Just met some German tourists. Please, please make foreign visitors feel welcome.

[A HERETIC I AM]

I'm in Tallahassee, staying at a motel and my next door neighbors are here on holiday from their home in Frankfurt. I have always felt it was important to say to people like these "Welcome to the US and Welcome to (insert state here) Florida".

I think it is very important that all of us do our best to make visitors and tourists feel welcome and have a bit of a chat with them.

Find out how long they are staying. How long they've been here. Offer any advice about your area as far as sights to see, etc. that you can.

We have suffered enough over the last decade with our international reputation. When you meet someone from abroad who has spent their hard earned money to come to this country to visit, I feel it is really important to let them know they are welcome in our country.

I'm sure DU'rs do this, but I thought I would just mention it.

The German couple couldn't have been nicer.

[Shagbark Hickory]

1. I'm from Miami where German tourists are lucky if they don't get car jacked, robbed and assaulted

... and that's just from the cops.

Let alone what'll happen if they get lost around the airport.

Tallahassee could become known for its welcoming people and be the next tourism boom town.

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. I graduated HS in Miami...

and I am familiar with all it has been through over the last 3 decades. Don't forget however, that the reason interstate rest areas in Florida now have nighttime security was because of a robbery/killing of (if I remember correctly) German Tourists on I 10 near Tallahassee back in the 1990's.

Regardless, I think the point I make has merit. If you come across them, give them a smile and a "welcome to Florida. I hope you enjoy your stay". (and again, "insert your state here")

[Shagbark Hickory]

40. Oh absolutely! Being hospitable will translate to more touri$t dolla$. nt

[kickysnana]

2. I would be afraid of giving them false hope about Americans (LOL). n/t

[BlueJazz]

13. LOL! (Ain't it the truth?)

:)

[jdlh8894]

3. Tourists in Tallahassee?

Makes no sense to me.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. Would you consider a visit to the ruins in Greece?

To many Greeks, they are the last place they would want to go!

They are here because it is off the beaten path, it ISN"T Orlando (LOL, or at least I thought it was funny when they made it clear they weren't going to the Mouse!) and the beaches in this part of the country are world famous for their white sands.


So yeah...Tallahassee.

Easy access to lots of great Gulf of Mexico waterfront.

[jdlh8894]

12. What does Greece have to do w/German tourists

Easy access? what a 1- 1.5 hour drive?
Oh,yeah. Thought the beaches were covered w/tar balls and oil.

[A HERETIC I AM]

18. Well...what do you know, anyway?

You're from Georgia, for fucks sake!

J/k.

Hey..I have no idea. They're here. They said they liked the area. They said they liked the idea that it was close to the water. They have 2 more weeks and no itinerary. Who am I to judge? Besides, there is a shitload of nice beach within a 2 hour drive from here and if you get up early, you can be at the water by 8 in the morning.

They seemed little put off by the fact that a 6 hour ride would get them to my neck of the woods, Fort Myers, so there you go.

[jdlh8894]

22. Live in GA. Not from GA

Have a daughter in Port Charlotte.Another one in Largo.
Have Sister and brother-in law in Bainbridge.GA (Just north of Tallahassee)
So,don't give me any grief.

[A HERETIC I AM]

27. Ummm...no grief given.

A little bust of your chops, but no grief.

I live in the Pt. Charlotte area (Wrinklewood).

I typed "J/K"

as in Just kidding.

Lighten up.

[Kennah]

5. Years ago, when the wife and I lived in Florida ...

... we were driving through the Glades on US 41. Stopped, wandered down a path, and we saw a mother alligator and some very small, young alligators sitting on a far bank.

There were a couple of German tourists, who didn't speak any English, as well as a couple of Dutch tourists, who also didn't speak any English.

The tourists knew people were looking at something, but they weren't sure what. All I said was, "mother alligator" and pointed. Once one of them saw it, they became very excited and communicated it to their fellow travelers. I think it was the Germans. Then someone from the Dutch tourists saw the alligator, and she started telling her fellow travelers.

Would have been nice if we'd been able to talk more, but they seemed genuinely thankful.

[A HERETIC I AM]

9. I don't believe a word of that story.

Primarily because the Dutch didn't speak English!

I'm sure they were thankful and I'll bet they are still telling the story to their friends.

Well done!

[Kennah]

11. Dutch was just a guess

Maybe they were Afrikaaners

[cali]

6. I love when I meet foreign visitors in my neck of the woods

I always send them on a backwoods wild goose chase.

Just kidding.

[A HERETIC I AM]

16. Hell, I do that to Americans!

As a trucker, in the days before GPS units, I had often heard on the CB another driver asking for simple directions. This would be my response;

"Hey driver...what you do is take the next exit, go left and about 1/2 mile down there will be a truckstop. Go in there and ...



...



BUY A FUCKING MAP!




HEE HEE

[Ikonoklast]

17. We feed them to the alligators.

For some reason, gators love the Dutch tourists.

Must be all that chocolate they eat.

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. It's the cured meats. n/t

[liberal N proud]

8. I know when we are in Europe they show us great hospitality

[devils chaplain]

26. Absolutely...

Thankfully most all can separate their views of American policy from Americans as individuals.

[treestar]

10. +1

When I've been in other countries, people have been very nice.

[RKP5637]

14. Yeah, same here, in fact nicer than parts of America. n/t

[GoneOffShore]

15. I always make foreign visitors feel welcome - Unlike C&BP & TSA

The US has some of the rudest people imaginable greeting travelers.

This does cut our tourist industry.

[Obamanaut]

20. You're right about rudeness here. I just read a response where a poster says he has told

people looking for directions to buy a f'ing map.

[A HERETIC I AM]

25. Umm....that was me....and I was being facetious

If you'll read the post again please;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=580321&mesg_id=580589

I was referring to AMERICAN TRUCKERS who would presumably know where the hell they were going. I am a trucker. I think another trucker asking basic directions (not complex, as in "how do I get to the 'ABC' warehouse") is pointless and stupid, not to mention lazy. You're a fucking professional driver, for fucks sake! Buy a damned map already!

I would NEVER tell a tourist to "buy a fucking map".

Never.

In fact, I gave these people (my next door neighbors in this motel) a spare Rand McNally Road Atlas I had, so there.

[Obamanaut]

32. All righty then -

"As a trucker, in the days before GPS units, I had often heard on the CB another driver asking for simple directions. This would be my response;"

"another driver" other drivers may include vehicle operators who are not in a truck

[Fumesucker]

36. You're confused by the CB lingo.

I'm not very good at it but I do know that "driver" meant or means "trucker" or "professional driver", other words, many of them derogatory, are used to describe people driving non commercial vehicles.

[Obamanaut]

44. I was taught that a good writer does not use jargon unless the piece being

written will be read exclusively by the community that uses that jargon.

Reduces the possibility of confusion.

Driver is one who drives. There are more than 150,000 registered users on DU, and I betcha a lot of them are not truckers or professional drivers.

[MedicalAdmin]

30. I have EU friends who used to visit and do business here.

They don't anymore because of TSA and the patriot act. Hell, they even book flights so that when they do come to NA they won't even route through or transfer planes in the US. Our better than though attitude is costing $$$$$.

[GoneOffShore]

35. It absolutely is costing us money AND goodwill.

Customs and Border treat every traveler entering or re-entering the US as a criminal.

The TSA goons look at every flyer/train passenger/bus rider/walker as a potential terrorist.

[MedicalAdmin]

39. And it is costing us big money.

My buddy is an international oil contract lawyer and he no longer will transfer oil through US ports or include the US in any contracts of oil transit because of this. He told me last year that he handles about 1 billion in transfers a day.

He just said that the US system has become too paranoid and uncertain so...



He also warned that he has been hearing increased grumblings about the dollar vis a vis it's use as the international reserve currency. If OPEC stops using dollars we are screwed.

[GoneOffShore]

43. We are becoming a pariah state.

And despite cries of "USA, USA" we're no longer the power we once were.

[DeadEyeDyck]

19. I was born in Germany

My mum is German. Say hello to your new found friends for me.

Willkommen meine freunde.

[edbermac]

23. Just don't bring up the war.

[A HERETIC I AM]

29. LOL! Well played. You win the thread. n/t

[Rabblevox]

24. it's not only the right thing to do, it's a great way to let people from other countries know...

That Americans are not all as crazy or stupid as what they see on mainstream news. I was staying next to an Italian family about a year ago, they were surprised and encouraged to find out that many of us want national health care, to get out of the wars, and take care of the planet.

I felt like I had my own little UN moment. :)

[A HERETIC I AM]

28. There ya go!

Nicely done

[GKirk]

31. I'm always friendly to tourists...

... I recall one time four guys came down my local river for a weekend canoe excursion. (it was the last chance they would have to do that because the river system was about to be dammed up)
Two of them pulled over to the bank for a little break and me and my buddy happened across them.
I was having a real fun time with the chubby one but the other one had a bit of an attitude when my friend said what a nice smile he had. :) I guess it takes all kinds.

[A HERETIC I AM]

33. It always bugged me when I happened across tourists sporting a compound bow and arrows

You have my sympathy.

[GKirk]

38. That's weird

it's like you were there!

[JVS]

42. Please refrain from raping tourists.

[GKirk]

45. Does that send

a negative message? :)

[oneshooter]

34. Each time my BIL's relatives (Dutch) come to

this side of the pond I take them shooting. Pistol, revolver, shotgun and rifle. They love it, especially when I bring out the WW1 and WW2 stuff.

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[Shagbark Hickory]

41. That can't possibly be as much fun as getting shot at though.

I mean.. actually being part of the action.
Only flor-ee-duh can provide such excitement.

[Bigmack]

37. We volunteer at a state park....

during the winter. When foreign tourists...hell, any tourists... come in, we gush all over them. Park handouts in 8 different languages, brochures in two languages....

We love talking to them and getting their story. So far this winter, I have talked to Germans, Brits, Dutch, Danes, Israelis, Italians, Canadians, Koreans, Japanese.. probably more. Americans from almost every state. Learned a bunch.

Thing is.. the volunteers are virtually all Dems, ecofreaks, and love the idea of state parks for the people. If there is lecture on flowers or birds, we're there.

There is another side of town... the Country Club.... Repub, Behemoth-driving, rich, snobby... They don't give a shit about the park. Neither group mixes with the other.