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[racechick]

I have a house in France, in the Haute Savoie ski area, its being renovated, the locals working on it are all very friendly, we get by in a mixture of French and English, share jokes and stories. The carpenter arranged for us to go paragliding with his mates from the top of Les Arc(Magic!) and we have been out to lunch with several of the artisans. next door is a very old farmer and his family who have invited us into their home. Also when I worked in Italy everyone was so friendly.
You cannot generalise like this, you have to take people as you find them .There are good and bad in all nations. There are national characteristics which tend to predipose you to think a certain way, but when it comes to individuals, I find most are reasonable. (Football yobs of any nation excluded!!!)

[Gaz]

I have a house in France, in the Haute Savoie ski area, its being renovated, the locals working on it are all very friendly, we get by in a mixture of French and English, share jokes and stories. The carpenter arranged for us to go paragliding with his mates from the top of Les Arc(Magic!) and we have been out to lunch with several of the artisans. next door is a very old farmer and his family who have invited us into their home. Also when I worked in Italy everyone was so friendly.
You cannot generalise like this, you have to take people as you find them .There are good and bad in all nations. There are national characteristics which tend to predipose you to think a certain way, but when it comes to individuals, I find most are reasonable. (Football yobs of any nation excluded!!!)

Yeh i agree you get nice people and nasty people in every culture etc..

[AKR]

This makes for a very interesting topic. In mainland Europe, the English (not the Scots, Irsh and Welsh) are seen by some as not likeable but for others they are just like anyone else and welcomed. When it comes to football very much no one likes the English. Tourist wise generally speaking the English are from what I have seen ok. Going back to football. In Croatia for example, when AC Milan played Liberpool in the Champions League final of 2005 and 2007, everyone went for AC Milan. When Barcelona played Arsenal in the 2006 final, same thing, everyone went for Barca. This is the case I found in Slovenija and Italy. (with the exception of the hardcore Inter-Milan fans in Italy that supported Liverpool over AC Milan). So I guess must be safe to say that virtually everyone on the mainland don't like English football clubs. As for the English themselves, what I dislike about a lot of them (but not all because not all are the same) is that when they come to Italy for example, the expect us to know English. I mean make an attempt to speak the language of the country. When I go to England I speak English so why is it that they should be any different to anyone else? Many a time I have delibrately pretended I cannot speak English because of such annoyance and disrespect. In Croatia a lot of Croatians do not like the English for political reasons. My mother doesn't like them, but I choose not to follow her example with that. In Slovenija, not that bad and lots of people can speak English, but again I choose to not speak English to tourists unless they first be polite enough to not assume that I can or know how to speak their language. At the end of the day they are in my country and this is how I and may other mainlanders feel about the whole language thing. It isn't just the bFrench and the Germans that have this mentality. But overall I don't have any personal distaste towards the English as everyone is different and there are good and bad in all nationalities.

[AKR]

I mean the itallians are worse when it comes to football violence.

No they are not. The English are the worst in the world when it comes to football violence. Heysel 1985 and that other incident that happened a few years later in the EPL against Liverpool. And many a time when Italian and English clubs play in Italy, especially Manchester United and Liverpool, the Italian police have their work cut out trying to control thr English hooligans who think they can come into my country and simply trash the place at their own will.

[stonemonkey]

what I dislike about a lot of them (but not all because not all are the same) is that when they come to Italy for example, the expect us to know English. I mean make an attempt to speak the language of the country. When I go to England I speak English so why is it that they should be any different to anyone else?

Good point AKR, part of it might be due to not having borders with other speaking nations but the education system here (in Scotland and I assume it's similar in England) definitely lets us down on that front.

[Denthúl]

Just looking at our history, you can see why the French don't like the English. I mean, who always wants to be out-done by their neighbour?

On a more serious note, I've never encountered any hostility towards me.

[Hanwombat]

I dont have a problem with any european counties and I have yet to be approached differently because I am English, I lived n Germany for 5 years and loved it there.

[Gaz]

I mean the itallians are worse when it comes to football violence.

No they are not. The English are the worst in the world when it comes to football violence. Heysel 1985 and that other incident that happened a few years later in the EPL against Liverpool. And many a time when Italian and English clubs play in Italy, especially Manchester United and Liverpool, the Italian police have their work cut out trying to control thr English hooligans who think they can come into my country and simply trash the place at their own will.

My mates been hospalised by Itallian police and as he got caught in a fight between the Itallians and English hoolgians and he was leaving the area walking and keepin his head down.

2 Italian police come up and for no reason just start attacking them one ended up with broken rib the other knocked unconsious.

Thats as bad as hooligan's to be fair.

The Itallian hooliagans do the same when they come to Manchester.

But there's more stabbings take place in italy because all the italian hooligans use knives.

Eitherway both sides are idiots for taking part in it.

[Gaz]

what I dislike about a lot of them (but not all because not all are the same) is that when they come to Italy for example, the expect us to know English. I mean make an attempt to speak the language of the country. When I go to England I speak English so why is it that they should be any different to anyone else?

Good point AKR, part of it might be due to not having borders with other speaking nations but the education system here (in Scotland and I assume it's similar in England) definitely lets us down on that front.

To be fair thats a generalisation, when i've gone abroad i've alway tried to speak as much of the language as possible i struggle because i'm not very good with lanaguages but i do try and i always learn to say please and thank you in the country i'm visiting so i can at least come across poliet not ingorant.

[stonemonkey]

i struggle because i'm not very good with lanaguages

Me too but in other countries they seem to learn a second or even third language from an early age whereas here it's often not taught until high school and even then it can be optional. There are schools that are an exception and there are people growing up with parents/relatives who speak other languages too.

[bud]

what I dislike about a lot of them (but not all because not all are the same) is that when they come to Italy for example, the expect us to know English. I mean make an attempt to speak the language of the country. When I go to England I speak English so why is it that they should be any different to anyone else?

Yeah tell that to all the immigrants that move to Australia an ENGLISH speaking nation who do not learn English! now thats way worse than just a tourist.
I for one wouldnt learn a language if i was passing through for 3 weeks.

[EwanM]

what I dislike about a lot of them (but not all because not all are the same) is that when they come to Italy for example, the expect us to know English. I mean make an attempt to speak the language of the country. When I go to England I speak English so why is it that they should be any different to anyone else?

Yeah tell that to all the immigrants that move to Australia an ENGLISH speaking nation who do not learn English! now thats way worse than just a tourist.
I for one wouldnt learn a language if i was passing through for 3 weeks.

[Gaz]

what I dislike about a lot of them (but not all because not all are the same) is that when they come to Italy for example, the expect us to know English. I mean make an attempt to speak the language of the country. When I go to England I speak English so why is it that they should be any different to anyone else?

Yeah tell that to all the immigrants that move to Australia an ENGLISH speaking nation who do not learn English! now thats way worse than just a tourist.
I for one wouldnt learn a language if i was passing through for 3 weeks.

I'm not saying i'd learn the language.

just the basics.

i know what AKR means tho theres the sterotypical english biggot that goes abroad and acts as if everyone should understand him, and is supprised and disgusted when they don't

That said the french are just as bad because they often want to just speak french futhermore its caused accidents in air traffic control because of there unwillingness to understand english instructions or the fact they only can see their side of the picture not everything else thats said on comms

[madbrad]

I don't think there's any of that around these parts.

How long has it been like that on mainland Europe? Might it have something to do with them going into Iraq/Afghanistan, so they get lumped in with the Americans, who have not enjoyed favour in Europe since the world wars?

[McLaren Fan]

I mean the itallians are worse when it comes to football violence.

No they are not. The English are the worst in the world when it comes to football violence. Heysel 1985 and that other incident that happened a few years later in the EPL against Liverpool. And many a time when Italian and English clubs play in Italy, especially Manchester United and Liverpool, the Italian police have their work cut out trying to control thr English hooligans who think they can come into my country and simply trash the place at their own will.

I think England and Italy both have problems with football hooliganism. At club level, hooliganism has been dealt with pretty well in England. At international level, things are better than they were, but far from perfect. Italian international fans are not too bad, but at club level, some of what goes on during matches is frightening - and I say that from my own experience.