Are Europeans Really Anti American?

I travel with pretty regularity through a large part of Europe. The UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France are regular destinations for me, both for business and for pleasure. I intend to write a few articles on my experiences to venues in these countries, but I thought one thing that needed to be tackled was the experience of being an American travelling in countries and the treatment that I personally was given the experience.

I have read horror stories of the rude and often snobbish treatment that Americans in particular are give while travelling in Europe, the worst offender usually being France. I have done very extensive travel in the last 10 years, and to date, outside of a couple of isolated experiences which I will touch on, I have never had a single bit of bad treatment anywhere, including France.

My bad experiences came in Paris. While travelling with my parents, we were on the Metro going from the Arc d'Triumphe and 2 young boys, probably about 12 years of age, honed in on us as tourists and started talking to us. When we got off, they tried to pick my dad's pocket. They did not succeed, but they totally soured my dad's perception of the French. This coupled with his view of their anti-American attitude as displayed in the media, and he was firmly set in his anti-French way of thinking.

And then while viewing the Eiffel Tower, I was buying a couple of trinkets for friends from the vendors that surround the tower, and as I was making my purchase, the vendor said to me in English that did I not realize that Americans were not really welcome in Paris? I said oh that is too bad because the city and the people were lovely in my opinion. I told him I certainly did not want to taint his trinket stand with my presence so I would be happy to take my business elsewhere. He looked at me funny for a minute, finished wrapping my package, smiled at me as he handed it to me and said to me that I should stay until it was dark and see how beautiful the tower was iall lit up. I said Merci and left.

I have found those to be the only occasions ever where I or someone close to me was treated in a negative way. I refuse to get angry or yell, because that is simply not my way. It has nothing to do with nationality, simply the way I was brought up. I don't want to be judged simply on basis of where I was born, but rather on myself as an individual. I should think the French and other nationalities would think the same.

Outside of those occasions I have in particular found the French to be a warm and delightful people. They quickly figure out I am 'not from these parts'. They understand this because I go into an establishment to a person and I start my conversation with 'Bonjour' and then I'm sorry don't speak French very well. Most French people speak some English as it is taught in school as a required subject. I am always greeted with a smile and thus begin a lovely experience.

More often than not the people I speak with, especially in shops will converse with me in English to the best of their ability. Otherwise we do a lot of pointing and smiling and laughing trying to figure out what the other is saying! I make it a point to ask the French word for the item I am buying if I don't know it, and try to repeat the word as well, which not only earns me a smile and sometimes even a giggle as I butcher the word! I have found that if you try to learn even a couple of words of the language of the country, hello, goodbye, thank you, please, your efforts will be looked upon in a good way. People are pleased that you made the time to speak to them in their language, even if you cant pronounce it properly

One of my favorite experiences was going into a McDonalds in a small city in Northern France. Now the menu's are all in French, but they have pictures as well. As it happened the young lady that waited on me spoke very little English, so we were both at a disadvantage. However, we both learned a lot during our encounter. We were both having quite a giggle trying to make ourselves understood. We finally worked out a little system. She got a small mat that had pictures of McDonalds product on it, I would point to what I wanted, she said it in French, I repeated it, then said it in English and she repeated after me. We must have looked like nutcases. But it was a lovely experience for both of us, and as I left she gave me the biggest smile I had seen!

I think the main point I was to get across is that before we judge the negative or positive aspects of any nationalities we need to experience them firsthand. Now I don't for one second believe that everyone is going to have a good experience all the time, but I think when there is one bad experience that single event colors the perception entirely and never allows for subsequent experiences to influence what has come before. My dad is certainly a case in point. He refuses to even consider going back to France based on one experience. I tell him of my travels and the lovely things that happen to me and he really turns a deaf ear to me. In a way this saddens me because it only goes on to reinforce the negative stereotypes that permeates our perceptions of others and their perception of us.

I am aware that the media paints the image of loads of European nations as being anti-American, and the same applies to how Americans view Europeans. I will say that some personal experience on the whole those statements are a load of (to borrow my grandma's saying) 'HORSE HOOEY'! Travel in Europe; experience the history, the culture and the people. Forget the nationalistic garbage and see the real Europe. Enjoy the hospitality, celebrate the differences and learn from shared experiences. I promise you will be glad you did!