Coming to America - Page 1

I've seen a series of articles featuring translations from travel tips for traveling to the USA as given by different countries. Never hurts to know what one is really thinking about you! Mostly— amusing, too. Here are some of my favorites! Enjoy!

From Russia: 

10. ... AND YOU SHOULD KEEP IT POSITIVE, TOO. THE AMERICANS DEMAND IT. It all starts with a smile. “U.S. etiquette requires that you smile in each and every situation," says the site Этикет США. "If you want to travel to America, be prepared to give a smile not only to friends and acquaintances, but also to all passers-by, in shops, to the staff at the hotel, police on the streets, etc." Don't whine about your problems or the troubles in your life, either: "Sharing in this country can only be positive emotions—sorrows and frustrations are impermissible. In the U.S. you only complain to acquaintances in the most extreme cases. Serious problems are for close friends and relatives only." This cheerfulness isn't a put-on, the site notes. "Americans: they are a nation that truly feels happy. These people get used to smiling from the cradle onwards, so they do not pretend to be cheerful. The desire for a successful happy life is inculcated from childhood.”

http://mentalfloss.com/article/63896/17-russian-travel-tips-visiting-america

From France:

2. YOU HAVE TO HELP PEOPLE, AND LOOK LIKE YOU REALLY MEAN IT.

A passerby stumbles and sprawls in the street, an old lady can barely control Brutus at the end of a leash, a small tricycle driver loses control of his vehicle. Politeness means, of course, that you come and help all these people. American culture wants you to quit all your activities and rescue the unfortunate. In America, you cannot pretend to not have noticed all these little quirks. You must rush to provide assistance to all who need it. [Source]

Whether in the street, public transport or any public place, we must adopt this reflex. Hard, tough, because it must be done without looking first to the right and left to see if someone is already trying to help the person in trouble. In short, it must be done spontaneously and with good heart. I like it when it happens: for example my keys jumped out of my bike basket when I hit a hole, and the Americans rushed at me to help. It's cool. I smile.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/55306/11-french-travel-tips-visiting-america

From Japan:

3. BUT YOU’LL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY AMERICAN TRAFFIC PATTERNS.

Manners with cars in America are really damn good. Japanese people should be embarrassed when they look at how good car manners are in America. You must wait whenever you cross an intersection for the traffic light. People don’t get pushy to go first. Except for some people, everyone keeps exactly to the speed limit. America is a car society, but their damn good manners are not limited to cars.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/55140/10-japanese-travel-tips-visiting-america

From Germany:

1. POLITENESS IS BOTH GENUINE AND A SURVIVAL TECHNIQUE. STILL, THEY DON’T REALLY WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND.

German blogger Otto Buchenegger breaks it down for both cultures, writing, "The main prejudice against Americans: You are superficial and you are stupid. Their superficiality is our misinterpretation of kindness that unfortunately we Germans lack." He goes on to explain that our politeness is tied to size of the land mass we inhabit and how often we move from place to place on it:

In a country with extreme mobility, it is very important to be open and friendly to strangers. This has nothing to do with genuine friendship in our sense, and there are long-lasting friendships in the United States, but if someone says, ‘I'm your friend,’ it often means nothing more than ‘I am sympathetic and want you to feel here is your home, too’.  It is not the beginning of a long friendship.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/62180/8-german-travel-tips-visiting-america

There are a few more, if you want them! LOL