What travelers write about their visit to the USA..

[marylander1940]

http://travel.yahoo.com/blogs/compass/don-t-drink-water-visitors-travel-tips-coming-194949993.html

[Lookin]

http://travel.yahoo.com/blogs/compass/don-t-drink-water-visitors-travel-tips-coming-194949993.html

 

Fun article! http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.png

[bigvalboy]

Funny stuff to read. I think a lot of it is true. We Americans are a peculiar clan.

[+ ArVaGuy]

This is a great article and very true in many ways.

 

I've had several funny experiences with international visitors to DC. Seems they are always singling me out to ask directions. (Guess I have a kind face or something). Once two very attractive young men from the United Kingdom stopped me for directions to their hotel near DuPont Circle. At the end of the conversation one asked "Where can I obtain some fags?" This took me aback for a millisecond as I knew "faggot" can also be a British slang for cigarette. After laughing a bit I directed them to a nearby CVS drug store. Then told the guys the not to use that word in the US as it's an insult. Also told them they were in the heart of Gay DC as it was back then. We had a good laugh over cultural differences and they went on their way to meet their wives.

[+ deej]

At a conference several years ago a bunch of us went out for dinner and we ended up at P.F. Chang's.

 

If you've ever been to a P.F. Chang's restaurant, you know that the decor is ... eccentric. There's "art" all over the place. At one point, we noticed the visitor from Brazil in our group snapping photos of the "statues". We joked that he'd go back home and tell everyone "Americans eat in museums".

 

(We had a discussion with him later about it and disabused him of the notion.)

[Guest]

At the end of the conversation one asked "Where can I obtain some fags?" This took me aback for a millisecond as I knew "faggot" can also be a British slang for cigarette.

 

Reminds me of the other story I heard, when an American was meeting another man for a business meeting in England. The secretary told the American "Have a seat. He'll be back in 5 minutes. He's just out blowing a fag," which means smoking a cigarette in Britain.

[Lookin]

The secretary told the American "Have a seat. He'll be back in 5 minutes. He's just out blowing a fag,"

 

I had a secretary pull that shit once, only it was in San Francisco and she was right.

 

And she had the nerve to ask for a reference! http://www.boytoy.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

[+ Gar1eth]

Would most people- unless they were incredibly close friends actually go into someone else's refrigerator?

 

Gman

[+ poolboy48220]

Not most, but when it does happen, you remember it.

 

I liked the tone of a lot of the comments - they point out the cultural differences of how different behaviors are seen in America, rather than just poking fun at a difference. Too often, guides like this, to both America and other countries, are more mocking in tone.

[McLeanspider]

Not most, but when it does happen, you remember it.

 

I liked the tone of a lot of the comments - they point out the cultural differences of how different behaviors are seen in America, rather than just poking fun at a difference. Too often, guides like this, to both America and other countries, are more mocking in tone.

 

You're right, they sounded respectful, and not judgmental, celebrating the differences between cultures.

[MsGuy]

Great find,poolboy.

 

The Russian warning not to show up at an acquaintance's home uninvited seemed strange. Made me curious about Russian social boundaries.

 

Also the Chinese advisory about following the rules even when no one is watching had me wondering about how they manage such things in China.

"I was deeply impressed by how much people honored the rules even when they are not seen."

[rvwnsd]

Would most people- unless they were incredibly close friends actually go into someone else's refrigerator?

 

Gman

 

I would guess not. However, given the admonition was made in the context of attending a party it is likely the other, refrigerator-opening, guests were good friends of the host.