Beware!!!!!

[Scubarus66]

I've spent a fair bit of time traveling to places that have largely European clientele over the years, although I've never stayed where you wrote about. I've found Europeans to be fairly friendly if you don't project an attitude typical of some American tourists.

I'm just sharing my experience with this resort.....
I try not to take things out of context..... But when you walk down a 5 foot wide or should I say 1.5 meter wide sidewalk. and 3 Europeans tourist are taking up 3/4 of the sidewalk and expect you to move for them... NOT! Learned to stop in my path and then they would only move to one side, Maybe it was only at this resort... I don't hold any ill feelings about anyone in this world, okay maybe a few.... I feel I show respect as I expect respect back in any common decency.. We live very close to Orlando and I have never ran into anyone as rude as what we experienced at this resort...

 

[Midget]

Are you saying just the clientele of the resort were rude? Or was the management as well?

 

[Divedoggie]

Sorry for your bad experience at that resort. Discrimination is hard to take. Maybe there was some sort of convention going on that week which attracted an unusual number of haters.

The blanket statements about Americans not being well liked however runs counter to my life experience.

I recently returned from a dive resort which markets almost exclusively to Europeans. My wife and I were the only Americans staying there and on the dive boats. I have to say that we were treated very well and we started life-long friendships with a Dutch couple and a German couple.

My previous career of 20 years, had me traveling extensively in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and Canada. I found good friends and polite caring people everywhere along the way. In fact many people went out of their way to ask me questions about America and many invited me into their homes.
Occasionally, I was confronted with rude people who had preconceived notions about Americans, but usually my local friends would step in and give those people a verbal whooping.

Those closed minded people with their stereotypical views of Americans were the exception, not the rule, and were not unlike some American people that I am unfortunate enough to bump into here at home.

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

I have found, in many years of traveling and living outside the US, that people don't care where you are from if you are polite and kind. I have never had any problems, and I have traveled throughout the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. I Have seen Americans treated badly. Those were loud, demanding people who seemed to love announcing that they were Americans, and thus entitled.

Some people are just plain rude. I have run across that from many many people, including Americans. I hear plenty of bad-mouthing the US, but they don't seem to count me in that group. I tell them,"Umm, helloooo, American right here...." But they tell me they aren't talking about MY kind of Americans. So, I guess we carry our own reputations too, huh?

 

[vladimir]

Let me chime in with the others to say that I have never been on the receiving end of any rudeness overtly directed at me because I am an American. Maybe the people who the OP encountered were just rude in general. But he should objectively consider whether he is being rude himself, perhaps unintentionally. Expecting everybody to speak English, for example, might be considered rude in a Spanish-speaking country.

When I am traveling I enjoy staying at places that "don't cater to Americans." (I also live in a place that doesn't cater to Americans.) Isn't experiencing other cultures part of the point of traveling? The fact that that is a problem for the OP makes me suspect that his attitude may have been part of the problem.

As an American living abroad I am frequently called upon by my foreign friends and acquaintances to explain or defend American policies. A little bit of humility goes a long way. The reason that America is the target of so much criticism is because it remains the preeminent nation in the world, at least for the time being. Soothe their envy with humility. Especially the Canadians, who have to live right next door, and the elder British, who are sensitive to no longer being relevant.

 

[DandyDon]

It's kinda fun to have a dive bud who understands enough Spanish and French to tell me when we've been insulted, but I still laugh it off. I figure they just wish they were Texans too.

 

[Midget]

I've never had any problems of prejudice towards me specifically either, although I've heard plenty of strong Anti-American sentiments. Especially back in '03!!!

You will encounter rude people and good people anywhere because not only 'nice' people have the desire and means to travel. Luck of the draw on who you bump into, although my experience is if you are off the heavily hit travel path a bit people tend to be a bit more open-minded.

Other than Cozumel, I've never stayed anywhere in the world that catered to mostly Americans. I'm always the minority!

One of the reasons I love travel is I like the exposure to people from around the world. And where I travel I meet so few Americans.
I've been told more than once that Americans tend to act demanding towards the locals. I wonder if this comes from the fact that Americans have short vacations and aren't as prepared for the occasional glitch in their vacation??? Just speculating here.

 

[Scubarus66]

Are you saying just the clientele of the resort were rude? Or was the management as well?

Our maid, Front desk and Concierge were AWESOME!!! they help accommodate my needs as we were celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary....

 

[Scubarus66]

I have found, in many years of traveling and living outside the US, that people don't care where you are from if you are polite and kind. I have never had any problems, and I have traveled throughout the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. I Have seen Americans treated badly. Those were loud, demanding people who seemed to love announcing that they were Americans, and thus entitled.

Some people are just plain rude. I have run across that from many many people, including Americans. I hear plenty of bad-mouthing the US, but they don't seem to count me in that group. I tell them,"Umm, helloooo, American right here...." But they tell me they aren't talking about MY kind of Americans. So, I guess we carry our own reputations too, huh?

But they all love the American Dollar.....

 

[DandyDon]

But they all love the American Dollar.....

Haha that's the attitude that often causes us so many problems.