last year i met a guy from the united states. he had an exchange to hamburg, germany. we were talking and he told me, that he was wandering that we have cars in germany. he thought we still cook our food on a camp-fire. and many other things. he told me that a lot of his friends think about germany that way.
the most annoying thing was that he thought that everything in germany looks like bavaria.
and another thing i have recognized was that he couldn't seperate between the european countries. he didn' say england, sveden, poland ore even germany, he always said "europe"
why is it that way? was this guy a total dumbass or do you don't learn bout other countrys in school?
2006-07-30 21:38:29 · 22 answers · asked by Lonewarrior 3 in Travel ➔ Germany ➔ Other - Germany
of course i know that not ALL americans think that way. iwas just surprised when he said that a lot aof people in america think so. and he was very very serious.
2006-07-30 21:45:52 · update #1
Hi I am currently dating a man in Chemnitz, Germany. There are many differences between cultures....and it is not just language. Between the two of us.....we are forming a (as my German calls it) globalization!! No, Americans are not idiots, but I must admit that our schools, at lower levels, do a poor job in educating about the cultures & history of other countries. European Countries do a far better job of educating their children about the US. This is not to say, that Americans don't want to learn about other societies and their cultures (at least most of us do). I have learned much about Germany.....I have learned about the your history, your language, your educational system......and I have a very fine German Representative to teach me. I am very Pro Germany........ & I hope you don't give up on us over here in America....based on 1 poor experience!!
2006-07-31 11:44:59 · answer #1 · answered by pjay 1 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I think a lot of Americans think that way - and there's many Europeans with misconceptions about the U.S.
I think the fact that he was actually travelling to Germany is a very good thing. I really think people can have no real concept of the world until they've travelled and seen some of it for themselves.
So often we hear about the 90% of Americans who don't have passports - so the few we see in Europe are actually the good ones who are willing to open their minds.
2006-07-31 05:23:17 · answer #2 · answered by Kobie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When it comes to saying Germans still look on camp stoves he is either stupid or was just messing with you.
As for knowing the difference European countries the majority of people in the states do not know. You can blame that on our school systems. For the most part schools only focus on the united states. Half Americans prob cant even name the Providences in Canada.....
I would of prob never known if I was never in that area and I wouldn't know anything about Canada if it wasn't for the fact that my wife is Canadian.
That's just honestly speaking though
2006-07-31 04:45:24 · answer #3 · answered by JB 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I get the same sort of thing about Wales. "What part of London is that in?" etc... And a German friend of mine recently was asked by an American dude if Germany has it's own language. How stupid can you get!
You have to laugh it off! Just enjoy the comedy of the moment, and knowing that you're so much cleverer than him! Not all people are that dumb, and those who genuinely don't know about somewhere really enjoy learning all about it.
2006-07-31 04:52:22 · answer #4 · answered by Vix 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you ran into a complete idiot ...most Americans are very well informed about Europe, but since the fall of Communism we are also tough that Europe is becoming a unified nation so we refer to the whole continent instead of singling one country out..when I moved here from Hungary and I told a guy I was born in Budapest , he asked me what state that was in...so yes some people are just not very sharp ...that goes for all countries..
2006-07-31 04:47:57 · answer #5 · answered by Roxy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This guy was a sad, pathetic American. I'm from the US and I can pretty much name any country in the world by sight. I've been to 24 of them and Germany was one of them. I've been to the east, west, north, and south parts of Germany.
So, rest assured, that not ALL Americans are as dumb as this guy (but unfortunately for all of us, some of them are-- including our president). :)
2006-07-31 04:43:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well , ... this is the UK site, so why not ask the US site instead ( click on the US flag below ), whos the dumbass now ?
The US is an unsular society, they dont learn about anything outside of their own country.
2006-07-31 04:44:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sadly, Americans are all to often out of the loop. His response is probably very common. Invite him to read a book. The mind is a terrible thing to waste!
2006-07-31 04:44:30 · answer #8 · answered by Ahab 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I get something similar all the time. I live in South Korea and they constantly refer to anywhere NOT Korea as "The West" and the various people as "You Guys".
It does my head in! How can they just group together so many different countries and people like that?! Aaahhhh!!!
2006-07-31 04:44:01 · answer #9 · answered by sammi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lol i went to America for a month last year, and being from Scotland, they kept asking about kilts and bagpipes! I was even asked if i had ever heard of AOL???? I think other countries get stereotyped because of what is seen to be our national emblems!
2006-07-31 04:43:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋