got off the plane until the time we left. I have even found Southern hospitality in good old Orange County, California at the Magnolia Cafe in Huntington Beach - they serve biscuits AND grits there!

I have generally found Eurpeans to be quite friendly, but maybe it is because we are so nice to them here in the South.

~U2Alabama

[This message has been edited by U2Bama (edited 05-14-2002).]

 

[wannabe]

I agree that Minnesota is a very friendly state. Upon traveling the Boundary Waters, our group outfitters were quite kind and hospitable. While we traveled port to port, strangers on the water were exceptionally bright and cheery (perhaps from seeing another face for the first time in days)

 

[CannibalisticArtist]

Originally posted by sulawesigirl4:
hmm. Hard to say. As a general rule, I'd say that Americans can *seem* more friendly, ie. smile, talk very openly, etc. As someone who grew up in Asia, I had a hard time when I came back to the States gauging where I really was with a person, because they acted all friendly, but then really turned out not to give a damn about me. lol. In my experience with Europeans, I have found them to be a slightly more reticent at first, but once you've earned their trust, you are true friends and they stick by you.

But of course that's all generalization based on one person's experience.

you saved me the typing

. i feel the same way also. my best friend is half english.

 

[deep]

Originally posted by U2Bama:
...I was pleasantly surprised with NYC and upstate NY last fall. People were genuinely friendly as soon as we got off the plane until the time we left. I have even found Southern hospitality in good old Orange County, California ...
I have generally found Eurpeans to be quite friendly
~U2Alabama

I believe you get what you give.
Mr. Bama
You must be one happy, friendly, fella.

 

[Popmartijn]

Is the behaviour here on Free Your Mind the standard when judging if someone is friendly or not? If so...

C ya!

Marty

P.S. The Dutch can be friendly too! Once you've read the manual and know how to approach them...

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People criticize me but I know it's not the end
I try to kick the truth, not just to make friends

Spearhead - People In Tha Middle

 

[Klodomir]

Nah, Americans are friendlier, but it doesn't always come across as completely sincere.

 

[mad1]

hmm well I aint been to other cities in Europe, even though Im part of the Uk/Europe thang, but I do know some, or rather that a lot of pple here..........and please dont attack ickle Maddie, this is NOT from me.............say Americans come across as too 'fake'.............and that they love the Irish cause we're 'thick'????? (apparantly this was a survey thang)......so like......uhmmmmmm

but anyway as UV2001 was saying, Im sure its obvious why loads would have a problem with the English, same way as they have a prob with us......mum says its political.............and that a lot of English come across as arrogant and snobbish and stuff, even generally to innocent Irish..........its too widespread, the hatred, over there..........*shrugs*

Personally I like to stick with my own pple or certain Europeans/Americans are very nice.
With your own u can understand each others humour better and stuff.........but of course u can get that anywhere..........and I also think the 'country' folk are far friendlier than the 'city' folk - who are friendly enough..........but Ireland and Northern Ireland - apart from the problems we have here - have been known and said to have so much hospitality, which brings a huge grin to my face.....

its really hard to know, except I say history, is what changed us from being friendly world-over.........

[This message has been edited by mad1 (edited 05-15-2002).]

 

[gvox]

Originally posted by anitram:
Well, Gabriel, there are an awful lot of wackos on the TTC, if you ask me.

Actually I was referring to the GO, Im a suburbanite...lol..

 

[gvox]

Originally posted by RavenStar:
people in Newfoundland are sooo friendly. Im from scarborough so anyone that doesn't shoot you is friendly.

Now THATS truly hilarious...yeah Ive dodged a few in Scarbaria my self...

 

[annalivia]

Travelling to the southwest of the US a few years ago I thought all people there were extremely friendly. Of course the "welcomes" can't always be "deep from the heart" but after travelling for hours and spending a huge amount of money to get on this vacation they were very nice to hear anyway.

In general I would say Americans are more friendly and open than Europeans. Even if the friendliness might be superficial I prefer superficial friendliness to the grumpy attitude I'm confronted with sometimes over here.

anna

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...in the beginning...
rock'n'roll...
used to be dance music...

 

[guaca]

Originally posted by RavenStar:
people in Newfoundland are sooo friendly. Im from scarborough so anyone that doesn't shoot you is friendly.

Oh my spatula! that's too funny...I just fell off my chair..for me I try to take the frame of mind that if you show people with respect and treat them nicely they'll treat you in kind no matter where you are...and that thinking will probably get me shot some day...

 

[dream wanderer]

I have seen over and over Europeans/Asians complain about the superficiality of American friendships...when in reality the Americans probably weren't even thinking in terms of friendship...to them they were just being polite. To many Americans saying hi...how are you...where are you from...how many brothers and sisters do you have...where did you go to college...etc...is just being polite or making conversation...its not meant to be mistaken for the begining of a beautiful friendship...(although of course it can go that way). Its a cultural thing I guess...

I have found friendly people in the American south...and San Francisco....
Most Europeans I have met here have been quite friendly...except for one Polish guy and he only talked to me because he was interested in Native Americans...

dream wanderer



[This message has been edited by dream wanderer (edited 05-15-2002).]

 

[joyfulgirl]

Originally posted by sulawesigirl4:
hmm. Hard to say. As a general rule, I'd say that Americans can *seem* more friendly, ie. smile, talk very openly, etc. As someone who grew up in Asia, I had a hard time when I came back to the States gauging where I really was with a person, because they acted all friendly, but then really turned out not to give a damn about me. lol. In my experience with Europeans, I have found them to be a slightly more reticent at first, but once you've earned their trust, you are true friends and they stick by you.

But of course that's all generalization based on one person's experience.

I agree. It depends on what you think is friendly, too. I grew up in the south but after 15 years in NYC, what is generally thought of as "southern hospitality" now strikes me as very nosey and all that dropping in on people unannounced, which my mothers lives for, to me is rude. Don't ever stop by my house without a phone call, let me tell ya! People think New Yorkers are snotty while I think their reserve comes from living amongst millions of people with little personal space.

So, it's hard to generalize. I think all that American 'friendliness' strikes a lot of Europeans as insincere. When I was traveling alone in Europe years ago, I carried myself with the New York reserve that had become second-nature and as a result, many Parisien families who saw me eating alone invited me to their tables and even into their homes--not the typical experience an American has in Paris.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Originally posted by 1mitnol:
Does anyone know why Europeans are more uninhibited ( other than the U.K. )than Americans ? For instance isn't it true that almost all the public beaches in continental Europe are clothing optional . In Canada and the States a clothing optional beach is considered a total counter-culture hippy hang-out . I think Europeans are way more free about their behavior and to express themselves than people over here .

When I was in Greece a number of years ago, I observed a family of Germans (or German-speaking, I should say)--three generations of them, from toddlers to grandma--playing cards nude on the beach. It was beautiful. I was very self-conscious just being topless. But I got over it.

 

[Judah]

Stickin' with over generalizations: friendliest country from my experience -- besides Canada, where i live, and Pakistan, where i'm from (though, it's not sounding too friendly these past few years) -- TURKEY. Absolutely amazing place and people. Also, i may be way off base, but when i was in New York City about five years ago (my first time), i thought the people were amazingly friendly...and i felt safe. I'd heard horrible things about NYC, so it was all a nice surprise (Favorite places: East Village and Harlem.)

 

[U2Bama]

Thank you, Deep; I try to spread Southern hospitality throughout the land.

~U2Alabama

 

[UV2001]

Originally posted by 1mitnol:
Does anyone know why Europeans are more uninhibited ( other than the U.K. )than Americans ? For instance isn't it true that almost all the public beaches in continental Europe are clothing optional . In Canada and the States a clothing optional beach is considered a total counter-culture hippy hang-out . I think Europeans are way more free about their behavior and to express themselves than people over here . If you watch the news and read the papers all the cool demonstrations are in Europe .I wish I could travel over there and get first hand knowledge . I mean look at Bono , he's a friendly Irishman and the high-tech people in the American government can hardly believe how informed and knowledgeable he is on the issues he's talking to them about . It looks to me like they can't believe this friendly dude can really have a clue .

About the clothing optional thing that is totally true of the Spanish beaches. Many women either sunbathe or walk round topless and I can say that for the former I have.

I think as a whole in Europe the more sun the countries get the friendlier the people seem (oh the wonders of sunshine

)
Ireland being the exeption because the Irish seem to be really friendly from my visits

England's probably the worst place in the UK for friendly people