1. Maybe this isn't news but most Europeans see Americans as rude, arrogant and ungrateful.
2. Some guy selling fake leather bags in Venice approached me and when I told him, "No," he called me a "Cowboy!!!" Is that the funniest thing you've ever heard?!?!
3. The Italian merchants do not usually have change for the money you give them when paying. They actually ask other people to change the bill or actually go to people out on the street or to another merchant, while you wait, to retrieve change. I'm beginning to think this might be a scam and they hope you will just say, "Forget the change," and move on. Hmmm....
4. Meeting Americans in Europe makes me feel right at home.
5. Any state in my country will now feel like home having ventured this far away and to such unfamiliar territory. So, as far away as, say, California used to seem now just seems like a "hop, skip and a jump away."
6. I think I may be too Southern for my own good. I keep smiling at everyone and they seem annoyed by it. Strange. Can they actually tell that I'm American just by looking at me?
7. I'm much too friendly. I'm always saying, "Hey guys!" or "No problem!" Now this may sound harmless but I asked an Australian friend of ours from the bus today about it and they said it was, "Typical American." I'm beginning to think that I may be perceived as Kathy Bates' character in Fried Green Tomatoes!
8. I had no idea that leaving a tip was another, "American trait." Sheesh! We were at dinner tonight with a bunch of Aussies and when we left a tip they said, "Of course, the Americans!" Well, leaving a tip is a good thing, right?
9. Before this trip Mickey and I debated whether or not to slap some Canadian flag patches onto our backpacks and just pretend we were Canadian. We'd heard so many bad things about how locals and other travelers disliked Americans. However, we sustained from such action because we thought we'd change their perception of Americans!
10. Lo and behold we're on the Vatican tour and one of the Brits asks a Canadian why so many Canadians have their country flag plastered all over their stuff. His reply? "Because they don't want people to think that they're American!"
Well, yippe kay ay!
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This was great!! I had heard stories about how the European people truly disliked Americans?!! I guess it's true?! I guess we need lessons in being rude!! But like the song says, "I'm proud to be an American"!!
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