Hands up Americans who've experienced anti-Americanism overseas

You always hear about "ugly Americans" and how they behave in foreign countries, ignorant and disrespectful of the culture, and not knowing the language etc. I'm also sure there is some truth behind that label. But having worked in tourist trap in a state that is largely based on tourism I have seen my fair share of "ugly Europeans" or "Eurotrash" that are equally ignorant and disrespectful of American culture. Having traveled abroad I have experienced some anti-Americanism but I have also seen foreigners treated poorly here too.


What I'm trying to say is this is a problem with people and not just people from one country or continent.





"I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I'm getting the Fear."

I'm not trying to sound like a smart mouth but here in Ireland the people who complain about Americans the most are Americans themselves. They go on about how they're ashamed of their government and their wars and this, that and the other. My cousins friend came to visit and was going on about how the whole world hates America even though it was his first day outside of the states. Another American guy who came to visit saw that I had an American flag in my room (can't for the life of me remember where I got it) and he asked me what I was doing with 'that piece of shít'.

Your's sincerely, General Joseph Liebgott

Americans are hit or miss, sometimes they are really... well, fkn stupid. Others are really nice people.

Don't worry amerifriends, the worst tourists by far are Russians. I've never come across a decent one. All horrible people. Disgusting.

I will eat your soul and crap delicious chicken nuggets.

active duty, lived in germany for 7 years and traveled all over Europe...

As I sit here and try to think about it....I cannot for the life of me come up with one incident in those 7 years that I experienced anything even resembling anti-american feelings, actions etc.

I definitely tried to blend in, learn the local customs and traditions, eat new foods (hosting bizarre foods would be my dream job lol). They (people in general) are usually very receptive to that.

peoples is peoples

"...Hey, at least now we know when the next train was due"

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I've always found it strange that the term 'anti-Americanism' exists. AFAIK, there's no anti-Britishism, ant-Russianism, or whatever. The American sentiment "you're either with us or you're against us" seems to be all-pervading.

Learn to take some criticism every once in a while, and don't go for the knee-jerk reaction by yelling "You're anti-American!" Just because we don't always see eye to eye (even wholeheartedly disagree), doesn't mean we're "anti-American."

Yech! I hate that term.

Back when Bush was president I had to go to a lot of Asian countries and there was a lot anger toward the US government sticking its nose in their policies. This translated into a lot of people getting up in our faces 'informing' us of what was happening. No actual violence but a lot of tense verbal abuse. A lot anger at Ms. Rice especially at the time I remember.

Eventually we pretended to be Canadian when in bars and the like and everything went smoothly after that.

"I wasn't totally sure what was happening. But I knew I wanted to stab someone."

In my experience, Americans who actually travel the world and are excited about new experiences and strange cultures, are much nicer and friendlier, than Americans who firmly proclaim America to be the greatest country on earth without ever having been outside of America themselves.