Your honest opinions of Americans and America.

[foxred]

I worked in the US for about 6 months a few years ago (Deep South, real red-neck country!) and I hated that part of the states. The people were very racist (I saw the owner of the motel we stayed in quote a black family a room rate twice what they were charging other people) everyone was armed and the police were downright scary! Oh and I got hit by a tornado

On the positive side, the weather was great, the people were very friendly to us (where about in Ireland is Scotland exactly hun??!!) and the food was nice.

I went to New York to work for 3 months after that and it could not have been more different! It was the nicest city I have ever visited (clean, felt safe, beautiful, cultured and exciting) and a world away from the deep south. I'm going back to New York in a month and cant wait -

I think that main thing I mean is that america is a massive massive country with good bits, bad bits and lots of very different people...... The southerners scared the hell out of me (just a shame their president is one!) but the new yorkers were just awsome.

 

[Misslarue]

I went to the states about 5 years ago. It was to attend a wedding (my OH grew up there) of which I really did not want to go. I even insisted he go with his brother, but he couldn't get the time off!

I will be totally honest, I was full of pre-conceived notions of how god-fearing, loud, and uneducated all the people would be. It wasn't long after 911 and I did not like the way this 'super power' was policing the entire world. And to top it off I would be spending most of my time at pre wedding diners, wedding rehearsals and breakfast and then the actual bl00dly wedding! I was not looking forward to it!

But I really couldn't have been more wrong. The people in general were very friendly, funny and well educated. They had no more control over their own government as we do over ours. Granted I only meet a tiny percentage of the people, but they certainly changed my opinion. I would definitely go back. I also got to see the grand canyon which was worth the trip itself. A truly amazing sight!

 

[Squiglet]

Ok this is going to sound really nasty towards Americans... But I get the distinct feeling that a vast majority of them are not the brightest sparks in the box (AKA voting for Bush....not once...BUT TWICE!!!)

Also, most of our British troop death in both Gulf wars, wasn't caused by the other side... OH no... by Americans and their "friendly Fire".

Also the sheer amount of waste!!! They are such a wasteful nation....and have no clue of the poverty and hunger that goes on in other continents... The supermarkets always made me feel sick over there, so much choice of food, that just goes to waste... and there are starving people every where.

I will treat individual Americans as individuals.... As I have met some lovely, down to earth, nice Americans (we've been there several times)... but as a nation as a whole, they are quite disturbing considering they are the current World Super Power, with their finger on the button. They are so tied up in their own little continent, that they don't see the bigger world picture.

 

[Robyn_]

ermm i dunno what to think of americans,
i have some american friends and some of my family live out there.
i cant stand things like amercian comedy apart from friends,
and like. gwb well we all know what he is,
i think they have caused themselves alot of problems they dont need really.
and they always seem up themselves.
im not offending people. its how i see it

 

[fifi211]

Only been to America once, we went to Chicago. The place itself was lovely and very impressive, the people were very friendly and welcoming, the service you receive in places seemed a lot more customer friendly than here. BUT have a great dislike for American politics, particularly Bush and his administration

Oingo - hubby went to Canada as a teenager and loved it, always said if he emigrated he would go there. Bit far for me though

 

[Becksss]

I love america i love americans i love everything of it i would move there if i could

i went every year from 1987-2001 im finally getting back in 2009
hmm maybe i should think about immagrating

my canadian friends hate america

 

[jenna]

my canadian friends hate america

i watched a programme about canadians that hates america. It said that there were only 3 cases of gun crime in canada in a year and on all 3 ocasions they were americans that were visiting

 

[Nicola]

I lived out there for a few years after finishing university, loved every second and fully embraced their ideas, traditions and cultures. They just have a different culture and attitude towards things as most countries do. Each to their own I say, they do sometimes appear loud and brash but they are equally so full of enthusiasm for anything, really quite positive etc, I suppose to them we'd be seen as rigid, quiet and so forth. I just think it's a case of different culture etc, the French are different to us, as are the Spanish, African, Australian etc...I guess were just so swamped with American culture and programmes, movies, ideas etc that we view them as over bearing sometimes...that's not the individuals fault though but media and industry.

 

[Squiglet]

My husband just said everyone here should ignore what I said about the Americans, because I'm a human racist (I hate the human race on a whole) and what's worse is the fact I'm most racist towards British people... and I'm British... !!!!

So I suppose, I can't say anything really...

 

[Tiffy]

my canadian friends hate america

Americans can be extremely ignorant of Canada, and that tends to make us Canadians grumpy. I would say the stereotype of them thinking we live in igloos is pretty dead on. As a whole, Americans are extremely cocky towards us. We aren't flashy, we have no weapons, we don't have the death penalty and we're just too... neutral for their taste, I think. At least Europe holds a lot of glamour to them, compared to Canada.

Not all feel this way obviously, but this is just from what I have experienced first hand.

 

[Tiffy]

Oingo - hubby went to Canada as a teenager and loved it, always said if he emigrated he would go there. Bit far for me though

Ooo, really? What part of Canada did he go to?

I lived in British Columbia, Vancouver Island all my life up until moving here. I can't wait to go back. Truly can't.

 

[fifi211]

I'm not sure where abouts he went, but he said it was one of the most beautiful places he's ever been.

 

[Fingers crossed]

I used to hate American and swore I'd never go there, until until last year when I get my divorce pay-out I decided to give me and OH a holiday of a lifetime to San Francisco and Las Vegas. My opinion has now changed and I love them. They're so helpful and friendly, every time you go into a shop they always greet you and ask how you are. You'd never get that in this country. The UK can learn alot from USA, especially the police and judiciary system. We were waiting to catch the bus back to our hotel one night in San Fran and there were loads of cop cars blaring down the road, they stopped and one cop rugby tackled this dude off his push bike it was great (it took at least 3 cop cars to chase one man on a bicycle ). In America people who kill are in prison for life, which means for the rest of their living days NOT 25 years but let out after 15. If I could I'd go to America. The gun crime in this country is a hell of a lot worse.

 

[Nicola]

I lived out there for a few years after finishing university, loved every second and fully embraced their ideas, traditions and cultures. They just have a different culture and attitude towards things as most countries do. Each to their own I say, they do sometimes appear loud and brash but they are equally so full of enthusiasm for anything, really quite positive etc, I suppose to them we'd be seen as rigid, quiet and so forth. I just think it's a case of different culture etc, the French are different to us, as are the Spanish, African, Australian etc...I guess were just so swamped with American culture and programmes, movies, ideas etc that we view them as over bearing sometimes...that's not the individuals fault though but media and industry.

 

[Squiglet]

My husband just said everyone here should ignore what I said about the Americans, because I'm a human racist (I hate the human race on a whole) and what's worse is the fact I'm most racist towards British people... and I'm British... !!!!

So I suppose, I can't say anything really...

 

[Tiffy]

my canadian friends hate america

Americans can be extremely ignorant of Canada, and that tends to make us Canadians grumpy. I would say the stereotype of them thinking we live in igloos is pretty dead on. As a whole, Americans are extremely cocky towards us. We aren't flashy, we have no weapons, we don't have the death penalty and we're just too... neutral for their taste, I think. At least Europe holds a lot of glamour to them, compared to Canada.

Not all feel this way obviously, but this is just from what I have experienced first hand.

 

[Tiffy]

Oingo - hubby went to Canada as a teenager and loved it, always said if he emigrated he would go there. Bit far for me though

Ooo, really? What part of Canada did he go to?

I lived in British Columbia, Vancouver Island all my life up until moving here. I can't wait to go back. Truly can't.

 

[fifi211]

I'm not sure where abouts he went, but he said it was one of the most beautiful places he's ever been.

 

[Fingers crossed]

I used to hate American and swore I'd never go there, until until last year when I get my divorce pay-out I decided to give me and OH a holiday of a lifetime to San Francisco and Las Vegas. My opinion has now changed and I love them. They're so helpful and friendly, every time you go into a shop they always greet you and ask how you are. You'd never get that in this country. The UK can learn alot from USA, especially the police and judiciary system. We were waiting to catch the bus back to our hotel one night in San Fran and there were loads of cop cars blaring down the road, they stopped and one cop rugby tackled this dude off his push bike it was great (it took at least 3 cop cars to chase one man on a bicycle ). In America people who kill are in prison for life, which means for the rest of their living days NOT 25 years but let out after 15. If I could I'd go to America. The gun crime in this country is a hell of a lot worse.

 

[trigger]

I love America and have been to New York 3 times, Washington, Hawaii and am going to San Francisco at Christmas.
Whenever I have been there I have always felt that the whoever I encounter are so lovely, genuine and friendly - although I guess I have always gone to the tourist ares so its their jobs to be nice to me!!