Canadians in Australia?

Question

If someone from australia could answer this, it would be great. My brother spent the last 6 weeks in australia, and got back this morning. He was telling me a bunch of stories, and some were about being mistaken for Americans. Like my brother's group walked past these people, who whispered amoung themselves. And he heard someone say 'd**n Americans.' Then when my brother turned around, the guy say saw the canadian flag sewed onto his backpack, and said in a more cheerful voice, 'Oh, they're Canadians!' to one of his friends. Why is it some Austrailian people like Canadians more than Americans? Or is it just this one dude? Thanks?

Answer 1

because americans make fun of australian quirks more than americans do a lot of the time

that may be a reason

but no i dont hate americans and australians as a whole do not hate americans

hahaa but thats funny, your story, i like it!

did he enjoy his stay?

Answer 2

Firstly I apologise if your brother was offended by this, Australians have a bad tendency to open their mouths before thinking! To be honest it's all up to personal opinion. In general, no, Americans are not disliked as a whole by Australians. We do share, however, the views of many many other countries, including yours i'm sure, that the USA can tend to be a little arrogant at times. Its a gross generalisation though that shouldn't be targeted at any individual person per se, like in your brothers case. I've met many americans and canadians through the University I go to, and I have to say that I love Canadians. I've found that your a lot more laid back and friendly. Again, this is all up to my personal experiences, I have nothing against Americans. Australians are often pitted up against New Zealanders so I know exactly why you may be confused! Hope this has helped, I guess its a question that cannot be entirely answered as, to be honest, there isn't one!  

Answer 3

I guess it is because we are sort of brothers with countries being in the Commonwealth.

Answer 4

Canadians are generally more popular than people from the US.  You guys have a sense of humour.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, many Aussies cannot tell the difference between American and Canadian accents...there's a certain twang to the US accent which Canadians don't have.  Aussies and Canadians have very similar senses of humour even if the Aussie tends towards the black.  Both countries have gone from being Britain's b@#ch to being America's and you guys have got it worse due to your close proximity to them.

Some Americans will not hear a word said against their country, even if it is constructive criticism and they are usually the loudest and most obnoxious...it is these sorts of Americans we all love to hate that you will find will receive a somewhat chilly reception from locals.

To stand out, you can either wear a flag as your brother did, or slip in some stereotypical Canadian talk like saying "eh?" a few times :P

It's like Aussies saying mate :P

Answer 6

It’s mainly tourists.

It's one thing to act like a bloody fool in your own country, still not pretty but your just making an *** of yourself for the most part. But if you’re a tourist and you have no manners it reflects on your whole country.

This is a mass generalization, and my logic may sound erratic but a lot of American tourists are horrible I don't say this from experience, I've never personally met a bad American tourist, but I've got lots of friends that got back from travelling and have said they had a fabulous time and met lots of people and you won't believe it but everyone was right Americans are ‘insert insult (brash/rude/bloody idiots/ inconsiderate/bigoted…whatever)’. I mean, they've commented on other things that they found embarrassing to witness from other cultures but almost all of them commented on Americans.

I’ve even been told by people that if you go travelling in non English speaking countries make sure to wear an Australian flag so that people know you’re not American when you speak English.

Also the publicity on TV isn’t pretty. Bombing here, school shooting there, teachers with guns, death rates, more war, it’s all you hear about America. It’s hard to be positive.

Other television doesn’t help, where they keep having this all American patriotism where it’s talked like America is the greatest and everyone else is less, or only an American would do that really rubs us the wrong way, love your country, but don’t belittle others.

The one that really rubs me the wrong way is when talking to Americans on the internet and they assume that because they haven’t stated where they are you must assume they are in America or even worse either because your speaking descent English are discussing whatever they think is popular and on the internet you must be in America, my god other countries don’t do those things too.

Wow, I feel so, so very bitchy and long-winded.

Never on the other hand heard a complaint about Canadians even your political media here is positive.

I think personally as an Australian/Canadian our view points are similar, closer cultures, and generally as they keep saying more laid back and easy going for the most part. My Canadian parent loved Australia and my Australian parent loved Canada, they both still felt like home to them, and my grandmothers both lived the same ideal in life on opposite ends of the glob even if they couldn’t understand a thing the other said.

I probably ought the emphasize after all that, that at the end of the day there is no hate, just not a lot of tolerance for rudeness(tourists), lack or public consideration(tourists) or people who are just plain up themselves(TV/internet) and all that I’ve described I’m quite sure to some extent happens everywhere and within all peoples.

But more important than all that they bought our big chocolate company, it’s really hard to get over that, It was Australian owned chocolate before and now it’s only Australian made. My life is devastated!

Answer 7

some americans are not really tolerated well in the world as they come across very rude and abrupt but like australians canadians are liked the world over