Japan Wants Foreign Tourists to Avoid Public Flatulence

[Rosella]

Abby, I'm sorry that the four people that you know felt unwelcome here in Oz.

All I can say is that I know several Americans who love it here. Australia is a very diverse country. We have people from over 200 countries who live and work here. Over 30% of our population was born overseas. I don't these all these people from all over the world would stay if they felt unwelcome or Australians were nasty or arrogant towards them.

For myself, I was born in England and travelled a lot overseas both before and since I settled in Australia decades ago. Emigration is a difficult process for everyone who undertakes it, but I don't think you can generalise about a country or its people from the experiences of a handful of people.

For instance, I lived for a little while in France. Some people I met were rather rude and didn't like Anglos very much but I didn't take from that the view that all French people were like it, and they weren't.

I've never felt uncomfortable or unwelcome in Australia. I think it's a great country and its people are on the whole warm, friendly, generous, humorous and blunt. I invite you to come to Australia and see for yourself.

[Abby Normal]

Aussies have good reason to be proud to the point of arrogance, as do we. Both countries, to a large degree, were founded by the rejects and misfits that England didn't want, and both have succeeded wildly.

You'll have a hard search too, at least in my experience, to find an American who doesn't regard Australians as kindred spirits.

Well just don't try to live there if your American. I know of four different cases of Americans, one my nephew, who had tried to live there. My nephew is a boat builder, a nature boy, one of the kindest, meekest souls you would ever meet and truly a lovable character. They all got hounded out of the country. All of them said that the Aussies were to a person, the meanest, most arrogant people they had ever met.who obviously hated Americans.

Compare that to my neighborhood near dc. Lots of diversity and lots of transients from other countries that come to live here with all the government work. We welcome all with open arms. They are like celebrities at our neighborhood pool. From my experience, it seems Americans are the most accepting freindly country on earth. I know we are the most charitable.

Now I also think that part of the "ugly American" thing comes from the fact that Americans work hard and play hard. And we expect good customer service. Like ice in our soda and promt attention. And stores not to be closed at two in the afternoon.I think we can be less laid back too, especially east coasters. And then I think there is resentment that comes from us being the last superpower.
To that I say thank god it's us and not a country like Russia or china.

[Mayerling]

Probably the biggest issue I have with Americans, and it's nowhere near all of them, is that if you don't do things the American way, you simply must be wrong.

If you have a copy of Ambrose Bierce's marvelous "The Devil's Dictionary", he defines "Un -American" as. "Intolerable, heathenish". Good ole' Ambrose.

As for that major gap that sometimes appears in our sense of humor, since we are on the verge of seeing the Donald nominated you can wonder if our sense of humor has just gotten out of control.

Jeff

[GUT]

Down here in Melbourne, and I have seen it on the Gold Coast too, the main feeling I've got from Chinese tourists is how highly regulated and supervised they are. They seem to move in huge groups under the supervision of a Chinese tour operator from tourist bus to approved souvenir shop to tourist destination to restaurant like a flock of sheep. Unlike the Japanese, who spend a whole lot of time photographing everything in sight, Chinese tourists seem to be on a tight schedule with not much time to relax or do anything much individually.

Strange idea if a holiday, huh?

[Rosella]

Down here in Melbourne, and I have seen it on the Gold Coast too, the main feeling I've got from Chinese tourists is how highly regulated and supervised they are. They seem to move in huge groups under the supervision of a Chinese tour operator from tourist bus to approved souvenir shop to tourist destination to restaurant like a flock of sheep. Unlike the Japanese, who spend a whole lot of time photographing everything in sight, Chinese tourists seem to be on a tight schedule with not much time to relax or do anything much individually.

[GUT]

Probably the biggest issue I have with Americans, and it's nowhere near all of them, is that if you don't do things the American way, you simply must be wrong.

[GUT]

Aussies have good reason to be proud to the point of arrogance, as do we. Both countries, to a large degree, were founded by the rejects and misfits that England didn't want, and both have succeeded wildly.

You'll have a hard search too, at least in my experience, to find an American who doesn't regard Australians as kindred spirits.

Yep I like most Americans.

Some seem to take themselves way too seriously though. But then I know some find us way too laid back, there also seems to be a major sense of humour gap at times.

[Ginger]

I'm sure that there are things Aussies take for granted that annoy other cultures. Just as I am sure much of it is generalisations, most Aussies find it a bit funny that Americans seem to think they are the greatest nation on earth (and yep that's a generalisation and I know many really nice Americans) and seem to think everything in America is bigger, not realising that Australia is about the same size but with only 6 States so when the go on about how big, say Texas is, we find it a bit laughable.

But I know some Aussies who are real arrogant too.

Aussies have good reason to be proud to the point of arrogance, as do we. Both countries, to a large degree, were founded by the rejects and misfits that England didn't want, and both have succeeded wildly.

You'll have a hard search too, at least in my experience, to find an American who doesn't regard Australians as kindred spirits.

[Shaggyrand]

I think any culture can be offended by just about any other culture over something or another.

Without a doubt and usually I would completely agree that was probably what it is. I just don't think what I have seen as frequently repeated behavior from Chinese tourists, like kicking displays in museums, pushing over interactive display carts, physically knocking around children waiting in front, throwing drinks or repeatedly spitting on others, is widely embraced anywhere. Granted, despite trying very hard to make it work a couple times, I have yet to get to China so its possible that's just how they do things.
And I don't mean to imply I think every tourist from China does these things, this is just behavior that I have seen repeatedly and with a high occurrence rate. I tend to think it's more that international travel has only really opened up to many there in the last 20 or so years, as I understand it, and that tends to make people a little too crazed when getting away from their day to day, and probably more than a little repressed, life. I call it Spring Break Madness.

[GUT]

Good point GUT. I was thinking of saying something negative about a certain country, but it really is unfair to the majority of it's citizens.

It wasn't Australia or New Zealand by the by.

Jeff

I'm sure that there are things Aussies take for granted that annoy other cultures. Just as I am sure much of it is generalisations, most Aussies find it a bit funny that Americans seem to think they are the greatest nation on earth (and yep that's a generalisation and I know many really nice Americans) and seem to think everything in America is bigger, not realising that Australia is about the same size but with only 6 States so when the go on about how big, say Texas is, we find it a bit laughable.

But I know some Aussies who are real arrogant too.

[Mayerling]

I think any culture can be offended by just about any other culture over something or another.

Good point GUT. I was thinking of saying something negative about a certain country, but it really is unfair to the majority of it's citizens.

It wasn't Australia or New Zealand by the by.

Jeff

[GUT]

To be fair... Chinese tourists are horrible. Like really horrible. I've seen people from all over be obnoxious and boorish when traveling, Russians and Americans both have some real jackholes going out into the world and deserve at least some of their bad reputations, but I don't think any other country is as flat out abusive with such consistency toward everyone and everything as the groups of Chinese tourists I've encountered. I really don't blame that tourist board for making an etiquette guide. I have no doubt they are at the end of their rope.

I think any culture can be offended by just about any other culture over something or another.

[Shaggyrand]

To be fair... Chinese tourists are horrible. Like really horrible. I've seen people from all over be obnoxious and boorish when traveling, Russians and Americans both have some real jackholes going out into the world and deserve at least some of their bad reputations, but I don't think any other country is as flat out abusive with such consistency toward everyone and everything as the groups of Chinese tourists I've encountered. I really don't blame that tourist board for making an etiquette guide. I have no doubt they are at the end of their rope.

[Robert]

My advice to anyone who does commit such a faux pas, is to try to lighten the mood by crying "Name that tune."

[Robert]

Beware the kamikaze khazi.