Comments on: The foreigner nod http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/ travel culture worldwide Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alicia http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-37928 Alicia Wed, 07 Apr 2010 02:25:02 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-37928 Hi Anne! This article is dead on! I wish I'd had friendlier encounters in Korea. It seemed I always got the Dead Eyes. I mentioned it one day to a group of people and some guy explained: "If we were back home I wouldn't talk to you randomly on the street; so why would I talk to you just because we are in a foreign country?" I can see where he was coming from but sometimes I could literally see people trying to "not see" me as we passed by. I know you saw me like two blocks ago! Hi Anne! This article is dead on! I wish I’d had friendlier encounters in Korea. It seemed I always got the Dead Eyes. I mentioned it one day to a group of people and some guy explained: “If we were back home I wouldn’t talk to you randomly on the street; so why would I talk to you just because we are in a foreign country?” I can see where he was coming from but sometimes I could literally see people trying to “not see” me as we passed by. I know you saw me like two blocks ago!

]]> By: Rosie http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-37819 Rosie Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:12:07 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-37819 I never understand those fellow travellers that avoid eye contact. I love to talk to fellow travellers & learn their stories. Why they are on the road & in that particular place. met a lot of lovely people this way & heard many great stories. I never understand those fellow travellers that avoid eye contact. I love to talk to fellow travellers & learn their stories. Why they are on the road & in that particular place. met a lot of lovely people this way & heard many great stories.

]]> By: Heather Carreiro http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-37478 Heather Carreiro Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:44:18 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-37478 I'm not sure I've experienced the nod! In Pakistan, we saw so few foreigners that we usually ended up chatting with them and getting into some great conversations. Either that, or it we were in a restaurant with local friends and came across some other foreigners with their local friends, we'd just avoid eye contact and talk about them later! They probably did the same with us. I’m not sure I’ve experienced the nod! In Pakistan, we saw so few foreigners that we usually ended up chatting with them and getting into some great conversations. Either that, or it we were in a restaurant with local friends and came across some other foreigners with their local friends, we’d just avoid eye contact and talk about them later! They probably did the same with us.

]]> By: Molly http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-37000 Molly Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:19:38 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-37000 This article is so true! I love meeting people when traveling and hearing their story of why they are in the same spot as me. It's also always mind blowing when you meet someone from the same area as you or that knows the same person. I was in Venice last February during Carnevale and actually met the cousin of a random friend. But I can be a little understanding of the frustration of some travelers. I would never be annoyed with someone being in the same place as me, but I hate being associated with the same obnoxious behavior other travelers can have. The same weekend I was in Venice there were a lot of other American students celebrating Carnevale who were drunken fools the entire time. I like to remain low-key instead :) This article is so true! I love meeting people when traveling and hearing their story of why they are in the same spot as me. It’s also always mind blowing when you meet someone from the same area as you or that knows the same person. I was in Venice last February during Carnevale and actually met the cousin of a random friend. But I can be a little understanding of the frustration of some travelers. I would never be annoyed with someone being in the same place as me, but I hate being associated with the same obnoxious behavior other travelers can have. The same weekend I was in Venice there were a lot of other American students celebrating Carnevale who were drunken fools the entire time. I like to remain low-key instead :)

]]> By: Marie http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-37054 Marie Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:34:33 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-37054 I agree with what some others have mentioned here that Japan is a particularly special place for these incidences (at both ends of the spectrum). My husband and I once had a Russian tourist cycle up to us in our small town on the coast where there are very few non-Japanese expats or travellers. He was so excited and animatedly told us how to get to the nearest beach (We had beach stuff with us.) and a whole bunch of other stuff I couldn't quite deduce until he finally took a breath long enough for us to indicate that we weren't Russian. He thought it was hilarious that he'd said all that and we hadn't a clue what he was talking about. At least we'd made a connection! I agree with what some others have mentioned here that Japan is a particularly special place for these incidences (at both ends of the spectrum).

My husband and I once had a Russian tourist cycle up to us in our small town on the coast where there are very few non-Japanese expats or travellers. He was so excited and animatedly told us how to get to the nearest beach (We had beach stuff with us.) and a whole bunch of other stuff I couldn’t quite deduce until he finally took a breath long enough for us to indicate that we weren’t Russian. He thought it was hilarious that he’d said all that and we hadn’t a clue what he was talking about. At least we’d made a connection!

]]> By: Paul Sullivan http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-37049 Paul Sullivan Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:25:22 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-37049 That was very funny and very true - thanks Anne. That was very funny and very true – thanks Anne.

]]> By: Chris http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-37002 Chris Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:30:17 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-37002 I wish I lived there. I remember the good times when I was traveling abroad and a local would do just about anything to help you. I feel that when abroad that is ignored and taken for granted while the traveler thinks he is entitled to it. Being back home it is depressing how no one waves, no one cares, only focused on their single path. I think that all tourists or travelers should take advice from these cultures and understand how lucky they are to be amongst people whose days are made when you butcher their language just to try and order some noodles. That is appreciation for different cultures. I wish I lived there. I remember the good times when I was traveling abroad and a local would do just about anything to help you. I feel that when abroad that is ignored and taken for granted while the traveler thinks he is entitled to it. Being back home it is depressing how no one waves, no one cares, only focused on their single path. I think that all tourists or travelers should take advice from these cultures and understand how lucky they are to be amongst people whose days are made when you butcher their language just to try and order some noodles. That is appreciation for different cultures.

]]> By: Hal Amen http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-36978 Hal Amen Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:48:44 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-36978 Great to see this MatadorTravel blog post show up on the Network! Great to see this MatadorTravel blog post show up on the Network!

]]> By: joshua johnson http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-36971 joshua johnson Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:04:11 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-36971 I like to give a variation of The Nod to travelers who come through my city...I think in America people ten to look past travelers little more. Giving someone the nod or saying hi makes me feel good and lets me in on the vicarious world of their journey. I like to give a variation of The Nod to travelers who come through my city…I think in America people ten to look past travelers little more. Giving someone the nod or saying hi makes me feel good and lets me in on the vicarious world of their journey.

]]> By: Abbie http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/the-foreigner-nod/#comment-36970 Abbie Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:26:12 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2956#comment-36970 Great list - it's so true! Great list – it’s so true!

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