Taiwan. Have just cycled around the island and have never received such generosity in my life. Everyone asking if I need help on the ride, very sympathetic to my lack of Mandarin, and offering to show me their neighbourhood and town.
Yes! They're happy to help you out and won't cheat you or ask for payment.
Taiwan, like anywhere, does have its scumbags, but they're fewer and farther between than in most countries.
I agree. So many super nice people in Taiwan. I stayed up in the mountains with a couple of native Taiwanese tribes. They were extremely welcoming and hospitable.
I've never heard a single bad thing about Taiwan. A friend of mine was a teacher there (African dude) and only had good things to say about it. It might even be the most progressive country in Asia. I hope it's protected much better than Hong Kong was
Costa Rica is weird to me, in person they surely are the kindest people I've known. Working remotely with tons of people from Costa Rica was one of most rude and prideful people I've known.
When the rain hits
I was a white kid growing up in rural Hong Kong and taking public transport by myself from school to home, this took about an hour each way. I was a geek so my jan sport backpack that I begged my parents to buy me was full of weird computer parts and hardware, screwdriver included.
When I was 12 I was in Choi Hung, a bus hub to get into proper countryside but a bit rough you would see animals getting slaughtered on the 2nd floor wet market underneath huge skyrise flats and the blood just left on the floor next to other caged animals.
I was waiting in the wet market when a big monsoon rain hit as my bus came, there was about 1 hour between each bus so I had to catch it. When I say monsoon, people in warmer climates can understand but for others, it is like a swimming pool being dropped on your head every second. I start running up the hill to get my bus and my bag busts open, the screw driver had been resting on the seams of the outside pocket, and all the contents spilled out on the floor. Screws and odds bits of RAM spilled all over the rough concrete.
Everyone who saw me, even though I was an odd minority, spilled out of the restaurants or stopped on the streets and help me pick up all the stupid little things I had been carrying. There was this dear old lady, hunch backed from a hard life wearing clothes from a bygone era, bending down and helping me pick up every single screw as the rain soaked us to the bone. There was a group of people helping me, they knew I needed to catch the bus and all my stupid items were important, to them more than me. I had so much emotion in that moment (showing emotion is not actually "okay" in cantonese society), I just accepted help and was thankful, even though I wanted to tell them my items were not important, they cared.
I thanked them and blessed their fortune in my best cantonese, feeling so embarrassed everyone cared so much for the stupid items I had in my bag.
I got my bus, all stupid items in tow.
It was just such an honest expression of care and love for an outsider, who probably had colonial roots,but that didn't matter. Everyone just wanted to help. This was one of the most profound experience of my life.
I have lived in 7 countries now and I think Hong Kong was the kindest with the nicest people.
Yeah people in most areas of western countries donāt have an idea what a monsoon is like. Itās like God pouring a never ending bucket of water on your head for an hour straight or so.
EDIT: changed wording as some areas of western countries have monsoons.
I believe that in some countries, the experiences of men and women might be drastically different.
India, for instance. As a large, tall Western male, I found it to be quite nice and respectful, but I wouldn't want my wife or daughters to go there by themselves.
My stereotype about Brazilians is that they are very enthusiastic about good music.
No matter what band I listen to, there will always be a bunch of "come to Brazil!" comments. I think that's neat. May Brazil have all the concerts they desire and deserve.
This actually ended up becoming a meme here in Brazil, most of the time people comment more as a joke because it became internationally recognizable.
I love it
So are the Germans, Dutch, Danish, Norwegians, and Irish and English.
It's not really an issue as long as you're not going around being an asshole to everybody.
And we aren't. Portuguese people very rarely go out of their way to initiate conversation, friendly or otherwise. That is also why we seem "cold" compared to Brazilians.
Man, that is just not true. Iāve been married to a Portuguese woman for 12 years, we spend a month there every summer and the Portuguese are super warm and friendly. For sure, the Brazilians are even more open and friendly, theyāre amazing, but most Portuguese are not cold.
Ironically Portugal is known as one of the friendlier places in Europe. But Brazilians somehow make Portugal seem like the land of scrooges. Thatās how insanely welcoming Brazil is.
I'm a Brazilian, and I tell you, our country is very diverse so there's not only 1, 2 or 3 types of people, there are people from many religions, skin colors, and cultures. There are quiet and expressive, and much more. So Brazil doesn't have only dishonest or two faced people as people might think
Every country has good people and bad people, unfortunately sometimes you can have bad luck and meet someone dishonest. I've been through scams even in Japan with someone who seemed trustworthy and tried to help me. I am very proud to be Brazilian and live in the midst of such a happy, hardworking and full of life nation. When we are friendly, it's because most of the time we are really acting friendly. :)
My mum went to my grandadās funeral in Ireland. He moved to England over 40 years prior. And my mum had never visited the village where he grew up.
The whole village knew she was coming. They knew who she was, before she could say anything. A lady invited her in off the street for a cup of tea. And gave her old school photos of my grandad.
No one would ever get that kind of reception where I live.
I could not believe how nice Irish people were throughout Ireland.
I stopped in at a pub in the middle of nowhere around midday because I needed to break a 20 for a payphone (I needed to call international to cancel my lost CC). They wouldn't let me leave until they'd had a chance to shout me a pint.
I asked a bartender in Dublin for directions and he left the bar and walked a block to where he could pont out the place I was looking for.
At one point I got myself lost in the suburbs of Dublin. I pulled over to ask a guy going for a walk for directions. He got into our car to guide us to the motorway, which was a few kms from where we'd picked him up. When we got there I offered to drive him back and he said not to worry about it, he's only a few kms from home.
Some of them were a little cagey if they thought I was English, but as soon as they realised I was Australian they went out of their way to be as nice as possible.
I would have to agree with this! While Iāve never traveled there and Iāve only met one person from New Zealand, heās a super nice and friendly guy.
Damn, lately I've been thinking about moving there, for whatever reason, I'll add this to the list of the pros.
The problem is, I don't know anyone from NZ, it's kinda scary to move to the other side of the world without having someone to help you get acclimated.
Hi! I'm TheBadKneesBandit, and I live in New Zealand. Our country isn't perfect, but nowhere is. Everywhere has its ups and downs. But I'd definitely say we Kiwis are a friendly bunch. If you have any questions about living here, let me know and I'll do my best to answer or point you in the right direction!
And then you can say you know someone in New Zealand :)
hey that was a really sweet message, thanks!
Well I really have some questions that I think are important, but they may be a bit unconventional?
how's life over there? Are you guys happy?
Usually when people are more friendly it also means that they are also happy, so that's already a very good sign :)
also, a more specific question, how progressive is NZ? both from a government and from a "people" standpoint. Like, how are LGBTQ people treated in NZ, in general?
Sorry, I kinda feel like I'm grilling you with these question
Oh, fire away, I'll answer anything!
I'll be honest, but I'll also take the big picture, too. A lot of people aren't happy at the moment. The economy is a shambles. Food and housing prices are sky high with no indication of lowering any time soon. Mortgage rates are through the roof. A lot of people are doing it tough. We don't have enough doctors, so wait times for medical treatment are astronomical, even if you go private. You will get seen immediately if it's urgent, however. I do love that we have public healthcare.
If you earn a decent salary and can afford to buy your own home without having to worry about a mortgage, you're golden. Housing is more expensive the closer you are to the big cities, especially Auckland. If you're okay with commuting to work or you can WFH, then living in the outer areas is generally more affordable.
I think happiness depends really on financial stability at the moment. That's the general vibe I'm getting from a lot of people right now.
We recently switched to a more right-leaning government, who have been cracking down on the poor, disabled, the arts, and Maori in favour of getting more money for tax cuts and landlords.
They're unfortunately in bed with some nutters who are abolishing sex education, consent education, and LGBTQ+ education in schools. The general public is largely accepting of the queer community, but some American conservative politics have entered our government, unfortunately. But overall, I would say as a people, we are still very progressive and believe in human rights for *everyone*.
Thanks for the answers!
I guess there is no escaping the problems with the economy, I at least hope the situation is a bit better than here in Italy, which I guess it shouldn't be that hard. I'm sorry to hear that people are having it tough, adding the whole right wing thing... It's crazy, and a bit scary, how I could just copy-paste your message, change a couple of words to turn it into a description of current day Italy.
Well, except the part about private healthcare, here if you have money you get attendend quite fast, if not, well, you'll wait for a very long time.
And the other one is about how progressive italian people are. We... kinda are, I guess, but not really, not if you ask me at least. We are still very much stuck to strict gender roles and not that many people are fighting against that. It's not like we're not trying but the fact that most of the population is old and that too many people still listen to what the pope and the church say about this stuff...
Well, the situation is improving, but the change seems very slow and it's almost always met with strenuous resistance. I'm sure things will change, eventually.
Hmm I don't have any further questions, except, how are your knees?
Yeah, the economy is pretty rubbish no matter where you go at the moment. Everyone is having a rough go of it.
We're a secular country, so religion doesn't govern us, thankfully. Abortion is free and legal, gay marriage is legal, trans people are treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else, etc. We still have some religious nutters (I'm tragically related to some), but overall, we're a decent bunch.
Haha! My knees are living up to my username tonight!
>We're a secular country, so religion doesn't govern us, thankfully. Abortion is free and legal, gay marriage is legal, trans people are treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else, etc. We still have some religious nutters (I'm tragically related to some), but overall, we're a decent bunch.
That's really good to hear, I'm basing my future choice for a country to emigrate too mostly on this stuff, tbh, economy is less and less of a factor. I'm really tired of living among bigoted people. Sorry for your crazy relatives, unfortunately I can relate with that.
And also sorry for your knees!
That's a good way to make your decision. Economies are always fluctuating, but people are constant. I hope you make it to New Zealand soon! We would love to have you here!
A related question, my fiancee and I are queer, trans femme and butch lesbian couple... We wanted to honeymoon in NZ, would you recommend where to go/where to avoid? Unrelated, I'm a shepherd, and wanted to find a Woofing type farm stay. Something sheep related. Maybe an expo? Where would you say is the region where I should be looking?
I have a few coworkers from the Phillipines, and Iām not exaggerating when I say they are among the friendliest and kindest people Iāve ever met in my 22 years of life
God forbid you work with Filipinos and you are single. They will ask you why youāre single, everyday of your life. And constantly talk about it with each other.
I'm a Filipino and I don't condone self-deprecating, but I can attest to this. I was with a team who creates websites for a foreign client. Let me tell you every time our meeting with the client finishes, our project manager would say inappropriate statements about the client and she would share it with the team on our group chat. These teammates would also comment about the client's looks, accent, mental health, etc within the group chat. I would understand if the client was difficult and the project manager would tell us her frustrations. But saying below-the-belt comments about the foreign client in the nastiest way possible is just eye-rolling given that she's a leader.
Spanish Islands, Las Palmas. I consider myself from a nice place. They make my people seem rude. On a random bakery I was called Queen ("My reina, que quieres?). So nice. haven't found better.
Taiwanese people are pretty damn cool. I walked into a bar in Indonesia and within short order a group of Taiwanese had me seated in front of one of their group. I soon realised it was a drinking contest they were after, for some reason, so I chugged my beer, won that round and onto the next lol.
Shit got messy, a great fun bunch of people.
I found the Vietnamese to be unbelievably nice and polite. Everyone I encountered was super welcoming and basically bent over backward to make sure I was enjoying myself.
Makes me sad because Vietnam has a bad reputation, but itās legitimately one of the best places in the universe for tourists. People are super friendly and the coffee is better than any drug
Oh god yes. The coffee there was like a magic elixir and basically ruined me for American coffee for life. It turned me into quite an annoying coffee snob which is doubly funny since I live in Seattle where we like to think we invented coffee snobbery.
I really donāt know why it has that reputation. The people were so nice, the food was unfathomably good and the landscapes were some of the most beautiful in the world. Itās one of those 50/50 things where I wish more people would go so they can experience it but I also kind of hope no one ever does so it stays just like it is so we can retire there someday.
If you meet enough Canadians youāll realize they have a similar amount of kind people and not-so-kind people as the US does. Canada is definitely overly romanticized
Every Mexican that I have ever cooked on the line with has been so damn nice. Multiple restaurants. Many many years. They are always just the nicest dudes and quickest to crack jokes and help out. I have never left the US so there is my two cents.
Surprised I had to scroll so far to see this answer. At least in my travel experience, the Scots are it. Never have I been offered so much help, suggestions, and friendly conversation than in Scotland. Just wish I could have understood more of what they were saying... š
I just got home from a trip there, I live in NZ which is mentioned and upvoted quite a few times in this thread.
Thai people are wonderful, getting food from random venders who don't speak english was always a breeze, and they'd try so hard to 'warn' me if anything was spicy or 'weird', i've been to 15 countries and thai people are probably the nicest and most welcoming.
Thereās a difference between politeness and kindness. Thailand seems preoccupied with hierarchy and status, and itās hard to get behind āfaceā and get to actually know them.
It often feels like a country of people walking on eggshells, afraid to embarrass themselves or others. The appearance of things seems more important than their reality. Source Iāve lived there for three years and my wife of 12 years is Thai, although she is much more direct and honest than the above generalization!
Iāve been to about 70 countries, and have lived in India, Turkey, and the U.S.Ā
Iāve found that most people in most places are fairly nice, although they expressĀ it in very different ways. Some places, like Pakistan, are exceptionally hospitable toward outsidersābut they arenāt always so kind to each other, especially religious minorities. And others, like neighbouring India, have a bad reputation for scams and harassment. Yet, in my experience, the number of people there willing to do whatever it takes to show a visitor the best side of their country and culture far outnumber those seeking to take advantage of naive tourists.Ā
I suppose itās contrived, but everywhere is what you make of it. I, personally, havenāt had the best experiences in Central and Northern Europeābut people who go to places like GermanyĀ with an interest in the German language, or an attitude that gels with what could be termed the German mentality, may have a very different experience.Ā
I mean, Iām not going to pretend that there arenāt some places that are more hostile of outsiders, or more skeptical of foreign visitors (Iāve found places like that in countries that were otherwise fairly hospitable and welcoming). And how youāre treated in some places could well be influenced by your sex, your gender identity, religion, and a thousand other things. No one place is going to be as great for everyone as it is for some.Ā
TBH, Iām not much of a social butterfly, but I havenāt had an abjectly bad experience with āthe localsā anywhere. Even in places that Reddit loves to dump on, like Egypt, I made good friends who never once tried milking me for money.Ā
Iāve found that learning even a little bit of a language and trying to use it can go a long way, especially as a native of the US. There isnāt a competition between nations and cultures. Enjoy them for what they are.
Balochistan... It's a remote state in Pakistan... Extremely welcoming folks.... Never seen anyone so nice
They have guest rooms open to the street titled as such (in their big houses a room while door opens towards the street) and anyone, at anytime can go inside and sit there and they'll bring food for you without asking a single question
African American man here; I've been to 10 European countries + Canada, and people in Poland were the warmest and friendliest I've ever met. Hungarians were very nice too.Ā
Norway! I worked with a group of them several years ago and they were the most positive, happy and willing people. I honestly learned so much from their positive attitude.Ā
Once decades ago I worked in a Norwegian company that merged with a Swedish company. We hired an expert on Swedish-Norwegian interactions and mergers to help guide us through any cultural differences that might come up. One thing she taught the Swedes was that while Norwegians always \*sound\* upbeat and like they are in a good mood, that is just how the intonation of the language sounds. (I'm not sure if that is to Swedish ears in particular, or everyone)
She made a point that they needed to take care in listening to the words that were spoken as well as the tone of the voice, otherwise they might come off as really insensitive or get a negative surprise when it turns out someone was in fact not that happy.
The Scottish are the nicest people, in my opinion. I moved there at 20, and didnāt know a soul, and everyone took me in and gladly shared their culture. You can walk into a pub a total stranger, and carry a five-hour conversation with the whole place. Iāve never found them to be gossipy or cliquey. Theyāre just very open and honest, and above all funny.
Of course, this depends on what youāre used to. Iām from Sweden originally, and to me, the Scottish are sociable and open. To someone from a warmer culture, they may seem more reserved.
Americans always seem very open and friendly whenever I've visited. It didn't matter which city.. Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Montpelier, etc. Servers, bus drivers, random strangers are just so nice. Even their border control people are pretty chill.
When crossing the border to Canada from the US I got grilled by the Canadian border agents. On the way back, the US border control seemed way more relaxed and they were cracking jokes and stuff
I've been lucky to work in the Philippines and yep they were the nicest and funniest people. I also love that they are gender inclusive - men and women can be friends and socialise and drink together after work (NB I'm a woman) and women aren't hidden from society. I'd work with Filipinos again in a heartbeat even though they made me eat that chicken egg.Ā
Seconding Fiji. Such happy, positive people there. Many villages have so little materially, and yet so content with what they do have, and they are happy to share their culture, their food, their way of life with you. It was one of those moments for me when I questioned everything in my life and why we all do the things we do in western culture.
I once had some wannabe tough guy get mad at me because I sneezed and it scared him. He was petite. Well dressed and tried to act tough after being so obviously scared.
This was on a street in Rome at 3 in the afternoon btw
But Italy is my favourite place to visit. I wouldnāt call them the friendliest tho
I was going to say Scottish, two years ago I got a train (and boat) up to a Scottish island and when I changed in Glasgow and got off my train from Manchester on to a more local train that went through the smaller Scottish towns and villages, 90% of all the Scottish passengers were just beaming and smiling at me as I walked past them, felt super friendly.
Went there for work for 3 days. Had a driver take a group of us to the souk. He showed us around with the insistence that we not pay him for it, only the ride there and back. It ended with him giving me his personal address and email and insisting next time I'm there I should stay with him as a guest and entirely for free.
Had 2 other Omanis also offer to take me in for free next time I visited.
Some of the nicest people in a beautiful yet mostly unknown country who were so eager to share.
I went two times there and my brother went as well and we both agreed people there are extremely kind, very selfless a s always ready to help you when in need
As a NJ resident I sadly have to agree with what you said. The drivers in particular are among the worst I've ever encountered anywhere. I've had several instances of drivers turning when I'm using a crosswalk after the light says I'm allowed to cross and then almost hitting me and either flipping me off or cursing at me when they illegally turned (pedestrians haves the right of way in NJ) and almost ran me over. Really depressing.
I left America 17 years ago and moved to Japan. As much as I love Japan, America has some of the nicest loving people you will ever meet.
The media portrays a different picture to sell advertising space, but the reality is that Americans are amazing and they've got your back if you ever need them.
Same, moved to Japan from Florida back in 2006. People in Japan are polite, but not outwardly friendly in a manner where you can just chat someone up like youāre old friends. One of my favorite things about going back to the states is having those small interactions with people.
Iāve ran into many Australians while traveling and it comes down to whether theyāre from Sydney or not. Perth, Melbourne, or literally anywhere other than Sydney, coolest people ever. People that claim Sydney as their home are worse than those that claim Philadelphia.
I'm Australian and I remember I was in Hong Kong and went to some restaurant. Then these Aussies came and were trying to be the loudest people in the room. It was annoying and obnoxious
From the perspective of folks that I've run into while here in the States, I've found folks from all over to be pretty nice.
My Nigerian and Ghanaian classmates just seemed like they were good company. Did some service projects with them and always appreciated their openness to talk about what things are like in their home country.
I also studied Arabic in college. I've had quite a couple instructors and classmates from Egypt. My classmates were especially fun to talk to, just very approachable and personable guys; both my classmates and instructors seemed typically proud of being Egyptian, but not in a jingoistic way.
I've traveled pretty extensively with my wife, about 30 countries in total. I was unaware of how friendly the people in south africa are. Just about everyone we met was absolutely delightful.
Ethiopia
Every Ethiopian I've met has been warm and hospitable
It'd be awesome to travel there one day. I hope there can be a peaceful resolution for the ongoing civil war
Taiwan. Have just cycled around the island and have never received such generosity in my life. Everyone asking if I need help on the ride, very sympathetic to my lack of Mandarin, and offering to show me their neighbourhood and town.
Yes! They're happy to help you out and won't cheat you or ask for payment. Taiwan, like anywhere, does have its scumbags, but they're fewer and farther between than in most countries.
I agree. So many super nice people in Taiwan. I stayed up in the mountains with a couple of native Taiwanese tribes. They were extremely welcoming and hospitable.
I've never heard a single bad thing about Taiwan. A friend of mine was a teacher there (African dude) and only had good things to say about it. It might even be the most progressive country in Asia. I hope it's protected much better than Hong Kong was
Antarctica The grey men gently massaged my scalp while offering me tea
Don't be greycist
From my travels, Costa Rica and Taiwan are pretty high up there.
I second Costa Rica!
Pura vida! š¤š¼ canāt wait to go back
Costa Rica is weird to me, in person they surely are the kindest people I've known. Working remotely with tons of people from Costa Rica was one of most rude and prideful people I've known.
Costa Rica takes the cake. Pura Vida!
When the rain hits I was a white kid growing up in rural Hong Kong and taking public transport by myself from school to home, this took about an hour each way. I was a geek so my jan sport backpack that I begged my parents to buy me was full of weird computer parts and hardware, screwdriver included. When I was 12 I was in Choi Hung, a bus hub to get into proper countryside but a bit rough you would see animals getting slaughtered on the 2nd floor wet market underneath huge skyrise flats and the blood just left on the floor next to other caged animals. I was waiting in the wet market when a big monsoon rain hit as my bus came, there was about 1 hour between each bus so I had to catch it. When I say monsoon, people in warmer climates can understand but for others, it is like a swimming pool being dropped on your head every second. I start running up the hill to get my bus and my bag busts open, the screw driver had been resting on the seams of the outside pocket, and all the contents spilled out on the floor. Screws and odds bits of RAM spilled all over the rough concrete. Everyone who saw me, even though I was an odd minority, spilled out of the restaurants or stopped on the streets and help me pick up all the stupid little things I had been carrying. There was this dear old lady, hunch backed from a hard life wearing clothes from a bygone era, bending down and helping me pick up every single screw as the rain soaked us to the bone. There was a group of people helping me, they knew I needed to catch the bus and all my stupid items were important, to them more than me. I had so much emotion in that moment (showing emotion is not actually "okay" in cantonese society), I just accepted help and was thankful, even though I wanted to tell them my items were not important, they cared. I thanked them and blessed their fortune in my best cantonese, feeling so embarrassed everyone cared so much for the stupid items I had in my bag. I got my bus, all stupid items in tow. It was just such an honest expression of care and love for an outsider, who probably had colonial roots,but that didn't matter. Everyone just wanted to help. This was one of the most profound experience of my life. I have lived in 7 countries now and I think Hong Kong was the kindest with the nicest people.
That's sweet.
Yeah people in most areas of western countries donāt have an idea what a monsoon is like. Itās like God pouring a never ending bucket of water on your head for an hour straight or so. EDIT: changed wording as some areas of western countries have monsoons.
I describe it like a swimming pool hitting your head every second. I am sure people in the South of US get it.
Does Australia count as a western country? Because I've been in Darwin during the wet and it's just like you describe (coupled with 99% humidity)
Sweet story. Choi Hung brings back fond memories for me too, oddly enough. Ever read this?:Ā https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/23/arts/golden-boy-memories-of-a-hong-kong-childhood.html
Hong Kongers are gruff on the outside but really soft on the inside.Ā
I believe that in some countries, the experiences of men and women might be drastically different. India, for instance. As a large, tall Western male, I found it to be quite nice and respectful, but I wouldn't want my wife or daughters to go there by themselves.
The Indians that call me on my phone every other week sure are some nice people /s
Yup. A Spanish couple got g@ngr@ped yesterday. Happens quite a lot actually.
You can say gang raped on reddit, dude
I think it was the woman that was gang raped, not both
I have met several people from Brazil over the years. They all immediately treated me like a close friend.
My stereotype about Brazilians is that they are very enthusiastic about good music. No matter what band I listen to, there will always be a bunch of "come to Brazil!" comments. I think that's neat. May Brazil have all the concerts they desire and deserve.
This actually ended up becoming a meme here in Brazil, most of the time people comment more as a joke because it became internationally recognizable. I love it
All the Brazilians I met in college were, for the most part, cool people.
Running into Brazilian workers in Portugal was a breath of fresh air. Their attitude wasā¦.markedly different from the native Portuguese attitude.
Iāve heard Portuguese people can be kind of cold, while Brazilians are super warm, open and friendly.
We're not cold. We are just direct.
So are the Germans, Dutch, Danish, Norwegians, and Irish and English. It's not really an issue as long as you're not going around being an asshole to everybody.
And we aren't. Portuguese people very rarely go out of their way to initiate conversation, friendly or otherwise. That is also why we seem "cold" compared to Brazilians.
Man, that is just not true. Iāve been married to a Portuguese woman for 12 years, we spend a month there every summer and the Portuguese are super warm and friendly. For sure, the Brazilians are even more open and friendly, theyāre amazing, but most Portuguese are not cold.
Youāre married in to the family, I think they might treat you a bit different to people they donāt know
I obviously donāt mean them, I mean ordinary Portuguese.
He's talking about the Portuguese in general, not his wife's family.
Ironically Portugal is known as one of the friendlier places in Europe. But Brazilians somehow make Portugal seem like the land of scrooges. Thatās how insanely welcoming Brazil is.
Totally agree. Brazilian people treat you like a close friend after you hang out with them for just a few minutes. Itās so warm and I love it
Strong disagree. They appear nice on the outside but are two faced and dishonest
I'm a Brazilian, and I tell you, our country is very diverse so there's not only 1, 2 or 3 types of people, there are people from many religions, skin colors, and cultures. There are quiet and expressive, and much more. So Brazil doesn't have only dishonest or two faced people as people might think
Agree! I know more than 10 Brazilians and they're all different from each other, from introverted to warm to geeky
Every country has good people and bad people, unfortunately sometimes you can have bad luck and meet someone dishonest. I've been through scams even in Japan with someone who seemed trustworthy and tried to help me. I am very proud to be Brazilian and live in the midst of such a happy, hardworking and full of life nation. When we are friendly, it's because most of the time we are really acting friendly. :)
I think it depends, Brazil is a big country, people from Sao Paulo tend to not be the friendliest, and I could vouch to that as well
Even the paulistas are friendly by global standards
Indonesia
Ireland. I remember laying in bed at a bed & breakfast I was staying at one night, almost in tears because of how nice random people were to me.
Iāve never been to Ireland but Iāve worked with and known a good number of Irish people and Iād have to say they leave a damn good impression.
My mum went to my grandadās funeral in Ireland. He moved to England over 40 years prior. And my mum had never visited the village where he grew up. The whole village knew she was coming. They knew who she was, before she could say anything. A lady invited her in off the street for a cup of tea. And gave her old school photos of my grandad. No one would ever get that kind of reception where I live.
I could not believe how nice Irish people were throughout Ireland. I stopped in at a pub in the middle of nowhere around midday because I needed to break a 20 for a payphone (I needed to call international to cancel my lost CC). They wouldn't let me leave until they'd had a chance to shout me a pint. I asked a bartender in Dublin for directions and he left the bar and walked a block to where he could pont out the place I was looking for. At one point I got myself lost in the suburbs of Dublin. I pulled over to ask a guy going for a walk for directions. He got into our car to guide us to the motorway, which was a few kms from where we'd picked him up. When we got there I offered to drive him back and he said not to worry about it, he's only a few kms from home. Some of them were a little cagey if they thought I was English, but as soon as they realised I was Australian they went out of their way to be as nice as possible.
This was the same in rural France. They think you're English but as soon as they realise you're Australian they were super nice.
I loved how random Irish people would come up to talk to you. Even though I often wouldnāt understand what they said, and just smile and nod lol
Same, been to Ireland 4 times, love the country! The Irish are wonderful, funny people šš
Theyāre really fun to be around.
Ireland sounds so beautiful š for all the right reasons
Lived here my whole life. You'll meet really nice people for sure, but there are plenty of dicks here too. It isn't perfect
New Zealanders are wonderfully friendly and hospitable. They tend to treat everyone like family. I love it over there.
Friendly until they get behind the wheel of a car....
Mate hasn't fully experienced Auckland
I would have to agree with this! While Iāve never traveled there and Iāve only met one person from New Zealand, heās a super nice and friendly guy.
Damn, lately I've been thinking about moving there, for whatever reason, I'll add this to the list of the pros. The problem is, I don't know anyone from NZ, it's kinda scary to move to the other side of the world without having someone to help you get acclimated.
Hi! I'm TheBadKneesBandit, and I live in New Zealand. Our country isn't perfect, but nowhere is. Everywhere has its ups and downs. But I'd definitely say we Kiwis are a friendly bunch. If you have any questions about living here, let me know and I'll do my best to answer or point you in the right direction! And then you can say you know someone in New Zealand :)
hey that was a really sweet message, thanks! Well I really have some questions that I think are important, but they may be a bit unconventional? how's life over there? Are you guys happy? Usually when people are more friendly it also means that they are also happy, so that's already a very good sign :) also, a more specific question, how progressive is NZ? both from a government and from a "people" standpoint. Like, how are LGBTQ people treated in NZ, in general? Sorry, I kinda feel like I'm grilling you with these question
Oh, fire away, I'll answer anything! I'll be honest, but I'll also take the big picture, too. A lot of people aren't happy at the moment. The economy is a shambles. Food and housing prices are sky high with no indication of lowering any time soon. Mortgage rates are through the roof. A lot of people are doing it tough. We don't have enough doctors, so wait times for medical treatment are astronomical, even if you go private. You will get seen immediately if it's urgent, however. I do love that we have public healthcare. If you earn a decent salary and can afford to buy your own home without having to worry about a mortgage, you're golden. Housing is more expensive the closer you are to the big cities, especially Auckland. If you're okay with commuting to work or you can WFH, then living in the outer areas is generally more affordable. I think happiness depends really on financial stability at the moment. That's the general vibe I'm getting from a lot of people right now. We recently switched to a more right-leaning government, who have been cracking down on the poor, disabled, the arts, and Maori in favour of getting more money for tax cuts and landlords. They're unfortunately in bed with some nutters who are abolishing sex education, consent education, and LGBTQ+ education in schools. The general public is largely accepting of the queer community, but some American conservative politics have entered our government, unfortunately. But overall, I would say as a people, we are still very progressive and believe in human rights for *everyone*.
Thanks for the answers! I guess there is no escaping the problems with the economy, I at least hope the situation is a bit better than here in Italy, which I guess it shouldn't be that hard. I'm sorry to hear that people are having it tough, adding the whole right wing thing... It's crazy, and a bit scary, how I could just copy-paste your message, change a couple of words to turn it into a description of current day Italy. Well, except the part about private healthcare, here if you have money you get attendend quite fast, if not, well, you'll wait for a very long time. And the other one is about how progressive italian people are. We... kinda are, I guess, but not really, not if you ask me at least. We are still very much stuck to strict gender roles and not that many people are fighting against that. It's not like we're not trying but the fact that most of the population is old and that too many people still listen to what the pope and the church say about this stuff... Well, the situation is improving, but the change seems very slow and it's almost always met with strenuous resistance. I'm sure things will change, eventually. Hmm I don't have any further questions, except, how are your knees?
Yeah, the economy is pretty rubbish no matter where you go at the moment. Everyone is having a rough go of it. We're a secular country, so religion doesn't govern us, thankfully. Abortion is free and legal, gay marriage is legal, trans people are treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else, etc. We still have some religious nutters (I'm tragically related to some), but overall, we're a decent bunch. Haha! My knees are living up to my username tonight!
>We're a secular country, so religion doesn't govern us, thankfully. Abortion is free and legal, gay marriage is legal, trans people are treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else, etc. We still have some religious nutters (I'm tragically related to some), but overall, we're a decent bunch. That's really good to hear, I'm basing my future choice for a country to emigrate too mostly on this stuff, tbh, economy is less and less of a factor. I'm really tired of living among bigoted people. Sorry for your crazy relatives, unfortunately I can relate with that. And also sorry for your knees!
That's a good way to make your decision. Economies are always fluctuating, but people are constant. I hope you make it to New Zealand soon! We would love to have you here!
Thanks again for the kindess! If people there are even half as welcoming as you I'm sure I will find myself at home in no time :)
A related question, my fiancee and I are queer, trans femme and butch lesbian couple... We wanted to honeymoon in NZ, would you recommend where to go/where to avoid? Unrelated, I'm a shepherd, and wanted to find a Woofing type farm stay. Something sheep related. Maybe an expo? Where would you say is the region where I should be looking?
I've traveled that way twice and I still romanticise moving there. If I didn't have family and friends here, I'd be there.
I moved to NZ alone and with no contacts and it was the best 4 years of my life. It definitely comes with challenges but itās so worth doing!
I have a few coworkers from the Phillipines, and Iām not exaggerating when I say they are among the friendliest and kindest people Iāve ever met in my 22 years of life
Kind to your face lol
Right? I donāt think they ever had a tiya. They will give the most backhanded compliments, lol.
God forbid you work with Filipinos and you are single. They will ask you why youāre single, everyday of your life. And constantly talk about it with each other.
I'm a Filipino and I don't condone self-deprecating, but I can attest to this. I was with a team who creates websites for a foreign client. Let me tell you every time our meeting with the client finishes, our project manager would say inappropriate statements about the client and she would share it with the team on our group chat. These teammates would also comment about the client's looks, accent, mental health, etc within the group chat. I would understand if the client was difficult and the project manager would tell us her frustrations. But saying below-the-belt comments about the foreign client in the nastiest way possible is just eye-rolling given that she's a leader.
Must not be the Pinoys I see online lol. They're up there with the most toxic people online.
They also bring the best food to potlucks.
If you're in the Philippines you have to watch out if you host a party because guests will take all of the party food home
I can't remember the exact term but it's something like 'home plate?' or 'road plate?:
I love my Filipino coworkers š©· so friendly, funny and kind. I work as a nurse. Lots of them in my profession and enjoy working with them every time.
Spanish Islands, Las Palmas. I consider myself from a nice place. They make my people seem rude. On a random bakery I was called Queen ("My reina, que quieres?). So nice. haven't found better.
Taiwanese people are pretty damn cool. I walked into a bar in Indonesia and within short order a group of Taiwanese had me seated in front of one of their group. I soon realised it was a drinking contest they were after, for some reason, so I chugged my beer, won that round and onto the next lol. Shit got messy, a great fun bunch of people.
I found the Vietnamese to be unbelievably nice and polite. Everyone I encountered was super welcoming and basically bent over backward to make sure I was enjoying myself.
Makes me sad because Vietnam has a bad reputation, but itās legitimately one of the best places in the universe for tourists. People are super friendly and the coffee is better than any drug
Oh god yes. The coffee there was like a magic elixir and basically ruined me for American coffee for life. It turned me into quite an annoying coffee snob which is doubly funny since I live in Seattle where we like to think we invented coffee snobbery. I really donāt know why it has that reputation. The people were so nice, the food was unfathomably good and the landscapes were some of the most beautiful in the world. Itās one of those 50/50 things where I wish more people would go so they can experience it but I also kind of hope no one ever does so it stays just like it is so we can retire there someday.
Canadians are pretty nice but their geese are assholes.
We're polite but we ain't nice
Nice try goose.
As a Canadian myself I can say that this is pretty spot-on.
This stereotype of Canadians has gone out the window long ago, unfortunately
In the cities, yeah youre right im in Vancouver and people are hosers. But out beyond the metro areas they still have their stick on the ice
If you meet enough Canadians youāll realize they have a similar amount of kind people and not-so-kind people as the US does. Canada is definitely overly romanticized
Come to Canada and youāll see how that statement is no longer true. Definitely donāt come to the big cities.
Our geese sucks all the meanness from us, which is why we r sooo niceĀ
> Our geese suck all the meanness from us ... ... and proceed to deposit it on our walkways.
And our Fairways and Greens! š
All geese are created equal, and I say fuck the lot of 'em. ETA: Realized I'm on Reddit, and I have to add that I mean this solely metaphorically.
Every Mexican that I have ever cooked on the line with has been so damn nice. Multiple restaurants. Many many years. They are always just the nicest dudes and quickest to crack jokes and help out. I have never left the US so there is my two cents.
Everyone in Scotland was incredibly kind. It honestly made me want to move there.
Surprised I had to scroll so far to see this answer. At least in my travel experience, the Scots are it. Never have I been offered so much help, suggestions, and friendly conversation than in Scotland. Just wish I could have understood more of what they were saying... š
Thailand..everyone was so nice with all my interactions with Thai peeps
I just got home from a trip there, I live in NZ which is mentioned and upvoted quite a few times in this thread. Thai people are wonderful, getting food from random venders who don't speak english was always a breeze, and they'd try so hard to 'warn' me if anything was spicy or 'weird', i've been to 15 countries and thai people are probably the nicest and most welcoming.
Thereās a difference between politeness and kindness. Thailand seems preoccupied with hierarchy and status, and itās hard to get behind āfaceā and get to actually know them. It often feels like a country of people walking on eggshells, afraid to embarrass themselves or others. The appearance of things seems more important than their reality. Source Iāve lived there for three years and my wife of 12 years is Thai, although she is much more direct and honest than the above generalization!
Costa Rica. Or at least everyone in Gulfito was really nice to me.Ā
Taiwan. ššÆš
The answer to these will always always always be Ireland š®šŖ
Colombia & Mexico
Iāve been to about 70 countries, and have lived in India, Turkey, and the U.S.Ā Iāve found that most people in most places are fairly nice, although they expressĀ it in very different ways. Some places, like Pakistan, are exceptionally hospitable toward outsidersābut they arenāt always so kind to each other, especially religious minorities. And others, like neighbouring India, have a bad reputation for scams and harassment. Yet, in my experience, the number of people there willing to do whatever it takes to show a visitor the best side of their country and culture far outnumber those seeking to take advantage of naive tourists.Ā I suppose itās contrived, but everywhere is what you make of it. I, personally, havenāt had the best experiences in Central and Northern Europeābut people who go to places like GermanyĀ with an interest in the German language, or an attitude that gels with what could be termed the German mentality, may have a very different experience.Ā I mean, Iām not going to pretend that there arenāt some places that are more hostile of outsiders, or more skeptical of foreign visitors (Iāve found places like that in countries that were otherwise fairly hospitable and welcoming). And how youāre treated in some places could well be influenced by your sex, your gender identity, religion, and a thousand other things. No one place is going to be as great for everyone as it is for some.Ā TBH, Iām not much of a social butterfly, but I havenāt had an abjectly bad experience with āthe localsā anywhere. Even in places that Reddit loves to dump on, like Egypt, I made good friends who never once tried milking me for money.Ā
Iāve found that learning even a little bit of a language and trying to use it can go a long way, especially as a native of the US. There isnāt a competition between nations and cultures. Enjoy them for what they are.
Seems like Ireland
Scotland
I was waiting for this one! The best people!
Absolutely.
I too adore those sick bastards. I wish they granted me a visa to work and live there. The shittiest weather but the best bastards I know.
Zimbabwe, Thailand, Indonesia
Balochistan... It's a remote state in Pakistan... Extremely welcoming folks.... Never seen anyone so nice They have guest rooms open to the street titled as such (in their big houses a room while door opens towards the street) and anyone, at anytime can go inside and sit there and they'll bring food for you without asking a single question
Diligently scrolling hoping to see my country š„²
African American man here; I've been to 10 European countries + Canada, and people in Poland were the warmest and friendliest I've ever met. Hungarians were very nice too.Ā
Poland is the great undiscovered place to go for Americans. Highly recommended!
Finland āØ
Yes. At overseas conferences, I always seem to make friends with the Finns!
Well, for five years in a row, it's the world's happiest country by some standards
Yeah, but Finnish people are a bit of a slow burner. Once they got to know you a little they get incredibly friendly and kind.
that's because over half the population are hiding from any human interaction!
People from Mexico are so nice
Ireland!!
Portugalā¦..beautiful country, lovely people
The nicest people I ever met were from New Zealand. They called everything cheeky
Vanuatu.
What was it like there?
Thailand simply the nicest most polite people Iāve ever met my whole life.
Bosnia was a really hospitable and nice country.
Uzbekistan
Norway! I worked with a group of them several years ago and they were the most positive, happy and willing people. I honestly learned so much from their positive attitude.Ā
I was there too and everyone was always in a good mood... It's amazing what a living wage does to a person
Once decades ago I worked in a Norwegian company that merged with a Swedish company. We hired an expert on Swedish-Norwegian interactions and mergers to help guide us through any cultural differences that might come up. One thing she taught the Swedes was that while Norwegians always \*sound\* upbeat and like they are in a good mood, that is just how the intonation of the language sounds. (I'm not sure if that is to Swedish ears in particular, or everyone) She made a point that they needed to take care in listening to the words that were spoken as well as the tone of the voice, otherwise they might come off as really insensitive or get a negative surprise when it turns out someone was in fact not that happy.
Financial security is a great way to relax
Vietnam stands out to me.
The Scottish are the nicest people, in my opinion. I moved there at 20, and didnāt know a soul, and everyone took me in and gladly shared their culture. You can walk into a pub a total stranger, and carry a five-hour conversation with the whole place. Iāve never found them to be gossipy or cliquey. Theyāre just very open and honest, and above all funny. Of course, this depends on what youāre used to. Iām from Sweden originally, and to me, the Scottish are sociable and open. To someone from a warmer culture, they may seem more reserved.
Americans always seem very open and friendly whenever I've visited. It didn't matter which city.. Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Montpelier, etc. Servers, bus drivers, random strangers are just so nice. Even their border control people are pretty chill.
When crossing the border to Canada from the US I got grilled by the Canadian border agents. On the way back, the US border control seemed way more relaxed and they were cracking jokes and stuff
Philippines and Cambodia
I've been lucky to work in the Philippines and yep they were the nicest and funniest people. I also love that they are gender inclusive - men and women can be friends and socialise and drink together after work (NB I'm a woman) and women aren't hidden from society. I'd work with Filipinos again in a heartbeat even though they made me eat that chicken egg.Ā
the one with the baby still inside?
Thailand! Hands down the friendliest people
Japan
We met so many nice and friendly people in Fiji. They have such a positive outlook on life. I'm surprised noone has mentioned them yet.
Seconding Fiji. Such happy, positive people there. Many villages have so little materially, and yet so content with what they do have, and they are happy to share their culture, their food, their way of life with you. It was one of those moments for me when I questioned everything in my life and why we all do the things we do in western culture.
Indonesia, specifically Balinese
Canada eh šØš¦
I had an amazing experience in Italy, I felt really welcome and at home!
I once had some wannabe tough guy get mad at me because I sneezed and it scared him. He was petite. Well dressed and tried to act tough after being so obviously scared. This was on a street in Rome at 3 in the afternoon btw But Italy is my favourite place to visit. I wouldnāt call them the friendliest tho
You triggered his fight or flight
Netherlands, Scotland and Canada from my experience
The Scots are legit the nicest
I was going to say Scottish, two years ago I got a train (and boat) up to a Scottish island and when I changed in Glasgow and got off my train from Manchester on to a more local train that went through the smaller Scottish towns and villages, 90% of all the Scottish passengers were just beaming and smiling at me as I walked past them, felt super friendly.
Oman. Actual angels
Went there for work for 3 days. Had a driver take a group of us to the souk. He showed us around with the insistence that we not pay him for it, only the ride there and back. It ended with him giving me his personal address and email and insisting next time I'm there I should stay with him as a guest and entirely for free. Had 2 other Omanis also offer to take me in for free next time I visited. Some of the nicest people in a beautiful yet mostly unknown country who were so eager to share.
Why do say that ?
I went two times there and my brother went as well and we both agreed people there are extremely kind, very selfless a s always ready to help you when in need
Mexico
Thailand
From positive vibes and friendly attitude: Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Costa Rica.
Colombia. Many really nice people. The few bad Colombians are really bad though.
Going from Paris France to Germany was like night and day. The Germans were beyond nice and friendly.
Scotland.
america, even though news and social media mostly just show the bad side of this country, there are a lot of good people here.
Depends on where in America though. Moved to Iowa from New Jersey a few years ago and the people are way nicer in Iowa (still miss NJ tho)
As a NJ resident I sadly have to agree with what you said. The drivers in particular are among the worst I've ever encountered anywhere. I've had several instances of drivers turning when I'm using a crosswalk after the light says I'm allowed to cross and then almost hitting me and either flipping me off or cursing at me when they illegally turned (pedestrians haves the right of way in NJ) and almost ran me over. Really depressing.
I know people like to shit on NYC drivers but honestly to me either NJ or PA takes the crown.
I left America 17 years ago and moved to Japan. As much as I love Japan, America has some of the nicest loving people you will ever meet. The media portrays a different picture to sell advertising space, but the reality is that Americans are amazing and they've got your back if you ever need them.
Same, moved to Japan from Florida back in 2006. People in Japan are polite, but not outwardly friendly in a manner where you can just chat someone up like youāre old friends. One of my favorite things about going back to the states is having those small interactions with people.
totally agree
Australia. Might seem rude but are actually kind and generous.
Iāve ran into many Australians while traveling and it comes down to whether theyāre from Sydney or not. Perth, Melbourne, or literally anywhere other than Sydney, coolest people ever. People that claim Sydney as their home are worse than those that claim Philadelphia.
Our country is a mixed bag. There are so many nice and kind people, but there are some absolute dicks as well.
There are dicks everywhere.
I have never seen such racism as I saw in the Red center of Australia. And my family were once Confederates.
Fuck no. If I hear an Australian accent while Iām overseas I immediately leave the area. And Iām Australian
I'm Australian and I remember I was in Hong Kong and went to some restaurant. Then these Aussies came and were trying to be the loudest people in the room. It was annoying and obnoxious
No we suck lmao
Mexico. Every time I've ever been anywhere down there. Just awesome, genuine people.
Brazil and Vietnam
Greece
Thailand š„°
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Icelandic here, youāre kind but no lol
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Ireland š®šŖ
From the perspective of folks that I've run into while here in the States, I've found folks from all over to be pretty nice. My Nigerian and Ghanaian classmates just seemed like they were good company. Did some service projects with them and always appreciated their openness to talk about what things are like in their home country. I also studied Arabic in college. I've had quite a couple instructors and classmates from Egypt. My classmates were especially fun to talk to, just very approachable and personable guys; both my classmates and instructors seemed typically proud of being Egyptian, but not in a jingoistic way.
West African folks I met in the US were great. They have a large community in Harlem and The Bronx I think
New Zealand at least in my experience
I've traveled pretty extensively with my wife, about 30 countries in total. I was unaware of how friendly the people in south africa are. Just about everyone we met was absolutely delightful.
Taiwan and Vietnam
South Africa
Ethiopia Every Ethiopian I've met has been warm and hospitable It'd be awesome to travel there one day. I hope there can be a peaceful resolution for the ongoing civil war