Wedding Etiquette Forum

How they know you're a tourist: Europe and NYC edition

Re: How they know you're a tourist: Europe and NYC edition

  • I can tell you that #11 on how to spot an American in Europe doesn't work.  I see that stuff everywhere, and the people who wear it or sport it on their household furniture (seirously) are not American.

    The rest of it however... yeah.  Sorry.  It's pretty spot on.
  • You've Got the Subway Map Out

    New Yorkers would rather walk an extra 10 blocks than admit they don't know where they're going.

    ------------------------------

    I don't think that's anything to brag about, New Yorkers.
    image
    ttc chart
    BFP 8/01/12, EDD 04/10/12, mm/c @ 6wks, discovered at 8wks, D&C 9/05/12
  • Also, I don't have a problem with anyone knowing I'm a tourist.  A lot of these things (on both lists) might as well be called, "You Might be an Asshole If..." but some of them are just "I'm obviously not from around here" and that's ok with me.
    image
    ttc chart
    BFP 8/01/12, EDD 04/10/12, mm/c @ 6wks, discovered at 8wks, D&C 9/05/12
  • TR, that's what I thought too. 
  • I had jury duty yesterday and since I hadn't been downtown in a while I was looking around at all the changes and thought to myself, I totally look like a tourist. But I've lived here all my life. Made me smile at myself.
    image
  • I think #1 on "Eruopeans know you're American" should be dress. Ball caps, shorts, tennis shoes, t-shirts, they all scream American.

    But why should we care? Don't we get all judgey because we expect people to assimilate while they're in America?
    image
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_tourist-europe-nyc-edition?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8afb79fc-ec6f-4f7d-a591-a1773b100ae6Post:3d166a39-cba1-4ac7-8345-38d7ad5bcdc1">Re: How they know you're a tourist: Europe and NYC edition</a>:
    [QUOTE]Also, I don't have a problem with anyone knowing I'm a tourist.  A lot of these things (on both lists) might as well be called, "You Might be an Asshole If..." but some of them are just "I'm obviously not from around here" and that's ok with me.
    Posted by FutureMrsTR[/QUOTE]

    I thought the tipping bit was funny.  If you're in NY you're probably undertipping, but if you're in Europe you're probably overtipping.  Like French waiters hang around complaining about the jackasses who give them too much money.
    image
    murrayed
  • I don't think there's anything wrong with looking like a tourist as long as you're generally polite and go with the flow with respect to local customs.  I guess one important downside is that looking like a tourist may make you a target for petty crime and other scams. 

    I've lived in NYC for almost 10 years, and I generally like helping tourists.  I feel like it gives me good karma for when I'm a tourist in someone else's city.
  • These are so strange to me.  I mean, obviously anyone would stand out in an area that isn't home or familiar to them.  This just screams 'we're better than you'. 
  • I forgot to mention that the one about wearing American flag stuff is that we don't really do that, but Canadians? Holy moly.  They've got maple leaf's plastered all over them AND their luggage.  They run around telling everyone that they're not from the US- they're CANADIAN! lol

    Oh, and the language thing?  Well, we're considered better about that than the Brits, so that's a tick in the column!
  • I agree with Cranberry. After about a day or two in Italy, I decided that it was stupid to be constantly worrying about whether or not people know I'm an American. Obviously, I am. But if I'm really nice, and smile a lot, then I get by okay. And Rome is full of tourists of every stripe, language, and creed, so it's not like the Americans are alone. Plus, the English, Irish, and Australians seem to have as much trouble being multilingual as we do.
    imageimage
    Our Story MAJORLY UPDATED 8/6/09
    Wouldn't it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
  • Well obviously, you're not going to look the part- I think it should always be about respectfulness- especially when overseas. 
  • I totally agree about the outdoor voice and the air conditioning thing. Try riding a subway in Europe with 20 Americans. Yeah. It's loud.
    my read shelf:
    Meredith's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)
    40/112

    Photobucket
  • edited September 2010
    That NY list ends stupidly.  The entire thing is "You're obviously a tourist if you ask this and this and this" and then they say "Oh!  But go ahead and ask questions! Otherwise, you're a tourist."
    image
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_tourist-europe-nyc-edition?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8afb79fc-ec6f-4f7d-a591-a1773b100ae6Post:4a98ec54-c58e-4ff0-845b-a8544fe5ed2a">Re: How they know you're a tourist: Europe and NYC edition</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: How they know you're a tourist: Europe and NYC edition : It can work though. When I was in Europe, people would ask me if I was American. As soon as I told them I was Canadian, they jumped all over that. They were about twice as friendly (they were friendly before, but they started asking a lot more questions about Canada and showed more interest). Not all the time, obviously, but I do see a difference.
    Posted by heyimbren[/QUOTE]

    It's not that Canadians do it- it's the reasons behind it that are eyebrow-twitching.
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards