Which country in reality differs from its reputation?

[Repatriate]

What I mean is how much the reality of a country or its countrymen is different from its popular reputation.

A few examples:

People in the U.S. always think of British people in those WW2 series (Band of Brothers), Hugh Grant, James Bond, Ian Mckellan or some shit. The reality i've seen is that most Brits are violent drunks as well as arrogant and belligerent racists when overseas. The country is super expensive for little value. It's also gloomy and miserable. The people are even colder than Americans for the most part.

Ireland. We think of the Irish as quaint people who talk with gentle irish spring commercial accents. They are supposed to be fun loving hard drinking people who just like to have fun. The reality is they are also violent pissheads, arrogant, and are pretty hardcore racists. Ireland is also another way overpriced anglo nightmare land.

Italy. Italians are supposed to be sharp dressers, seducers, and cool cats who look like they came out of a fellini movie. The reality: Most of them are momma's boys and degenerate perverts who chase girls around in large man packs and aggressive to the point of pissing people off around them. Plus Italians are stingy as hell. My italian friend had no problems with telling me that Rome is a cesspool too..the roads suck, the people suck, and it's filthy. The only thing that is noteworthy is the history and even the food is overrated unless you have a local to show you the real places to eat.

Australia. Fun loving kangaroo crocodile dundee people who like to surf, play rugby, etc.. Good natured and jolly. The reality: Openly belligerent towards all people. Violent. They like to get sloppy drunk and start fights. Rude. Australian women abroad are also very skanky looking. Think white trash wearing singlets.

[Rock]

What I mean is how much the reality of a country or its countrymen is different from its popular reputation.

A few examples:

People in the U.S. always think of British people in those WW2 series (Band of Brothers), Hugh Grant, James Bond, Ian Mckellan or some shit. The reality i've seen is that most Brits are violent drunks as well as arrogant and belligerent racists when overseas. The country is super expensive for little value. It's also gloomy and miserable. The people are even colder than Americans for the most part.

Ireland. We think of the Irish as quaint people who talk with gentle irish spring commercial accents. They are supposed to be fun loving hard drinking people who just like to have fun. The reality is they are also violent pissheads, arrogant, and are pretty hardcore racists. Ireland is also another way overpriced anglo nightmare land.

Italy. Italians are supposed to be sharp dressers, seducers, and cool cats who look like they came out of a fellini movie. The reality: Most of them are momma's boys and degenerate perverts who chase girls around in large man packs and aggressive to the point of pissing people off around them. Plus Italians are stingy as hell. My italian friend had no problems with telling me that Rome is a cesspool too..the roads suck, the people suck, and it's filthy. The only thing that is noteworthy is the history and even the food is overrated unless you have a local to show you the real places to eat.

Australia. Fun loving kangaroo crocodile dundee people who like to surf, play rugby, etc.. Good natured and jolly. The reality: Openly belligerent towards all people. Violent. They like to get sloppy drunk and start fights. Rude. Australian women abroad are also very skanky looking. Think white trash wearing singlets.

Hmm, sounds like perhaps you've seen skewed sample sets, the ones who tend to go to Thailand from each country lol. If you visit cities such as Milano and Firenze, I think you might be impressed, at the surface level at least, at how many of the men dress and look. I got the impression anyway that the way one looks, dresses, and and presents oneself carries more weight than in most places. Superficial issues drive a lot of the respect one gets and credibility one has with others.

As for UK, I know mostly London and you see a lot of sharp and smart people there. But the real regular Brits you see outside of the capital may be what you describe, I don't know. I have met some mild mannered Brits in Taiwan before and don't forget Xiongmao who fits that totally. Perhaps he can comment more on the English and Scots.

I spent a bit of time in Dublin and as an American, I felt I fit in better than in London and also the people were friendlier and more easier going. Perhaps Winston would even like some of what I experienced there. But I absolutely hate the rainy cool weather, much worse than London during summer months.

Never been to Australia. But a lot of Taiwanese go there these days for the lucrative working holiday available.

[xiongmao]

Yeah, here in Thailand you'd be forgiven for thinking that we only let our worst citizens come here.

It's the same for every country though - I've seen Eastern Europeans with Nazi tattoos, and of course the trashiest Aussie women imaginable.

The UK is a land of contrasts, from smart city professionals to the lower forms of life (we call them 'chavs'). I'm very mild mannered for the most part - it comes from being schooled by the last of the headmasters brought up under colonial rule.

Incidentally, Bangkok is very different to what I imagined. It resembles Tokyo more than anywhere else I've been to. It's certainly nothing like China (well apart from ChinaTown). There's also less monging than I expected, I mean it's really just 3 or 4 streets in a city of 8 million people.

[Repatriate]

Yeah, here in Thailand you'd be forgiven for thinking that we only let our worst citizens come here.

I guess i've grown cynical. I just saw bad behavior everywhere I went even when it was mostly europeans on an island like koh tao.

Incidentally, Bangkok is very different to what I imagined. It resembles Tokyo more than anywhere else I've been to. It's certainly nothing like China (well apart from ChinaTown). There's also less monging than I expected, I mean it's really just 3 or 4 streets in a city of 8 million people.

There's a lot more mongering than that especially when you get to know some thai joints. There are TONS of "teen spa & massage" spread out across the city where university girls give handjobs and blows that tourists never go to. When night rolls around there's a lot of freelancers around Lumpini park and around the Chinatown parks. Then there are the hardcore thai clientele street walkers around Petchaburi MRT. Then of course there are the downmarket Chinatown short time motel brothels and the like.

Bangkok has all sorts of hidden seediness. A thai friend told me that a decade ago they used to have a place that would give you a blowjob and a haircut.

[skateboardstephen]

Brazil for sure is not what the media represents.
What people think:A fun exciting tropical paradise,full of women in thongs coming up to you,Orgies,easy to make friends,every women is smoking hot,They like America and Americans,Racism does not exist there,the food is great,the smiling people are trust worthy,Carnival is a blast,it is cheap in Brazil.

Reality:It is not completely a tropical country it can get quite cold in fact it snowed the other day in Curitiba..Most of these hot women you think of pretty much hang in clicks it takes some work to get these women(not prostitutes)Is is not easy to make friends,Brazilians are too damn prideful and this can get in the way sometimes or just annoy the hell out you.You have just as many ugly women in Brazil as good looking ones.Latin America in general can be very Anti-America.It can be very racist here mainly against blacks..i have experienced being racially profiled before.Brazilian cuisine is not as tasty has one may think,you may find you self running to Micky D's or Burger king. Criminality is so high it is ridiculous,people go missing with out a trace,things you take for granted like eating at an outdoor restaurant or bar you do at your own risk for fear of sticks ups on the whole restaurant or assassinations,every one is trying to cheat you out of money if you are a gringo,it is better to not even be out at night or talk to strangers,the police will not help you in fact they are so incompetent..the other day they let a group of boys they arrested for armed robbery and knew they where guilty go simply because the victims did not make a police report(probably because they figured it would not do any good).The Carnival was nothing but i bunch of people crowding the streets to listen to loud horrible music,you don't really meet any one there..São João is a much better Brazilian tradition than the Carnival is but most gringos don't even know about São João.Every thing here is much more expensive..$R200 nikes..$R1000 xbox $R20 a meal at burger king..$R1 a can of soda..$R5 for a can of beer in a bar $R50-$R100 dinner at a restaurant...the only things i can think of that are cheaper here are maybe..cigarettes and coconuts

[anamericaninbangkok]

Yeah, here in Thailand you'd be forgiven for thinking that we only let our worst citizens come here.

I guess i've grown cynical. I just saw bad behavior everywhere I went even when it was mostly europeans on an island like koh tao.

Incidentally, Bangkok is very different to what I imagined. It resembles Tokyo more than anywhere else I've been to. It's certainly nothing like China (well apart from ChinaTown). There's also less monging than I expected, I mean it's really just 3 or 4 streets in a city of 8 million people.

There's a lot more mongering than that especially when you get to know some thai joints. There are TONS of "teen spa & massage" spread out across the city where university girls give handjobs and blows that tourists never go to. When night rolls around there's a lot of freelancers around Lumpini park and around the Chinatown parks. Then there are the hardcore thai clientele street walkers around Petchaburi MRT. Then of course there are the downmarket Chinatown short time motel brothels and the like.

Bangkok has all sorts of hidden seediness. A thai friend told me that a decade ago they used to have a place that would give you a blowjob and a haircut.

The barbershops that did/do this are on the street next to Emporium. As far as I know, there was at least one or two places still doing this a couple of years ago. Also, they used to do it in Don Muang airport.

Xiongmao - you've been here how long? You make assumptions when you really don't know what's what. There's two or three streets within five blocks of my house that have massage parlors (soapies) and karaokes, not to mention Thai style pubs where you can hook up. There are an endless number of Thai places throughout Bangkok - if you've only seen 3 or 4 streets with red-light establishments you've got a long way to go before you see them all.

[Repatriate]

I got the impression anyway that the way one looks, dresses, and and presents oneself carries more weight than in most places. Superficial issues drive a lot of the respect one gets and credibility one has with others.

Yeah my Italian friend said the same thing. He says it's all style over substance and that Italians living in Rome were jaded as f**k. I imagine they behave pretty much the same as during the ancient times living in their patrician enclaves with a look of scorn on their faces towards all outsiders.

As for UK, I know mostly London and you see a lot of sharp and smart people there. But the real regular Brits you see outside of the capital may be what you describe, I don't know. I have met some mild mannered Brits in Taiwan before and don't forget Xiongmao who fits that totally. Perhaps he can comment more on the English and Scots.

Don't get me wrong I have met nice Brits too but I always felt they came across as being much colder than Americans. I'm not comparing the superficial level of friendliness but they don't open up much. There's something really pretentious about the culture. I think the Brits who are on this forum are the rare exceptions.

I admit my sample size is skewed though but I will allocate a couple days in these cities in my upcoming global jaunt to get my finger on the pulse at least. I want to see Scotland even though I realize it's probably like the movie Trainspotting but the history there is interesting to me.

Never been to Australia. But a lot of Taiwanese go there these days for the lucrative working holiday available.

Asians aren't treated well in Australia but I find that a lot of study abroad fob students will just focus on their little social circles and ignore everything else around them so they are oblivious to the larger racism or bad behavior coming from Aussies.

[Mr.Darcy]

can't believe nobody has mentioned the USA

[ladislav]

So, basically, what we have here is movies/news vs. real life.

Fantasy: USA. Sensuous, emotional, forever smiling and enthusiastic people. Extremely beautiful and slim women who are liberated and have sex at will any time day and night and who can be approached and asked for sex and they just go with you. Very intelligent population. Everybody is happy and it's like an eternal holiday everywhere. Everyone is rich. Center of art, fashion and culture.
Great scenery and freedom.

Reality: self-absorbed, mistrustful, zombified and very unfriendly people. It's about as easy to meet women as it would be in Iran or Saudi Arabia and most are fat and plain looking. The smile is plastic-- the eyes are not smiling. Strict race, class and ethnic segregation everywhere. Little freedom because of millions of regulations stifling every step of life. Stiff penalties for even the smallest things.

[Maverick]

Criminality is so high it is ridiculous,people go missing with out a trace,things you take for granted like eating at an outdoor restaurant or bar you do at your own risk for fear of sticks ups on the whole restaurant or assassinations,every one is trying to cheat you out of money if you are a gringo,it is better to not even be out at night or talk to strangers,the police will not help you in fact they are so incompetent

This is what I always thought Brazil was like.

Until I ventured to Central/South America a few years ago, I thought it was ALL crime. Girls didn't even come into the picture for me. I think most Americans believe what I believed.

[MrPeabody]

I lived in the Netherlands for several years, and it is not as liberal as some people think. The regular Dutch are fairly conservative and would rather drink beer than smoke pot. There are also whole towns in the Netherlands where people still live and dress like the Amish. People confuse liberalism with tolerance. The Dutch have learned to be tolerant because they are a small country and they have to live together to keep the water out, but tolerance doesn't mean you approve of someone else's lifestyle.

As for the Italians, my mother was a traditional Italian woman who had very high regard for men. She always gave me positive messages of how good men are. Contrast this with boys growing up today with feminist mothers. I feel this has been an advantage, because women tend to naturally like me. I don't really have to work hard at it, and I think it probably has something to do with this programming early in life.

[Repatriate]

Every thing here is much more expensive..$R200 nikes..$R1000 xbox $R20 a meal at burger king..$R1 a can of soda..$R5 for a can of beer in a bar $R50-$R100 dinner at a restaurant...the only things i can think of that are cheaper here are maybe..cigarettes and coconuts

If you were going to visit Brazil or South America which products would you take from the U.S. to at least pay for your plane ticket? I'm guessing apple but maybe other stuff...

[skateboardstephen]

Every thing here is much more expensive..$R200 nikes..$R1000 xbox $R20 a meal at burger king..$R1 a can of soda..$R5 for a can of beer in a bar $R50-$R100 dinner at a restaurant...the only things i can think of that are cheaper here are maybe..cigarettes and coconuts

If you were going to visit Brazil or South America which products would you take from the U.S. to at least pay for your plane ticket? I'm guessing apple but maybe other stuff...

A decent lab top and a Smart phone should do it.

[skateboardstephen]

Every thing here is much more expensive..$R200 nikes..$R1000 xbox $R20 a meal at burger king..$R1 a can of soda..$R5 for a can of beer in a bar $R50-$R100 dinner at a restaurant...the only things i can think of that are cheaper here are maybe..cigarettes and coconuts

If you were going to visit Brazil or South America which products would you take from the U.S. to at least pay for your plane ticket? I'm guessing apple but maybe other stuff...

A decent lab top and a Smart phone should do it.

[skateboardstephen]

Criminality is so high it is ridiculous,people go missing with out a trace,things you take for granted like eating at an outdoor restaurant or bar you do at your own risk for fear of sticks ups on the whole restaurant or assassinations,every one is trying to cheat you out of money if you are a gringo,it is better to not even be out at night or talk to strangers,the police will not help you in fact they are so incompetent

This is what I always thought Brazil was like.

Until I ventured to Central/South America a few years ago, I thought it was ALL crime. Girls didn't even come into the picture for me. I think most Americans believe what I believed.

This is why i don't agree with a lot of posters who encourage people to be expats at the drop of a hat ..a lot of this countries are dangerous..and don't provide the same security as the U.S.