After spending a lovely week in Japan, where food is cheap, tipping non-existent, customer service is top notch, and people are the politest in the world, I knew it wouldn't take long to feel irritated by the US.
Little did I know it would begin as soon as the plane landed.
Some fellow sitting just behind me, literally the second the plane hit the tarmac, pulls out his mobile, and calls his friend.
[irritating So-Cal accent] "Hey Brad? Brad? Yeah it's Chad. I just got in. Yeah, the plane just landed. Yeah, Japan was greaaaat. It was so cool - like, we went to these amazing places that nobody knew about. Well we first went to tourist places, which sucked, but you know, after that, we did the most amazing things. Like I hired a motorbike and did burnouts at a Shinto temple, and then I, oh what? You've got to go? Alright, see ya man." <brief pause> "Hey Sarah? Yeah it's Chad. I just landed."
Repeat right up to customs where thankfully they were blocking phone signals. Grargh.
So it's now been a few days and I find myself witness to a world of annoyances. It's also kind of scary actually. Particularly after Japan where there is no graffiti, no litter, no shouting or rudeness, just a clean, orderly society with very little crime. I love that. Meanwhile I get to the US and I feel my mere presence may set someone off to the point of homicide. Never mind the sheer irritation of having someone who just got off the Jerry Springer stage sitting behind you in every type of public transport you get on.
I am sure my list of grievances will continue to be well documented here.
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Anonymous2006-08-06 18:53
I SOOOOO could relate. Like, tod'ly.
Here in Jerusalem, there are tons of American tourists all year round. They are everywhere, being "american" (in their very loud way) - "I was like, and then she was like, and then i was like... Like, 'Toudly', Awesome..."
One day, I am standing in line in this Burgers place, getting my food. This american woman, in her mid 40ies, i'd say, stands behind me. She calls her son and goes "Robbie, look at these fries, don't they look good?" - and points her finger INTO (=inside) my bowl of fries.
So I - being polite - just give her a somewhat shocked stare, and slitely pull the bowl towards me. Woudn't you get it?
But not her! She pulls my hand to get my attention, smiles at me and goes "You don't mind if I take one or two, just to see if it's any good, right?"... RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
>>1
I felt the same way when I got back from Japan. I still get annoyed at airports here, of course, especially on escalators. MOVE TO THE RIGHT.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 1:42
Ever been inside a Wal-Mart? That's the worst of America distilled.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 3:03
not just tourists, but people in general who talk loudly on their phones are annoying asshats. it's like, we do not want to hear your retarded conversations! ugh
>>10
it's as painful as listening to a tv jingled looped. trust me, it's annoying
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Anonymous2006-08-07 4:03
I like marlboro in a flip-top box
I like winston in a flip-top box
I like koooooool in a flip-top box
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Anonymous2006-08-07 4:03
>>11
I live in America, and no, it's not annoying.
Grow some balls and don't let everything get on your nerves, guys. Sure, Americans have their problems, but you're getting very picky when what side of the street/hallway people walk on annoys you. If you can't stand walking in an opposing direction to someone else, then gtfo.
>>8
I think Wal-Mark is more of the worst of America condensed, rather than distilled. Death to Wal-Mart.
>>1
Someone is catching up with their friends, who the hell cares? What, people aren't allowed to talk in your general vicinity? Wonderful attitude you are bringing back to this country. Granted, he's an ass for doing burnouts at a temple. But for talking? Grow up.
>>9
I have never had or heard of this problem. Chances are you only percieve phone conversations as being loud because they get on your nerves so much. But, what do I know. Maybe you live in a crazy "loud talking zone". I'll admit to that possibility.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 4:08
americans are annoying. turth.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 4:15
lol, Americans overseas are the WORST!
So here I am standing on top of the ruins of Caligula's palace in the Forum in Rome. From there I can see Circus Maximus behind me and almost all of the Forum in front of me. So much history, almost the entire "known" world was once ruled from here. My attention is caught by the sound of a loud middle aged American gentleman
"Hey Mavis (not her real name) come here come here, quick" he shouts
Mavis waddles over.
"Look, look down there" he continues
So me and numerous others up there are now extremely curious as to what he's pointing at "down there"
So a small crowd including myself has now gathered along side him and Mavis. They are looking down a sort of large skylight into a courtyard below. An inner courtyard of sorts, inside the old palace.
I wonder what it is, perhaps a sculpture of Mars, or a golden chariot Caligula once road along the Via Apia.
Oh no nothing as mundane as that...
"Look Mavis, a lizard, they have Lizards here too"
Oh for fucks sake
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Anonymous2006-08-07 4:19
>>13
loud conversations are irritating when they cross a line, like when you're in an enclosed area, public transport, and the people near you are having their inane convos at high volumes so you are pretty much forced to participate as a listener.
also everyone shouts into their phones here, and i am not in america.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 4:23
>>15
i've come across some vulgar and annoying ameritourists too. the obnoxious seem to travel lots.
allow me to add that in tokyo talking on phones is forbidden because it "may annoy other passengers" - and that is a direct quote from a sign!! that is absolutely brilliant, because listen to loud shmucks yammering away under your nose gets old really fast i tell you.
haha! Nothing compared to the American high schoolers a friend of mine encounted in Rome. What were they most looking forward to? The forum? Nope. The Colosseum? Nope. The Vatican maybe? Nuh uh.
McDonald's. fuckin' McDonald's.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 4:27
The problem with Americans is that they only think about themselves and not others.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 5:37
Yeah well. You foreigners are annoying in our country too.
Damn german guy stumbles into wal-mart drunk. Asks for "winter" (he can't remember the word for cigarettes... He remember menthol, which is how I know he wants cigarettes). When I explain to him that he has to go throguh the special tobacco line to get cigarettes, he becomes incensced. Calling me names and shit.
And, like a good american customer servant, I just have to take it.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 5:38
>>19
Yeah, right. Aside from Japan, NOBODY has the right to talk in this regard.
Yesterday on the tube, some overweight American guy in his 50s is trying to figure out how to get somewhere. First off, you'd have to be pretty daft to not be able to find your way around the tube if you know where you're going and there's a map handy (which there are on every wall). It's a pretty organised system - it has to be. Anyway instead of just asking one or two people nearby for assistance, he decides to announce to the 10 or 20 people around him that he's lost at the top of his voice.
"Excuse me, I can't find where I'm supposed to be going, who here knows the terrain well?"
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Anonymous2006-08-07 13:23
lol, americans, lol
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Anonymous2006-08-07 13:34
fortunately most of americans are of inferiour races and they'll be dealt with when the racial cleansing comes
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Anonymous2006-08-07 19:51
Lol, amerikkka is about fat redneck motorists wearing leather vests who reek of motor oil, watching NASCAR at some Route 66 gas station while crying of happiness because Jeff Gordon just went out and America is so great and free. Then some cowboy with a funny hat and a rope enters through saloon doors and shows a gun, to which every American in there, including little kids, pull out their respective, mandatory guns. They shoot each other until the SuperBowl starts, and OMG, some spectator was nude!!! Soccer moms take their children out in their 7 metres (oops, I mean x feet) long SUVs, each of which polluting the air until you cannot even see, and phone to the TV station terribly angry, suing them so they can get a new SUV, fix their stupid wooden home last tornado took away, or make their garden better than their neighbours which is their true purpose of life. TV is immediately interrupted by the president who sends a message to the American people; they can be sure that they will have television on their children - their programs - suitable children - children's - I mean parents' - I mean suitable programs for their children. Suitable programs include decapitations, gunfights and gore, but not two centimetres of breast. Likewise, he reminds the American people that oil prices are rising, so they will launch operation total big-ass freedom on a random country they can't even find in a fully labeled map, perhaps because Americans only have maps of America, plus a few rare "world maps" which also include Canada.
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Anonymous2006-08-07 20:06
Oh god i was in the bus into work today and i had to sit next to a few american tourists... god it was awful they were commenting on the traffic made them feel at home.... traffic! there was no bloody traffic compared to what ive seen in american cities... And the worst thing was the guy was wearing shorts..!!! IN SCOTLAND! he is crazy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy