whenever i meet and talk to people from abroad, i'm always surprised by how much the rest of the world hates us. no matter how many times i hear it, it catches me by surprise. i think it's because everyone i know is really nice and i just keep thinking that people would give us the benefit of the doubt.
Welcome back Don! Glad to see you had a great trip. Hmm... Foy is back too??
Welcome back Don. Glad you had a good trip.
Glad to see you are back safe and sound. You rarely hear stories about Americans being nice, usually just about us being jerks, so thanks for posting that. Just don't get us talking about politics and we're usually fine.
Also great to see Al posting again!
I hear that, too. I think it's a defensive position taken because of the sudden rise in power of the US (obviously now in decline). Also, you have to give credit to the vast amount of self-loathers here who try hard to paint a bad picture of us because they think they're helping the rest of the world with their diversely educated minds. We're really not all that bad and with the prosperity also comes over $300 billion donated annually by the people of this nation. I'm still not opposed to living in another country though. I do get sick of the political squabbling.
So good to see Don and Alfred back here, a warm welcome back to both of you. And Don, glad to hear you had a good trip.
Very true. In general, nice people run into many other nice people. Treat others well and often they treat you well in return... Now the difficult part is to treat people well if they don't treat you well in return!
Glad you had a good trip, Don!
USA! USA!
Welcome back to BLF, Don. I'm glad you ran into so many friendly Americans. 
Yeah, that's the hard part. It's tough to treat a jerk nicely.
Know what you mean. Found out in 95 when I drove from coast to coast in 2 month.
Otherwise I wholeheartly agree with Don.
That's not my experience of the TSA employees I had to interact with at LAX... (Of course, with the added privacy intrusions since that time and the illegal fee required for the visa waiver program I will probably never fly to the US again). But many Americans are nice.
Speaking about the annoying security theatre, I flew in Europe with a knife last week and I even put the knife in the tray (!) to be scanned separately (togheter with keys and mobile phone). But they caught the girl that came after me carrying a water bottle...
I try to not let others get to me when they act like jerks, i am not one to stoop to there level and have no need for that, just be nice and walk off.
I try to do this.
I just don't always manage it.
Way I see it, another country, another set of rules. And try to bite my tongue when it gets silly.
Like in Malawi where men weren't allowed shorts or beards. Silly; but their rules.
Sometimes I even manage to keep quiet when it gets stupid.
I mostly find that if you are nice to folks they are nice back.
The TSA folks have an impossible job with very, very severe consequences for getting it wrong. I really don't want their job. I try to be polite and hope that they'll do the same. I find being interested in what folks are trying to do helps a lot. But then I an a very inquisitive person anyway.
Well when that happens just think about a new light that you plan on getting or testing, works for me..........can be aggravated at times but just thinking about something else will help also.
That's a good way to handle it - must try it the next time someone is getting on my nerves. Like the out-patient who phones 8-14 times a day. What I really want to say is, "You confuse me with someone who gives a Q@$%^$%£^&". Not said it yet, but the temptation is there every time.
Yes give it a try, dont want all of us at blf doing a collection because your in the big house with bars lol. For me thinking about my family usually calms me down and of course the new torch i want to get really does the trick.
I was over visiting the States in 89 [ a long time ago now ]
One day hope to visit again , but yes , the folks are very friendly , but also depending on where you go the folks can be very dangerous as well ...
I spent about 4 months touring ...
Canada wasnt bad either , not quite as friendly though , especially the women , cold as ice !
And are the Canadians nurotic or what !!!! , must be those long winters !
yeah old being from Canada people aren't as friendly as we're made out to be..I went to Michigan for 2 weeks and everyone was amazingly nice..when we returned through the border you could see people getting shorter (temper) and less polite..I was amazed because of the stigma of Canadians are nice..lots of us are but the folks in Michigan rocked..drivers included..very good road etiquette..
2 crazy ways I use to deal with insane jerks ...
#1 Keep a headet full of music in at least one ear when talking to them and when they dive off over into the deep end ... just excuse yourself and fill the otherear too .
#2 Start talking like a person with severe mental retardation..ever notice how honest and sincere they are ?? if you mimic their speech and slow way down and simplify what you're trying to say ..you can just tell the person what you really feel .. that they are a pure idiot and it's not nessesary that you need pay any more attention to them when they act that way ...all said nice and slowly and clearly spelled out for them ....add that maybe they deserve a beating from their mommy too..
When some one really got me mad I'd say using a really slow speech pattern ..".If you get on fire ...."
"You need to stop dwop an woll " using your best barbra walters impression ..Stressing safety will have the desired effect ..they will stop speaking foolishly and look at you as if you've lost your mind ..Now that you have their attention tell them the truth ..nicely and slowly .
Sounds silly but works very well because it calms you down and you have time to think while you're speaking .... they will be shocked and slackjawed at your stammering and funny speech pattern.
Quite refreshing. For non US people it is common thinking that US citizens are a bit weird for lack of a better term. Truth being you cannot put all in the same basket. I have met several very nice people from the states. I confess, long ago i tought the only really nice Amercans were killed by John Wayne (now called native americans). :) I still think those were nice people but i could not have been more wrong about the current population. Just don't judge nations by politicians alone as those always tend to be on the other side you would like them to be.