What are some countries you’ve visited that shocked you with unexpected friendliness?
What are some countries you’ve visited that shocked you with unexpected friendliness?
Since we had a post about the most friendliest countries, we should look at countries that have unexpected friendly people, not the usual answers like Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Taiwan, etc. For me it’s Montenegro. Londoners are considered to be cold and rude but I find them to be very pleasant with me.
Y'all can afford to visit another country?
Germany. Namely Northern Bavaria. They love it when you try to speak their language and suddenly you are their friend, they are speaking English to you, and they are buying you beer. Suffice it to say that I made a lot of friends there. An amazing experience.
I went to rome once, and I found people to be super unfriendly. Like, giving me looks levels of unfriendly.
After a few hours of this I realized the problem, I was wearing a Deicide t-shirt, and rome is christian as fuck. God I'm stupid.
After a quick change people were really nice :D
Like you already wrote, Ireland!
It was kinda shocking how openly friendly and relaxed most people there are.
New Zealand. So wanted to stay there. Made Canadians look a little rude. LOL.
As a Canadian, I can declaratively say that our reputation for being polite is bogus. As a whole, we are a shitty, privileged, nasty group of people. Our country is built on colonialism and genocide, so you can only imagine what a shit pot this is.
Turkey
People love to make exaggerated statements on the internet for attention but I can say very truly that the spirit of the people changed me inside and it helped start my sobriety journey
Taiwan.
Paris. I've always heard bad things about Parisians but they were cool. The only rude people I encountered were tourists.
Are you white?
Im planning to visit Paris soon in a few weeks so hearing this is really helpful! I don't speak French well and have been trying to get better before the trip. But was worried I'd be treated rudely for it from all the stories I've heard. Glad to know they're just stories
Don't worry! Say "Bonjour" when you go in a place and say "Merci" when appropriate, don't be loud in general, and everything will be fine.
Iran has been by far the most friendly and welcoming people. And I visited -a lot- of places.
Also USA had very welcoming people, I must have been lucky by judging from people online, but in real world, my experience has always been very positive.
This is one of my favorite videos and channels. He rides a scooter around the world. The people in Iran are almost absurdly friendly. I want to visit.
Edit: forgot to post the link.
China. The people are super nice, sweet, helpful, lovely people. It's just their government I hate. I don't know if they hate it too or not since they're not free to say but I think they're nice people and they deserve better.
I’m wasn’t surprised but Mexico.
I was in the waiting room at a dentists office in Ciudad Obregón. Every single person that came in was greeted with a warm hello by every single person in the waiting room.
For me it was Russia when I spent aroubd 9 days there (in and around Moscow). The people were genuinely friendly and there we not the scammers/tourist traps like in most of Europe and Asia.
The markets were as interesting as any I've been to in Asia/North Africa.
Back when the world is simpler (because I was young and ignorant mostly) Moscow shocked me too. Had to study there for a few years and despite their gruff outward look they are some of the friendliest I've met at that time.
Only exception is riding the metro/tram during rush hour. Those babushkas aren't playing around and will tackle you down
I must say its 20 odd years ago that we went, I'm sure the world was a simpler place
France. You hear about how they're rude if you can't speak the language, which I can't at all. But everyone I spoke to was totally helpful, polite, and personable. Even most of the people who I interacted with who didn't speak English tried their best to understand and answer my questions.
Turkey! I had such a wonderful visit there as a teen in no small part because of the locals we met.
Turkey is an amazing country with amazing people in it
The unfortunate part is their leader is the opposite and is currently holding their country and people hostage
Same with most countries. The people are nice but the politicians are not
I mean Turks are currently giving Erdogan hell; let's hope they succeed.
Cambodia. Genuinely the nicest, and most helpful, people I have ever encountered all throughout the country. I was told about their general friendliness before, but was blown away by actually seeing it firsthand.
Germany, went just as brexit was happening, loved the place and people were so friendly, had a few long conversations with people on the bus/train. Also best breakfasts anywhere.
I feel this is racist.
It's not racist.
If you paint an entire population with the brush of the experience/anecdote of one person, that's generalization.
But this thread is NOT doing that. This thread is only asking people to share their experiences of places they have visited and people they found to be friendly. It is not meant to pass judgement on everyone from that place.
"What are some countries you’ve visited that shocked you with unexpected friendliness?"
Why would you be shocked by friendliness if you didn't assume they would be unfriendly? Why would you expect them to be unfriendly? Not-racism...
"Londoners are considered to be cold and rude but I find them to be very pleasant with me."
Translation: So I turns out this assumption I had of people turned out to be not true. So after I learned that lesson I thought I do the same mistake again but from the other direction and in a group setting"
This is not about if it is the right word to describe it, this is about reducing a group to a stereotype and how wrong that is. Call it cultural racism, culturism or some other shit that doesn't hurt your feelings because you identify with it.
You feel wrong, unfortunately.
Another commenter said it's technically racism so not really wrong.
Why do you say that? Genuinely asking.
Because we reduce a population made of individuals to anecdotal evidence.
"People from there are like this" is just a problematic way of thinking.
Even if it is positive. Saying all Asians are good at math may seem positive, but it is racist because you imprint one attribute to a whole group and rob people of their individuality.
It's racist 🤷