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Post by Nikki on Feb 17, 2009 21:30:11 GMT -5
^ Just to add on to that (rather comprehensive!) list:
I was really surprised at people in Seoul, South Korea. It's a massively bustling city and yet when my friend and I were wondering around trying to find our hotel, this guy in a business suit actually stopped and helped us locate it. He did much more than anyone ever would have done in New York. His English was shaky, but after he had figured out the name/address of where we were going, he was running around stopping other Korean people trying to figure out how to get there. He even wandered into stores to ask for directions FOR us in Korean. And then he literally walked us all the way there, gave us his business card and told us to call him if we needed any help in the future. By writing this I realize perhaps it sounds sketchy - but he was just being very, very kind. He said he had traveled to English speaking countries before and understood how frustrating it could be not being able to speak the language well.
I sent him an email when I got back to thank him for his kindness. It was a rare occurrence and greatly appreciated. I didn't especially like Seoul, but that one guy definitely made a difference.
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Post by juancarlos on Feb 23, 2009 6:46:22 GMT -5
Serge,
Word of advice about the Philippines: don't travel there on your own. It would be best if you already know locals who can meet you and show you places. Otherwise, it can be quite dangerous for foreigners, especially in Manila and in Mindanao. Excluding the occasional criminal or cheat, Filipinos are one of the most friendly and hospitable peoples on the planet.
JC
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Post by jefe on Mar 1, 2009 2:18:15 GMT -5
IHong Kong - Not so much! Luckily, I know some great people there so it didn't affect my enjoyment of the place. Maybe next time you can introduce some of your GREAT friends to me sometime. ;D Serge, Word of advice about the Philippines: don't travel there on your own. It would be best if you already know locals who can meet you and show you places. Otherwise, it can be quite dangerous for foreigners, especially in Manila and in Mindanao. Excluding the occasional criminal or cheat, Filipinos are one of the most friendly and hospitable peoples on the planet. JC I am NOT a Filipino, nor of Filipino descent (ie, foreigner  ) and have been to the Philippines about 13-14 times, and was heavily involved in Filipino cutural groups in the USA when I lived there. My godmother is Filipino-American. For sure, many of my best friends are Filipinos. I have been all over Metro Manila, Cebu and Mindanao, and have never experienced anything except kindness, friendliness, etc. Indeed the first time I ever went to Manila, I rode a bicycle by myself from Quezon City to San Juan to Pandacan to Binondo all day and experienced NO issue or problem at all. The only thing was that I had to *go*, and used an outdoor public facility that was more like an open sewer, but that is all. I took tricycles several times in General Santos (Mindanao) and went to find eating / shopping places myself and experienced NOTHING extraordinary. Maybe it is partly because I can reply to people in Taglish and they wonder what part of the Philippines I am from, or if I am Fil-Am. Sure, many Filipinos are looking out for handouts, but that does not upset anyone with any travel savvy such as Serge. What I hope to dispel completely is that the Philippines is a dangerous place and not suitable for visitors. HK people shun the Philippines for that reason. They would rather go to Thailand and get bombed and sequestered at the airports. |
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Post by jefe on Mar 1, 2009 2:19:51 GMT -5
Indeed, some of the nastiest people I have met were Asian Americans.  |
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Ikuzo
New Member
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Post by Ikuzo on Mar 1, 2009 4:29:24 GMT -5
We are nice cause we want your money =3, majority.
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Post by admin on Mar 1, 2009 13:18:20 GMT -5
IHong Kong - Not so much! Luckily, I know some great people there so it didn't affect my enjoyment of the place. Maybe next time you can introduce some of your GREAT friends to me sometime. ;D I will be happy to do so! You will have to brave LKF, however, as that's where they seem to like to meet. Jefe, I have been to some sketchy places for sure! I am looking forward to going to the RP. I'll have plenty of folks over there to take me around, so I am not worried as far as that goes. Also, as you say, I pack a little travel knowhow so I should be able to sidestep trouble. I do realize that Manila is not Tokyo, but neither is Mexico City. Oh and about Thailand, I think I'd be more worried about getting run into by a scooter than any sort of bombing! |
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Post by jefe on Mar 2, 2009 8:37:56 GMT -5
Maybe next time you can introduce some of your GREAT friends to me sometime. ;D I will be happy to do so! You will have to brave LKF, however, as that's where they seem to like to meet. So, were you saying that OUTSIDE LKF, you rarely met friendly people? I do rarely go to LKF -- only if I am meeting someone -- I normally don't go there to hang out. |
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conorsoccr23
Junior Member
EAN Spelling Bee Winner!
Posts: 158
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Post by conorsoccr23 on May 25, 2010 18:49:23 GMT -5
up front they r friendly but they r cheap and greedy deep down
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Post by Ganbare! on Jun 7, 2010 22:34:52 GMT -5
Admittedly, I have limited exposure to real Asians from Asia as I've only been once and most of my friends of Asian descent in the West grew up here. Unless they are too white-washed they definitely have the 'family is everything, screw everybody else' mentality rob highlighted even more if you're not from the same country worse if you are not Asian at all. Although there are exceptions to that rule.
I have never felt they were friendly, their inherent reserve always felt cold to me. I don't believe they are like some people described them, they are simply polite not friendly on the outside nor on the inside. Canadians are nice with everybody but real friendship is hard-earned with them, the opposite of the French, not nice on the outside but easier to befriend once you know them. Asians really are among the least friendly people I know.
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Post by toyomansi on Jun 12, 2010 23:51:06 GMT -5
I think they are generally very friendly. I guess judging if people are friendly or not, has more to do with a person's own experiences and subjective opinions. Of course, all places in the world have both friendly and unfriendly people.
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Szymon Von Zalyn
Full Member
50% Polish of Prussian descent, 25% Italian, 25% kalmyk, but 100% English.
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Post by Szymon Von Zalyn on Oct 30, 2010 9:10:46 GMT -5
If you do not force yourself on to people and you treat someone with respect, most people will be friendly.
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Yingy
Junior Member
Snozzberries? Who ever heard of a snozzberry?
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Post by Yingy on Nov 3, 2010 3:30:54 GMT -5
Friendly to your face talk crap behind your backs. I love it when I get the happy smiles and good deals but as soon as I leave it's smack talk time. That's how you know they care  |
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Post by sim on Mar 20, 2011 7:33:08 GMT -5
No, Asian people are not friendly. They'll watch you drown in your car..... standing a stone's throw away.... and do absolutely nothing. I meant to write this tongue in cheek, but the whole "gawk and do nothing" approach seems quite Asian. I've experienced it personally in China (with my own accidents) and saw it first-hand in Malaysia (where people were filming people dying in their cars instead of calling police). I get the sense, very generally speaking of course, that in many Asian cultures, it's a "love your family, but f*ck everyone else" approach to matters. Really makes me miss home where you go out of your way for neighbours and even strangers. Sorry for the rant/aside. Needless to say, I despise people that "do nothing" Wow, I'm commenting on a post that's 2 years old. But really? Chinese people are SO friendly...you've just got to stick to the shops ;-) They are seriously friendly when they are trying to sell you something.....I wonder why.... |
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Post by helloagain on Mar 31, 2011 18:50:23 GMT -5
Are grapes green? Some are some aren't, that's been my experience.  |
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) and have been to the Philippines about 13-14 times, and was heavily involved in Filipino cutural groups in the USA when I lived there. My godmother is Filipino-American. For sure, many of my best friends are Filipinos.
