Americans and their treatment in Europe now
I read in the WSJ about the American athletes being booed in Italy during the opening ceremonies. We are wondering how the Americans on Tauck tours are being treated by others on the tour and the native populations.
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Most of the Tauck travelers are from the US. (I've traveled with a few from the UK, Australia, Portugal and Switzerland.) I have not experienced any negative reactions from locals in countries that I have visited with Tauck.
We did the Scandinavia tour last summer after all the silly Greenland talk started. Our Copenhagen local guide made it clear she was pretty unimpressed by the threat but otherwise was very nice. Most people separate individuals from their government's actions. But if you are a supporter of the current administration and advertise that there, they might not be so understanding. You're free to support what you want, but others are free to react.
The American athletes were not booed; the American VP and his wife were. That is a big difference.
Like any place, you will have a gamut of opinions. I heard pro American, anti American, pro Trump, and anti Trump sentiments. The Tauck tour guides have always been neutral about American politics.
SandyFeet is absolutely correct in that the U.S. athletes were not booed.
It is always prudent to not discuss politics and other potentially divisive subjects when traveling abroad. This includes when interacting with other Tauck guests. Your goal should be to enjoy yourself and to have an enriching experience, not to bring along excess baggage (pun intended). In my opinion, you will find far more animosity here than in Europe.
You are a guest in their country. Treat them with respect and you, in turn, will be treated with respect. Make an attempt to learn a few words in their language and give a sincere smile when entering a shop, restaurant or when greeting someone on the street.
Enjoy your trip.
Thanks. I didn't watch the opening ceremonies and trusted the Wall Street Journal's report, "...the U.S. delegation entered the San Siro stadium here on Friday night to a chorus of boos and disapproving whistles from the international crowd of more than 65,000. The jeering only intensified when Vice President JD Vance appeared on the big screen during Team USA’s arrival." By Joshua Robinson and Marcus Walker
Will post some reviews upon our arrival home from "Hidden Greece".
I watched the opening ceremonies. The stadium cheered almost as much for the American athletes as for the Italian athletes. When Vance and his wife appeared on the jumbo-tron people booed. I don't care what the WSJ said - I was watching. I was actually holding my breath a bit because I half expected some boos based on the current political situation. I thought to myself - "well.... there are 200 athletes in the American delegation. They must have a lot of friends and family in the audience.
" I was happy for them. Athletes should never have to be caught up in politics. I suppose it could be that the WSJ reporters were mixed in next to a very European crowd and didn;t have the perspective of hearing the entire stadium. There was an article in the Washington Post where many of the commenters who watched the opening ceremonies brought up the deserved jeering and boos towards Vance's appearance on the jumbo-tron, so other people saw the same thing that I did.
+1 to kfnknfzk's comments above.
Best general travel advice I've heard was from my favorite Tauck tour director: Remember where you are - not where you're from.
I think most people just feel sorry for us.
It's possible that TV audio of the opening ceremony would not have caught boos heard in the actual stadium. I'm less and less impressed with TV audio which is why the current uproar over the Superbowl halftime artist leaves me completely indifferent. I haven't enjoyed most of the performances even from artists whose music I follow. It might be a great show in the stadium but doesn't really work for the home viewer. I'll just enjoy the game, the ads and go back to watching the Olympics when it's over.
Always consider your news source. Think critically.
Some travel advice I have received was that “a smile is a smile in any language”, but smiling has a funny way of identifying us as Americans. Some European cultures don’t have the fixation with smiling that we do.
I know we are going off subject, but so much stuff on this forum is focused on Europe. Europe is a small part of the entire world and there are many countries out there who don’t give a fig about what is going on in the US and who Americans are. The Olympic audience is likely biased towards European countries and the US, first world countries, because they are the only ones who can afford the tickets. We have to think globally.
mikes - Your tour director was very astute.
It is not that you have traveled but how you have traveled that matters.
Europeans are far... more educated to know that the majority of the population does not agree with the policies implemented and unless you personally got booed by your nationality, I would not echo that information.
Just chill and enjoy your trip....
If something .. the rest of the world must be asking themselves..., how did we get here?
I have several friends in France, Germany and the UK, all of them are aghast inthe way this country is run. Check with any of youreuropean friends andcolleagues to find out how they feel
Thanks for the comments from all. No intent to be political or controversial. Intent is to be informed. We do our best to not be "the ugly American".
Remember too that when you're traveling with Tauck, you're somewhat insulated from the average man on the street. Most of the people you will have contact with are dependent on the tourist industry or luxury clientele. Back in the seventies, I got much more negative feedback about America when I was a poor student traveler staying at cheap hotels and hostels. Traveling in the Tauck luxury bubble, you're fairly insulated. Just leave your MAGA hat at home.
I spent a summer in the USSR in 1969. I spent a month in a dorm in Leningrad with a group of Russian language students. I was there when the US landed on the moon. Our dorm floor had a bulletin board with daily posts from Izvestia and Pravda detailing the flight of Apollo 11, from liftoff to landing on the moon (which resulted in a new word in Russian -- prelunitsa) to the return to earth ( prezemlitsa) and my group of US students was able to listen to the moon landing (thanks to a group of Swiss students' radio) and watch the first walk on the moon on a small black and white TV provided by our Soviet Union hosts. Even though we were at the height of the cold war, the young people that I met were more than welcoming -- to put it mildly. People are people. Mir miru (peace to the world)!
MCD - For you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS5_EQgbuLc&list=RDnS5_EQgbuLc&start_radio=1
Thanks, BKMD. A great way to start my day!
I like Mike's comments. We go to Europe twice a year and I've seen much empathy for Americans and a sadness at the change in our country. Since last Fall, however, I've noticed an impatience that Americans knowingly voted him in a second time and that Europeans don't understand why Americans aren't being more pro-active, no national work stoppages, continuing marches,etc. So, this Spring will be interesting when we return. I won't do it but maybe I should put some maple leaves on my luggage and adopt the Canadian "eh".
I don’t want to get too political, but last September, when we were in Verona, Italy, four of us went to a cafe for a light evening meal. The owner sat us at an outdoor table, then after our meal, as we were leaving, he was sitting at his bar. He called out to us and motioned us over. He wanted to know if we voted for Trump (in his Italian accent). The lady with us politely said “as an American, we reserve the right not to say who we voted for”. He laughed and offered to buy us drinks in which the two men in our group indulged. We talked for a good half hour and it ends up that he likes Trump. He said there is an illegal immigration problem in Italy and it is taxing their system. Funny, but he said their prime minister is like a female Trump.
I’m with Susan on this. Over many years, the folks that bring up politics are normally just interested and curious. Private jet in South Africa, British couple started in on Trump (fall 2016 before he was elected), we listened, added a comment or two and asked how their PM and Britex was going for them. They laughed and that ended the political talk!
Not Europe, but Jordan and Egypt folks were very happy he is in place.
The main differences from the British system and American system is that the British prime minister can be kicked out.
I believe there is something seriously wrong with our country when we fear being identified as Americans while abroad, and this fear cannot go away soon enough for me. Please note that I am not talking about the stereotypical “Ugly American” who has every right to be criticized. The case now is that the “ugliness” lies inside us. I will get off my soapbox and yield to the forum judges.
IMO, Europeans are more attuned to this, as they learned a lot more about 1930s Germany and the rise of fascism than we did, and recognize the US going down this path. That said, I have been to Europe twice since our demented dictator regained power and I haven't noticed any issues being identified as American.
Can I remind everyone that his is a TAUCK TRAVEL forum.
The original poster did ask a legitimate travel question
British: I realize that but it segued into a political discussion with adjectives just so-o unnecessary. Let’s send positive thoughts for Nancy Guthrie instead.
I agree, this has turned into a political discussion and this is not the purpose of this forum.