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I have to agree. Kiwi's are the friendliest folks I've ever been around, even more so than Aussies who are also very nice. They have the best beer too! My particular favourite is brewed in Nelson called Montieths Bitter (though they have other brews as well) far superior to DB or Steinlager.
.they killed everyone they didn't like.
Strangely enough the friendliest people I ever met traveling were the FRENCH.
But when I ran a youth hostel in Boston, the friendliest visitors were the Aussies.
Keep in mind that how friendly or unfriendly the 'other' is reflects at least as much on you; your attitude, expectations, preconceived notions or prejudices.
Yes, to all. If you approach another with a smile on your face, a friendly attitude and open body language, almost anyone will be gracious to you. I love Canadians and New Zealanders. They are especially reciprocal.
Yes, to all. If you approach another with a smile on your face, a friendly attitude and open body language, almost anyone will be gracious to you. I love Canadians and New Zealanders. They are especially reciprocal.
Almost anyone!!!
I do think all travellers should go into the world with a smile and prepared to take whatever comes, but unfortunately it doesn't always work.
Sometimes there are clear reasons - I was in Mozambique shortly after the war finished and found people traumatised and insular; in parts of the Philippines people seemed hostile perhaps because of sectarian violence...at other times it just seems the culture isn't terribly hospitable.
Strangely enough the friendliest people I ever met traveling were the FRENCH.
But when I ran a youth hostel in Boston, the friendliest visitors were the Aussies.
I agree. In fact, my last trip to Paris last year, we were BLOWN AWAY by how friendly the Parisians were. Every single one we encountered.
I've always had a ball with the Aussies, in their country and out. Super friendly!
The Japanese were incredibly friendly and hospitable. I loved every minute in their wonderful country.
I hate to generalize when it comes to unfriendly people because I know there are friendly people wherever one goes but on the whole, we didn't get a warm, fuzzy feeling from the Croatians. But when you look at their history of being so oppressed by the Venetians, you can kind of understand why.
The people of the Seychelles weren't my favorite either but who knows, if I were to go again I might have an entirely different experience.
That's not friendly, but it's a cultural attitude.
It's interesting that the French have such a poor reputation, but that so many of us have had great experiences there.
Whether the reputation was ever deserved is hard to tell. But it does show that having a positive attitude can help.
That's not friendly, but it's a cultural attitude.
True, but it can be tiring when you are faced with it all day, every day. In an ideal world it perhaps shouldn't make any difference to us, but it certainly has me on occassions.
Sometimes in the Ukraine people were so incredibly rude it was actually quite funny, and it became a bit of fun for me to go out of my way to be even nicer, but on other occassions, particularly when I was tired, it was hard to laugh off. Waiters didn't get great tips from me on those days!!
Esmeralda -
I've always been really taken by how friendly American people are in America. I've really only had good experiences travelling in the US.
Americans don't have the best reputation as travellers, and certainly can be obnoxious abroad. I have to say that travelling in Africa and the Middle East I've generally found Americans to be terrific; well-informed and generous, but in Europe Americans can be rude and terribly arrogant. It is something to do with the kind of people who travel to those parts of the world. Israelis seem to be a bit the same - charming and generous at home, but often unpleasant abroad.
Esmeralda -
I've always been really taken by how friendly American people are in America. I've really only had good experiences travelling in the US.
Americans don't have the best reputation as travellers, and certainly can be obnoxious abroad. I have to say that travelling in Africa and the Middle East I've generally found Americans to be terrific; well-informed and generous, but in Europe Americans can be rude and terribly arrogant. It is something to do with the kind of people who travel to those parts of the world.
Israelis seem to be a bit the same - charming and generous at home, but often unpleasant abroad.
So which countries have you found to be the friendliest, and which the least friendly?
Obviously there is a lot of luck involved, but even so - friendly people can make a huge difference.
My Top 5 Friendliest:
1) Syria
2) Rwanda
3) Ghana
4) Georgia
5) USA
Tragic as the events in Syria are right now, I'll never forget the openness and helpfulness of the people there. The amount of times we got invited for coffee, offered the best seats on the bus or even given free treats in shops is something I'll never forget.
My Bottom 5 & Least Friendly
1) Russia
2) Belarus
3) The Ukraine
4) India
5) Peru
It's a shame to have 3 Eastern European countries in my Bottom 5, but there is something about the mentality in that part of the world that doesn't work for me. I know Russian people can be amazingly generous and hospitable, but I've rarely experienced it myself. Instead I've more got the surly, grumpy and sometimes openly hostile responses.
People do not make wars; governments do.
Ronald Reagan
It is truly sad what is happening in Syria. Have you ever been to Iran? The Persian culture is one of the oldest.
How about Poland?
I have some Russian friends (living in America), they are very generous, appreciative and genuine.
Maybe it's the environment they live in?
The angry people are those people who are most afraid.
Dr. Robert Anthony
Transplanted communist former KGB members.I have some Russian friends (living in America)
Strangely enough the friendliest people I ever met traveling were the FRENCH.
But when I ran a youth hostel in Boston, the friendliest visitors were the Aussies.
The French seem to have a bad reputation, but I've never understood why. People have always seemed perfectly nice to me, and my French is fairly terrible!
Aussies are always very friendly, definitely.
Strangely enough the friendliest people I ever met traveling were the FRENCH.
But when I ran a youth hostel in Boston, the friendliest visitors were the Aussies.
The French seem to have a bad reputation, but I've never understood why. People have always seemed perfectly nice to me, and my French is fairly terrible!
Aussies are always very friendly, definitely.
My wife and her sister went to Paris on a business trip and found the French VERY friendly. The following year they went again with my brother in law and I accompanying them, and they found the French to be just the opposite.
The French seem to have a bad reputation, but I've never understood why. People have always seemed perfectly nice to me, and my French is fairly terrible!
Aussies are always very friendly, definitely.
My wife and her sister went to Paris on a business trip and found the French VERY friendly. The following year they went again with my brother in law and I accompanying them, and they found the French to be just the opposite.
I have a friend that has a lot of business dealings with Italians.
He has always considered them arrogant a#@eholes and none of them spoke English.
I went over there a couple of years back and found them perfectly nice.
Before I went I spent a couple of months trying to teach myself a little Italian.
I found that after I'd mangled enough of their language trying to say hello and introducing myself, they almost always started speaking English to me.
When I asked him if he had ever tried to learn any Italian he said 'no'.
It seems he has the old British tourist attitude that if you speak to the fuzzy-wuzzies loud enough they should understand what you're trying to say!
I found exactly the same with the French...I tried to resurrect some of my old schoolboy French and they were always nice in return...in English.
It's just courtesy I think.