Which countries do you think have the friendliest and unfriendliest people?
For me
Friendliest:
1. Colombia
2. Greece
3. China
Unfriendliest:
1. France
2. Germany
3. Italy
[ Edit: Edited on 1 Mar 2025, 05:50 GMT by 26ww ]
Friendliest countries and least friendliest countries?
I think this has the potential to be both inflammatory and an interesting discussion. Hmm.
I found Sri Lankans very welcoming.
Israel was at the other end of the scale for me.
There are friendly and unfriendly people in every country. I don't categorise individuals by the country they live in.
I don't like the sentiments behind this post.
For me there are two aspects - one is the attitude of the government towards me. And the other is the people who live there, and because I am a visitor, most of the people I meet are in the hospitality industry.
I have not been to Greece or China, but when I was visiting Colombia from a cruise ship, they sent a destroyer to check on us, which I didn't think was very friendly. The actual people I met were perfectly fine. Although I was told that it would not be safe to get off the ship.
There is an internet friend who has written about her visit to North Korea. She said the people there were lovely. But I just could not visit there to find out because of the current regime. Our family lost a family member in the Korean War and his body has never been recovered.
In general, people tend to be nice to me. There are some places where I don't feel safe or comfortable. But it isn't necessarily country related. Some places in my own country and in my own state make me feel that way. For instance Bowie, MD -I'd rather not go back there ever again. I was born and grew up in Baltimore, but there are some places in the city that I would be uncomfortable visiting. The same for Washington D.C. and San Francisco.
There are places in the Bahamas and the Caribbean and also I think in France where it is considered rude to go up to someone and start asking for service without greeting the person politely first. If you go to a bar and asked the bartender for a drink without saying Hello first, he will give you the drink, but he will be cold and unfriendly because you have been rude. And people from the USA tend to be abrupt and rude in that way. So I have to remind myself to be polite. When I am polite, people are friendly
Friendliest?
Philippines
Ethiopia
Many others
Rude?
Belarus
WOW!!! The OP must be a very unkind or inexperienced person if he think people in France, Germany and Italy are not friendly. But maybe this is only a language problem?
But to say: coming to a forum as a new user and the only contribution is such a senseless rating by far is not the best entry.
When I worked in France over 25 years ago, everyone I worked with said Parisians were rude (or worse language). If you only visit Paris, you might get that firm impression…..
Quoting BeateR
WOW!!! The OP must be a very unkind or inexperienced person if he think people in France, Germany and Italy are not friendly. But maybe this is only a language problem?
But to say: coming to a forum as a new user and the only contribution is such a senseless rating by far is not the best entry.
Well, I have met some kind people from Germany (an old man tried to help me find directions despite not knowing English) and had some good conversations with French tourists outside of their country. The problem is that as a Jordanian, I faced lots of racism in France and Germany (probably due to anti Muslim/immigrant and white nationalism). Parisian waiters literally ignored me, when I speak French to them they gave me dirty looks and when I speak English. And not just in Paris, I went to Cannes during the film festival last year and in bars I’ve heard French people making racist remarks toward me behind my back in French. I’ve only been to the northern parts of Germany and the customer service is a lot better (they didn’t ignore me like the Parisians). But they treated me ruder than how they treated their fellow white customers. In Italy the Italians are fine, but the actual problem is that I was pickpocketed by Romanian Gypsies three times. I even had my credit card stolen ;(. Technically I should’ve said Romania instead of Italy but I’ve never been to Romania so I can’t comment on the ordinary Romanians on their own habitat.
- 7: Ofcourse, you are right in a way: French people don't like to speak or even understand every foreign language. And if they understand, they do imagine that they don't. So if in France you should speak at least a few words in france. We don't also, but with a smile and a "try to do" it always works.
Quoting DAOonVT
When I worked in France over 25 years ago, everyone I worked with said Parisians were rude (or worse language). If you only visit Paris, you might get that firm impression…..
Yes I’d have to agree that Parisians aren’t very nice people.
I have to add that I find the Scot’s very friendly and engaging. They have a great sense of humour 