I'm Back And With A Different Point Of View

[Kirby]

Gang

This is not presented in an argumentative manner but to present certain things I have recently seen for myself.

In an earlier thread, one of our most respected Forumites expressed his disappointment in the behavior of Americans he had witnessed while abroad. I just returned from a western Caribbean cruise and it was wonderful. However, after being shoved, bumped and pushed aside by the various 39 different nationalities aboard the ship, I have decided we Americans ain't so bad after all. After watching various foreign nationals and their screaming, obnoxious children crowd into already formed lines I would have to say the behavior of the Americans aboard the ship was the best of all.

The cruise was fantastic and I had a thoroughly wonderful time. Coming back to winter and reality was a bit on the harsh side.

High point of the trip? Meeting and chatting with Jon Bauman. To you young'uns he was and is Bowzer of Sha Na Na. I have his autographed picture hanging on the wall of my den. "Thank youse."

Grease for peace
Kirby

[mike_baram]

Kirby,
Welcome back. Glad to hear you were on a ship that didn't break down/have overstuffed toilets/have crewmembers sexually assaulting female passengers.
Your comments prompted me to think about the different nationalities I came in contact with during my decade on a kibbutz. Since I was fortunate to deal with these people on a daily basis in a work situation, I saw a different aspect of them than I would have in a "tourist" situation.
These observations don't hold true for every individual, but pretty well apply on a group basis.
French: Pleasant, but poor workers. Even those who knew English were very insular.
Danes: Good hard working people, no matter how lousy the job. Most were well educated and interesting conversationalists.
Russians: Any excuse to avoid hard work and cry "foul" if they felt slighted.
English: I felt an underlying arrogance in my dealings with them, as if the Empire was still alive and had the solutions for the world's problems (English members of the forum, no personal offence intended).
Romanians: Keep your hand on your wallet.
Dutch: Can't praise them enough....I'd welcome them in my corner any day. When the chips were down, they were the only European nation that stood up to Arab threats.
Americans: The East and West coasters tended to be spoiled whiners, expecting Daddy and Mommy's money to handle every crisis. The Midwesterners would give you their right arm if they thought you needed help.
Of course this was in the 70s and 80s....I can't say what they're like today. And as I mentioned, there were individual exceptions to the above.
Regards,
Mike

[PeterL]

Sha na na? Why Kirby, you're just a rock'n'roll fool

[Barrett]

I'm reminded of the best lines in TMM&TFM: Robert Morley is wishing a perfunctory Good Luck before each contestant takes off for the London-Paris race, and JP Cassell seizes the luscious Sara Miles (RM's daughter) and ravishes her with kisses. Catching himself, he semi blushes and says "Excuse me, your lordship. The spirit of the occasion...the entente cordial'."
Morley takes Sara's arm and walks away, muttering under his breath. "Much too entente and far too cordial. That's the problem with these international affairs--they attract so many foreigners."

[Amy]

Der Alte:

Welcome back! You've met Rickenbacker and now Bowzer...what a lucky guy!

Amy

[Vic_Mouton]

If the Yanks on this forum are anything to go by, you Americans are not half bad

VBR
Vic

[leo]

Seems to me that just about any body away from home doesn't behave as they do at home. Please do not consider this as a statemant of confession.

Welcome back!

[Vin]

Leo,

I suspect that folk act exactly the same abroad as they do abroad. It is not noticed at home because every one else is acting the same way.


Vin