People Frustrated With American Tourists Share 22 Stories About Them Being Oblivious To The Fact That They’re Foreigners
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Traveling abroad is one of the most rewarding and satisfying things you can do in your life. You see a completely different side of the world, bask in all the different cultures, and you start to realize who you are as a person much better because now you’ve got a broader context to compare yourself to. That’s not to mention all the new friends you make on the way and how you grow as an individual when dealing with new and unfamiliar situations. Alas, some people have a warped perspective of what travel is and they expect the rest of the world to be identical to their home.
For them, travel is less about going on an adventure and experiencing something new, and more about checking off some items from their bucket list, taking some cool photos near landmarks, and then coming back home to brag about howutterly amazingtheir trip has been. Stereotypically, it’s American tourists who are sometimes loud, rude, and expect to buy everything in dollars no matter where they are (though touristic rudeness actually has no flag, and anyone can be either awful or an angel).
Stand-up comedian and author Ginny Hogan, from the US, started up aabout rude tourists after sharing a photo from the airport that stressed to Americans that, yes, they are considered foreigners abroad. Scroll down to see how Twitter reacted to the photo and the types of experiences that people had with rude tourists. When you’re done reading, Pandas, drop by the comment section and tell us what you think makes for a great tourist and what you personally love about travel the most.
Bored Pandareached out to Ginny for a chat about her post going viral. She told us that part of the reason why the tweet resonated with so many internet users was that “people love to make fun of Americans (and for good reason). I also wonder if Americans related to the idea of not realizing we’re tourists abroad, and had the self-awareness to laugh at it. I’m embarrassed to admit that I found the sign helpful.”
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Comedian Ginny went viral when she pointed out that quite a few American tourists act entitled and think they’re at the center of the world
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Ginny opened up to Bored Panda that she’s not much of a traveler, so she doesn’t know much about being a good tourist abroad.
“I’d imagine people frown upon US tourists because they frown upon the US in general, but I’m not in a position to say what people dislike about US tourists,” she said.
We were also interested to get to know Ginny better. “I love comedy because it has trained my brain to find the humor in every situation. I really believe that if you can laugh about something, you can survive it,” she said.
“Stand up is so fun because I get to connect with people IRL, but I also love Twitter because I’m able to interact with so many more people than I would otherwise.”
Comedian and writer Ginny’s thread got nearly a third of a million likes and was incredibly popular with the crowd on Twitter. So much so that everyone started sharing their most memorable interactions with American tourists. Unfortunately, many of these experiences weren’t all that stellar.
Of course, there are rude tourists from absolutely every country on Earth. However, because the thread was about Americans, the focus was on them this time around. The thing that really gets us is that some folks simply assume that they’re the center of the world, that they’ll automatically speak English and accept US dollars.
A part of what makes travel so great is the sense of humility you (should) get: you realize just how small you really are… and how much you have to rely on the goodwill and kindness of strangers to survive. Especially if you have absolutely no knowledge of the local customs and culture. Humility is always best.
Twitter users shared their own weird and hilarious experiences having to deal with tourists from the United States
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Professor Christine Vogt, from Arizona State University, previously explained toBored Pandathatbefore the trip can make it more enjoyable. “More than likely that is what draws a person to visit a certain place. The more local knowledge a traveler has, the more a traveler can feel like a local and fit in,” the professor, from ASU’s Center for Sustainable Tourism, explained to us.
These customs can include how to dress, what the etiquette is for using your cellphone, how to eat ‘properly,’ and other things.
“When a traveler is out in a community such as walking in a downtown area or eating in a restaurant, these local customs can come into play. For example, in Buddhist countries, a woman who has not covered her shoulders or legs may not be allowed into temples or even a restaurant. Learn as many local customs as you can and a few key words to enhance your experience,” she noted that putting the extra effort pays off and helps show the locals that you’re trying to learn about them and that you care.
It’s not just American travelers who need explicit instructions, though
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Here’s what some other people had to say about how US tourists behaved abroad
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Jonas Grinevičius
Author,BoredPanda staff
Jonas Grinevičius
Author,BoredPanda staff
Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I’ve been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I’d rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I’ve always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real.
At work, I’m a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I’m passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design.
In my spare time, I’m an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle.
I thrive when I’m outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.
Denis Tymulis
Author,Community member
Denis Tymulis
Author,Community member
Denis is a photo editor at Bored Panda. After getting his bachelor’s degree in Multimedia and Computer Design, he tried to succeed in digital design, advertising, and branding.
Also, Denis really enjoys sports and loves everything related to board sports and water.
I live in Belgium, but I speak English. Buying a waffle for my kid, this guy comes in and is trying to pay with US dollars and doesn’t understand why he can’t. It’s a whole different continent! Then he tries a card, but he asks about it like the woman doesn’t know what a credit card is. Apparently US contactless payments work differently, he didn’t get it. So I explain. He looks at me and asks if I’m American. No, I just speak English. Puzzled face. Lol, most people in Brussels speak at least three languages, the guy is in for quite a cultural shock.
Or how about a bank? You ALWAYS convert any cash you may be carrying to local currency when you arrive, and convert it back before you leave. Anything having to do with money—-and that includes currency exchange—-is kind of bank’s whole raison d’etre.
He asked where he could do that, but we didn’t know, actually you would need an appointment at some banks, we do everything online now, he was also surprised we didn’t know. I live here, half the continent uses the same money, and when I do need to convert it, I use Revolut, haven’t actually exchanged cash for cash in years.
When I visited Germany, the airport had currency exchange machines. Like ATMs but they could take paper money and coins as well as cards to convert your home currency to the local currency. Was super easy to figure out how to get the cash out . No idea about converting back, i have the last of my money to the taxi driver that took me to the airport, guy got a $40 tip to drive me 20 mins. because 1 he was super nice about my very limited ability to speak the language and told me thank you for trying to learn then spoke to me in English the rest of the way. And 2 because after the exchange rates and fees it was worth more to the taxi driver.
Yes, but if you skip the airport because you don’t believe you won’t be able to pay with dollars, you might have a problem. Still, we know what credit cards are, so no need to explain how the bank will send money.
There might be exchange machines at a central train station or a bus station.
I think that was true pre-pandemic. Cash has been on the decline for quite some time in the UK and was pushed further into obscurity when contactless payments became almost compulsory during the official Covid years. I recently went on holiday to North Africa and spent very little cash (pretty much just tips) and the rest was on a debit card with a credit card as a backup. And don’t get me started on cheques. I’ve not written a cheque in over 10 years.
Sounds familiar; I’m going to make a special trip into town this week to get £ coins because the only thing I pay in cash is the bin cleaner. Even the grandkids prefer a bank transfer for Xmas/birthday money.
my family keeps some money from other countries we’ve been to as souvenirs sort of.
they’re extra cheap too!
Or buy it before you leave home … cheaper than exchanging money in another country.
Speaking more than English in the US is frowned upon for some reason.
Really? How curious, I wonder why that is.
I used to moderate in an online game chat room. I had a lot of Australian, New Zealander, and Filipino chatters, but it was always fun when I had to remind a fellow American about the language guidelines for the newbie channel. I would get a rant and rave about violating the 1st Amendment and Free Speech, etc etc. Needless to say the Aussies were not shy in telling them where they could stick their entitlement issues 🙂
Love Aus people. NEVER mince words. I refer to myself as an USian, because there are *two* Americas.. much easier than saying “I’m from North America, but not Canadian”. 🙂
There are more than two Americas. Yes, US and Canada. You forgot South America, Central America and the five US territories, which aren’t in the North American continent.
I think she was referring to North America and South America as the two.
Still forgetting about Central America.
Central America is in the continent of North America.
But Mexico is!
Edit: some are, not all.
More than 2!
This is why I love being Australian sometimes 😀 we’re not afraid to tell it like it is 😁
It’s amazing how many folks from the USA don’t actually understand what the 1st amendment or free speech actually is. (I’m from the US).
We Aussies are never too shy to tell a flipping idiot where to shove their pathetic outdated amendments.
And they obviously didn’t even understand the First Amendment which prohibits the government from restricting free speech…and even then there are limits.
Interesting, I work in the personal assistance company and we send a lot of packages to different countries. When clients send us their addresses, about 60% people from the States never indicate the country.
As someone from the US I apologize. The US bashing on BP gets very annoying, but honestly the very vocal minority gives us a bad name. As for not putting a country maybe it’s because we’re not used to having to? I mean maybe they think putting the state is enough. I’m not sure tho.
If we were sending a parcel overseas (in africa), we’d put the source country as well. you know, despite the 50+ states that we have, each with sub-states (provinces). It’s just arrogance and ignorance.
But thanks for recognising there is a vocal minority. It’s a pity that they manage to afford tourist visas.
Americans are very sheltered because it’s a large country and many people don’t get a chance to visit other countries. The US has also been very powerful for the last couple hundred years, leading to many people believing the propaganda that the US is somehow special, the best, etc… It leads some Americans to the thought distortion that the whole world revolves around them. And the conservative party in particular pushes American nationalism, making this distortion worse.
Not powerful for the last two hundred years. maybe since early to mid 20th century.
I’ve notice a fair bit of US bashing too. Though the UK can’t get a mention without mentioning colonialism, I think it’s just part of the BP community membership. Enter only those who accept and renounce the stupidity of their fellow citizens and the wrongful actions of their forefathers. Edit – I’m Welsh, and if my mother is to believed we’re all saints!
“A fair bit of us bashing” no s**t Sherlock
No need to apologize. It was just an observation, did not mean to offend anyone:)
You didn’t! It’s fine! I just wanted to give my opinion on it. 😊
I think every country has an image which many citizens from that country fight. Like I am sure if i travel abroad, i will get questions about India which are no way near of what happens here.
I don’t really mind the US bashing, but I think a lot of Europeans don’t understand that this is a big country and we don’t get out much. Also, everyone has a driver’s license even if we don’t have a car (but most people need cars) because that’s our ID – not passports.
it’s true… we have to spend so much time learning about our own country and all the states that there’s almost no time left to learn about other countries. i remember i had to know all 50 states, their state flower, their state bird, and their biggest export.
I live in Europe and when we had geography in high school it was about the WHOLE world. So also included North America. That you don’t know the capital of other countries etc fine whatever. But that you don’t know your own borders (Canada is a different country) of that there are other countries in America is ridiculous.
But why are we not used to having to? When we were taught how to write addresses, we were taught to put U.S. on there. That’s part of the problem – we drop off or ignore tasks that we think are below us or unnecessary instead of just trying to be considerate.
I always include the country, for some odd reason I did that when I was little for cards to my Grandma, and she lived in the same state 🙂
That’s because when we are taught out addresses in school we are taught to put USA, that’s the proper way to right an address.
Seriously? Other countries don’t also have states/provinces/regions that you’re not expected to know. It’s ignorance and arrogance
I was in a tour group in Europe and we went around the circle saying where we were from. It went like, “Canada.” “Argentina.” “Brazil.” “Denver, Colorado.” 😂 but they were really nice Americans.
It’s understandable when they use “Las Vegas, Nevada” and “London, England” and think it’s the same naming rule.
I live in Belgium, but I speak English. Buying a waffle for my kid, this guy comes in and is trying to pay with US dollars and doesn’t understand why he can’t. It’s a whole different continent! Then he tries a card, but he asks about it like the woman doesn’t know what a credit card is. Apparently US contactless payments work differently, he didn’t get it. So I explain. He looks at me and asks if I’m American. No, I just speak English. Puzzled face. Lol, most people in Brussels speak at least three languages, the guy is in for quite a cultural shock.
Or how about a bank? You ALWAYS convert any cash you may be carrying to local currency when you arrive, and convert it back before you leave. Anything having to do with money—-and that includes currency exchange—-is kind of bank’s whole raison d’etre.
He asked where he could do that, but we didn’t know, actually you would need an appointment at some banks, we do everything online now, he was also surprised we didn’t know. I live here, half the continent uses the same money, and when I do need to convert it, I use Revolut, haven’t actually exchanged cash for cash in years.
When I visited Germany, the airport had currency exchange machines. Like ATMs but they could take paper money and coins as well as cards to convert your home currency to the local currency. Was super easy to figure out how to get the cash out . No idea about converting back, i have the last of my money to the taxi driver that took me to the airport, guy got a $40 tip to drive me 20 mins. because 1 he was super nice about my very limited ability to speak the language and told me thank you for trying to learn then spoke to me in English the rest of the way. And 2 because after the exchange rates and fees it was worth more to the taxi driver.
Yes, but if you skip the airport because you don’t believe you won’t be able to pay with dollars, you might have a problem. Still, we know what credit cards are, so no need to explain how the bank will send money.
There might be exchange machines at a central train station or a bus station.
I think that was true pre-pandemic. Cash has been on the decline for quite some time in the UK and was pushed further into obscurity when contactless payments became almost compulsory during the official Covid years. I recently went on holiday to North Africa and spent very little cash (pretty much just tips) and the rest was on a debit card with a credit card as a backup. And don’t get me started on cheques. I’ve not written a cheque in over 10 years.
Sounds familiar; I’m going to make a special trip into town this week to get £ coins because the only thing I pay in cash is the bin cleaner. Even the grandkids prefer a bank transfer for Xmas/birthday money.
my family keeps some money from other countries we’ve been to as souvenirs sort of.
they’re extra cheap too!
Or buy it before you leave home … cheaper than exchanging money in another country.
Speaking more than English in the US is frowned upon for some reason.
Really? How curious, I wonder why that is.
I used to moderate in an online game chat room. I had a lot of Australian, New Zealander, and Filipino chatters, but it was always fun when I had to remind a fellow American about the language guidelines for the newbie channel. I would get a rant and rave about violating the 1st Amendment and Free Speech, etc etc. Needless to say the Aussies were not shy in telling them where they could stick their entitlement issues 🙂
Love Aus people. NEVER mince words. I refer to myself as an USian, because there are *two* Americas.. much easier than saying “I’m from North America, but not Canadian”. 🙂
There are more than two Americas. Yes, US and Canada. You forgot South America, Central America and the five US territories, which aren’t in the North American continent.
I think she was referring to North America and South America as the two.
Still forgetting about Central America.
Central America is in the continent of North America.
But Mexico is!
Edit: some are, not all.
More than 2!
This is why I love being Australian sometimes 😀 we’re not afraid to tell it like it is 😁
It’s amazing how many folks from the USA don’t actually understand what the 1st amendment or free speech actually is. (I’m from the US).
We Aussies are never too shy to tell a flipping idiot where to shove their pathetic outdated amendments.
And they obviously didn’t even understand the First Amendment which prohibits the government from restricting free speech…and even then there are limits.
Interesting, I work in the personal assistance company and we send a lot of packages to different countries. When clients send us their addresses, about 60% people from the States never indicate the country.
As someone from the US I apologize. The US bashing on BP gets very annoying, but honestly the very vocal minority gives us a bad name. As for not putting a country maybe it’s because we’re not used to having to? I mean maybe they think putting the state is enough. I’m not sure tho.
If we were sending a parcel overseas (in africa), we’d put the source country as well. you know, despite the 50+ states that we have, each with sub-states (provinces). It’s just arrogance and ignorance.
But thanks for recognising there is a vocal minority. It’s a pity that they manage to afford tourist visas.
Americans are very sheltered because it’s a large country and many people don’t get a chance to visit other countries. The US has also been very powerful for the last couple hundred years, leading to many people believing the propaganda that the US is somehow special, the best, etc… It leads some Americans to the thought distortion that the whole world revolves around them. And the conservative party in particular pushes American nationalism, making this distortion worse.
Not powerful for the last two hundred years. maybe since early to mid 20th century.
I’ve notice a fair bit of US bashing too. Though the UK can’t get a mention without mentioning colonialism, I think it’s just part of the BP community membership. Enter only those who accept and renounce the stupidity of their fellow citizens and the wrongful actions of their forefathers. Edit – I’m Welsh, and if my mother is to believed we’re all saints!
“A fair bit of us bashing” no s**t Sherlock
No need to apologize. It was just an observation, did not mean to offend anyone:)
You didn’t! It’s fine! I just wanted to give my opinion on it. 😊
I think every country has an image which many citizens from that country fight. Like I am sure if i travel abroad, i will get questions about India which are no way near of what happens here.
I don’t really mind the US bashing, but I think a lot of Europeans don’t understand that this is a big country and we don’t get out much. Also, everyone has a driver’s license even if we don’t have a car (but most people need cars) because that’s our ID – not passports.
it’s true… we have to spend so much time learning about our own country and all the states that there’s almost no time left to learn about other countries. i remember i had to know all 50 states, their state flower, their state bird, and their biggest export.
I live in Europe and when we had geography in high school it was about the WHOLE world. So also included North America. That you don’t know the capital of other countries etc fine whatever. But that you don’t know your own borders (Canada is a different country) of that there are other countries in America is ridiculous.
But why are we not used to having to? When we were taught how to write addresses, we were taught to put U.S. on there. That’s part of the problem – we drop off or ignore tasks that we think are below us or unnecessary instead of just trying to be considerate.
I always include the country, for some odd reason I did that when I was little for cards to my Grandma, and she lived in the same state 🙂
That’s because when we are taught out addresses in school we are taught to put USA, that’s the proper way to right an address.
Seriously? Other countries don’t also have states/provinces/regions that you’re not expected to know. It’s ignorance and arrogance
I was in a tour group in Europe and we went around the circle saying where we were from. It went like, “Canada.” “Argentina.” “Brazil.” “Denver, Colorado.” 😂 but they were really nice Americans.
It’s understandable when they use “Las Vegas, Nevada” and “London, England” and think it’s the same naming rule.
We’re also onand
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