American Vs. European tourists.

SafeSurfer · 26-06-2012 12:36AM #1

When you meet an American or European tourist in Ireland, who do you relate to most, language barrier excluded?

IrishAm · 26-06-2012 12:38AM

American tourists are sound, a bit naive, but sound.

Can be a bit more demanding, but thats due to their tipping culture.

Pushtrak · 26-06-2012 12:40AM

I don't find myself in protracted enough conversation in which to relate. I relay where a place they are looking for is, and on my way I go.

mikemac1 · 26-06-2012 12:41AM

You hear the American tourists before you see them

So loud

However they don't have the Irish curse of never complaining but giving out afterwards
If it's wrong they will say it on the spot and they are right to do it

Jester252 · 26-06-2012 12:42AM

I find both to be cool but I'd have to give my vote to American because most of them are lovely to talk to.

admiralofthefleet · 26-06-2012 12:43AM

americans are easy to talk to becuse they dont walk too fast, the waddle

EdenHazard · 26-06-2012 12:45AM

*Born in the States but hear me out

In Ireland when Americans are here touring, they seem 'more foreign' than those from Europe, those from UK, France, Germany, Spain you kind of just expect more than a big gawky American. I mean walking down the street see a group of spanish, think nothing of it, see a bunch of americans, you'd be like oh theres a big bunch of americans.

Jimoslimos · 26-06-2012 12:45AM

Europeans, despite the language barrier I know much more about the culture and geography. A tourist from the US could say they were from Wyoming and I wouldn't have a clue where that was.

later12 · 26-06-2012 12:48AM

I hate to say this but (with the exception of the British) I would find it easier to relate to most Americans.

We watch the same media and TV, we speak the same language, and we have more tangible cultural links with the US than we do with the likes of Mediterranian Europe or Scandanavia, for example.

Pity to say that, but yeah, US tourists:(

EdenHazard · 26-06-2012 12:52AM

But Irish people consume American media in the same way as Spanish, French, Norwegians do, i.e as outsiders.

AlmightyCushion · 26-06-2012 12:55AM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Europeans, despite the language barrier I know much more about the culture and geography. A tourist from the US could say they were from Wyoming and I wouldn't have a clue where that was.

It's in America.

EdenHazard · 26-06-2012 12:55AM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Europeans, despite the language barrier I know much more about the culture and geography. A tourist from the US could say they were from Wyoming and I wouldn't have a clue where that was.

Yeah this is it. An Irish person is just more in tune with a European than they are an American, mentality wise anyway, Irish share more in common with other European countries than with Americans.

mikemac1 · 26-06-2012 12:56AM

If they leave a 1c coin on the table and you were serving them it's supposed a realy strong message :eek:

They were incredibly unhappy and they think you and the food and the service was terrible

So hide that before the boss sees

mackg · 26-06-2012 12:59AM

later12 wrote: »

I hate to say this but (with the exception of the British) I would find it easier to relate to most Americans.

We watch the same media and TV, we speak the same language, and we have more tangible cultural links with the US than we do with the likes of Mediterranian Europe or Scandanavia, for example.

Pity to say that, but yeah, US tourists:(

I'd agree with this, meeting say a German tourist in a pub on a night out you really feel there is a difference, even ones with very good English. When I meet American tourists it's much easier to get into relaxed conversation. Saying that, when abroad by far the most craic is had with the English, Scottish and Welsh.

Lionel Messy · 26-06-2012 01:00AM

The american accent ****ing carries.

mackg · 26-06-2012 01:01AM

EdenHazard wrote: »

Yeah this is it. An Irish person is just more in tune with a European than they are an American, mentality wise anyway, Irish share more in common with other European countries than with Americans.

Like what? From what I can see we share far more in the way of popular culture with the Americans.

admiralofthefleet · 26-06-2012 01:02AM

EdenHazard wrote: »

*Born in the States but hear me out

In Ireland when Americans are here touring, they seem 'more foreign' than those from Europe, those from UK, France, Germany, Spain you kind of just expect more than a big gawky American. I mean walking down the street see a group of spanish, think nothing of it, see a bunch of americans, you'd be like oh theres a big bunch of americans.

could just be one

Suryavarman · 26-06-2012 01:02AM

Lionel Messy wrote: »

The american accent ****ing carries.

Which one?

SafeSurfer · 26-06-2012 01:04AM

I would say I relate to European tourists more. It may be because I meet much more of them. But we are culturally much closer in my opinion. OK TV and film aside. Most Irish people could name a handful of European leaders but would struggle to name a current US politician apart from Obama and maybe Hilary Clinton.
We could probably name dozens of European football clubs etc but would struggle to name a handful of US teams in their big sports, let alone their sports stars.

Just from my experience the type of American tourist I was more likely to meet were older, wealthier Americans whereas the European tourists I have met have represented a much broader social spectrum.

Maybe it is a reflection on the relative price of flights here and the exchange rate between here and the US and here and the rest of Europe.

later12 · 26-06-2012 02:08AM

SafeSurfer wrote: »

I would say I relate to European tourists more. It may be because I meet much more of them. But we are culturally much closer in my opinion. OK TV and film aside. Most Irish people could name a handful of European leaders but would struggle to name a current US politician apart from Obama and maybe Hilary Clinton.

Most? I'd doubt that.

Many, perhaps; but so might a lot of Americans.

Where To · 26-06-2012 02:10AM

I like Canadians the best, just to be a contrary wastard.

tolosenc · 26-06-2012 02:23AM

mackg wrote: »

Like what? From what I can see we share far more in the way of popular culture with the Americans.

Anglosphere cultures tend not to mix with others. Go to France and the movies in the cinemas or the songs in the charts are in Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, English, Norwegian etc. Whereas here, if it's not in English, it's not getting a look in.

However, the idea that "we" watch the same TV shows... No "we" don't. Irish people watch TV shows made for and aimed at Americans. They don't give a ****e about us.

Sindri · 26-06-2012 04:00AM

I hate them all equally. Now that is really progressive bigotry.

Apart from the good looking ones. They may stay.

Cookie_Monster · 26-06-2012 04:21AM

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

It's in America.

that's about as far as the Americans could get with explaining it too. Though the ones with passports probably are a little more cultured than the average.

Cookie_Monster · 26-06-2012 04:22AM

Where To wrote: »

I like Canadians the best, just to be a contrary wastard.

I'm still not sure aboot them...

mackg · 26-06-2012 04:23AM

tolosenc wrote: »

Anglosphere cultures tend not to mix with others. Go to France and the movies in the cinemas or the songs in the charts are in Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, English, Norwegian etc. Whereas here, if it's not in English, it's not getting a look in.

However, the idea that "we" watch the same TV shows... No "we" don't. Irish people watch TV shows made for and aimed at Americans. They don't give a ****e about us.

So what if we don't listen to songs in other languages? That doesn't seem at all weird to me, people like lyrics. I for one prefer them without the need for google translate.

So what they don't care? That doesn't make a blind bit of difference to the fact that you're going to have more stuff to talk about with an American in terms of TV, movies and music. These are fairly trivial day to day things that are easy to talk about with strangers. What exactly is the point of that second paragraph in relation to the topic?

firefly08 · 26-06-2012 04:35AM

Yeah this is it. An Irish person is just more in tune with a European than they are an American, mentality wise anyway, Irish share more in common with other European countries than with Americans.

^That.

I grew up in a rural place with lots of great fishing and touristy stuff so I used to meet a lot of foreign tourists, mostly French. Like everyone else in the English speaking world I poke fun at Frenchie for being mad etc. but the truth is, I think they are the most normal people in the world. The Dutch too. Maybe the Germans are strange, but they're sound all the same.

But Americans are really strange (I live in America and love the place and it's people...I suppose it's tough love

). It's not so much that we can't relate to them, but they can't relate to anyone else. Their resilience to foreign culture is mind boggling. They are utterly impervious to it.

Pedant · 26-06-2012 05:17AM

European tourist in America: "Hello, I'm from a little country in Europe. You probably haven't heard of it, it's called Turphetania."

American tourist in Europe: "Hiiiii, do you speak American? Do you know where the nearest Wendy's is? I'm starving! I don't like any of the food over here!"

1ZRed · 26-06-2012 05:23AM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Europeans, despite the language barrier I know much more about the culture and geography. A tourist from the US could say they were from Wyoming and I wouldn't have a clue where that was.

Of course I know where that is. Your man from brokeback mountain was from there.

What? That fact is not the slightest bit gay...

EdenHazard · 26-06-2012 05:34AM

P.S America is the greatest country on earth in so many ways, the people are amazing but I just don't see the similarities between an Irish and an American.

Not alone the stark differences between even the most true to their rootsIrish Americans(who are a completely different animal to what exists in Ireland and really seem to be stuck in some kinda timewarp) what about the contrasts between an Irish person and a kid from the Bronx with Dominican parents? US is the NATION OF IMMIGRANTS, its shapes the identity, Ireland is the exact opposite.

Irish people think they get America, but their image is shaped by what they see on TV and the movies.

Lionel Messy · 26-06-2012 05:37AM

American tourist in europe: 'why did they build that castle next to the airport?'

American Vs. European tourists.

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