American Tourist? Worried? Buy a T-shirt!

Remove all ads!

I considerd posting this in the Election Trauma thread, but it's not quite the same thing.

Pretend you're Canadian

 

I have a friend who is very polite, erudite and soft-spoken. He was in Europe with a group of Americans, just playing tourist. This group hooked up with another group of Americans, and at the end of the evening the newcomers were astonished to learn that Bill was American. They had all assumed he was Canadian because he was so nice!

True story.

 

If you wanna have some fun as an American tourist in the Netherlands, wear an Ajax shirt when you visit Rotterdam, and people will treat you with all the respect you deserve.

 

Rofl Pac Man .

 

Rally, it's pretty bad when even Americans meet someone who is nice, and just assume that the person isn't a fellow American

After University, some classmates and I went to Europe for a couple of months on a tour run out of the University of Illinois. After reading some travel tips, we all made sure we had Canadian flag pins so that we wouldn't be mistaken for Americans.

 

First and foremost, we, Malaysians love Americans. We welcome you anytime. Also, we love your forefathers. We love Benjemin Franklin. We love Jackson and Hamilton. Sometimes, we love Lincoln too. Washington is fine, but not too often please.

edit.
To show that we, Malaysians, love Americans, i am obligated to tear apart the fake mask of your Dutch friend, Pac Man,

AFC Ajax is a football club based in Amsterdam, not the company Wildly Coyote ordered rocket propelled skates from. Fayenoord is another football club based in Rotterdam. These two teams are arch rival, sun and moon, water and fire, sheild and spear, mountain and wind. Do not believe these crocodile tears of Pac Man.

Again, we, Malaysians, love you Americans. We love Franklin. We love Hamilton and Jackson. We love Lincoln and Washington too.

To think, Washington even had some Dutch blood in him. Shame on you Pac Man.

[ December 08, 2004, 22:10: Message edited by: teekc ]

 

Americans with an inferiority complex?? What is the world coming to?

 

Yeah, we all just love dead presidents. You're welcome any day. To my wallet.

 

I did that 2 summers ago already when I visited Ukraine, it was a load off my back.

 

Oh man, that made my day!

 

This is fantastic!

Of course people need to learn how to speak Canadian. I just wonder if that guide includes the Newfoundland dialect.

 

Oh my, someone lost his sense of humor somewhere along the line.

 

Oh my, someone misunderstood someone has lost his sense of humor somewhere along the line.

 

Q: What's the first phrase they teach Americans in a foreign language?

A: "Don't Shoot! I'm Canadian!"

@ Laiwethel: Newfoundland dialect would be a second book. The third volume is the Jean Chretian dialect...

 

I really liked Colby Cosh's take on this:

"I know plenty of Americans who are too proud to dream of travelling in foreign countries as Canadians; it's the sensitive, worldly Canadaphiles, ironically enough, who talk breezily of co-opting the Maple Leaf for travel purposes--thus adding new silverware to the "Why Do They Hate Us" trophy case. My country's flag? An emblem of republican heroism! Your country's flag? Some sort of hypnotic device for seducing drunken female hostellers in Hamburg, wasn't it?"

 

I don't even need one of those. My disposition shows me as a Canadian. Though I suppose I could use a pin just to make sure.

@Gnarlfflinger: You just listed two languages I have always had trouble understanding. Good way to talk yourself out of a speeding ticket though. No cop can withstand the might of Newfie talk.

 

As I'm heading overseas soon, I'm seriously considering this... In fact, I'm seriously considering MOVING to Canada. It's got a lot going for it.


(Just four years; it's only four years until we can perhaps redeem ourselves!)

Or actually, I think I could pass as a local, if I just learn the language. Last time my family was in Europe, people thought we were from the Netherlands. A great compliment, in my opinion.

 

@ Jaguar: I think that Royal Canadian Air Farce and This Hour Has 22 Minutes should be required viewing for a bout 3 months before the trip to get the accent right. Get some of the older ones and you get Chretian's speech pattern too...

Actually I went to Utah this spring and people there said I had an accent. Go figure...

 

I'm 100% Canadian (not native style, but been here since the 1500 style), half Newfie and I still don't know what the heck they're trying to say half the time!

 

Heh, I'm from Montana and as my poor second language I speak French. Now my only question for Canadians is...

Why don't you pick ONE language and speak it. In Saskatchuwan, they speak a mix of english and french. It's really weird to listen to and tends to confuse me, as I'm trying to switch languages at an astonishing rate to keep up.