The Ugly American .....

[BigAl]

Or maybe I should have titled this " Why other countries sometimes hate us " .

Its well known here that I live part time in Panama on a little Island . I love most of the locals , especially the Bugl'e Indians that often work for me . They are hard workers and do their job , seldom if ever complain and seem to enjoy life more than anyone i know .They are on the bottom rung of the social ladder in the Panama Culture . Whites being #1 , Blacks being #2 and the Bugle indian at the bottom of the hole .
I enjoy their company and would rather spend time with them than any other group of people .

Now to get to the meat of my post .

I have this American nieghbor about 1/2 mile away from me .He makes me angry . Very angry .

Many days you can hear him yelling and cussing at the local workmen to work faster around his property . They make an average of $1.25 an hour . He reminds me of one of those slave bosses that use to carry a whip and beat his men .

He has no respect from the locals . They do not go out of their way to help him or stop by to see if he is ok . He is know as Crazy Ed .

On my last trip to Panama , Ed called me from the states and asked if I would check with my workmen that they had maintained his solar batteries while he was in the states . I toward him " It would be done ". Then he proceeds to tell me that he thinks my men may steal his rain water that he saved for his solar batteries .?????

These are my men he is talking about !!!! I try my damnest not to blow up and tell him everything will be checked .

The next morning I ask Juan if he has checked Crazy Ed's Batteries on regular schedule . He informs me he has .

Three weeks later Ed shows up in Panama and finds his batteries are charged, filled and working properly . Then the dumb ass comes over and tells me you cannot trust a Panamian Indian . I blow up and tell him that he is way out of line and no one talks about my men like that . I think he knew right then and there that I was so mad , that I could have thrown his ass off my deck and property, if he had said another word . He backed down to me real quick and said he meant everyone else except my men . WHAT A IDIOT !!!
He cannot figure out why these people share their fish and food with me and my wife and why we do not gather at "American Party's " To drink ourselves into a raging drunk , as many other Americans do down there . The dumb ass just has not figured out that Panama is not in American and we should respect there country for what it is .

I have never had one minutes trouble with my guys in about 5 years because we take the time to sit down and talk .


These "3rd world indians", as many like to call then ,have taught me more about life and the meaning of happiness then in all the 10 years I been training them in Construction . The trade off is not fair . I am falling way behind in helping them .

You want to be a ugly American ???? The best way I know is to tell someone in their own country ....." IN American we do it this way " .

Don't tell them !!!! Show them through kindness and caring and then get ready for the best experience you ever had in a foreign country.

 

[muleman]

Good post Al. Sounds a lot like my relationship with some of my Amish neighbors. Folks think I must pay them a lot as they always are willing to work for me. I go out of my way to treat them with respect and share my knowledge with them and they do the same with me. I respect their cultural differences and they tolerate mine. I do try to help them out with my equipment in exchange for their labor for me. It you talk down to them they will know it and you lose their respect. Just today I took one couple to the baby doc and they asked would I be willing to haul her to the hospital when she delivers. I told him if he does not wait till the pain are 2 minutes apart I would do it. Otherwise I would take her to the local midwife since she is only 6 miles away.

 

[bczoom]

In summary, God bless you both.

 

[fogtender]

Well you make a good ambassador for the good of Americans!

The other guy is just a Class "A" Jerk, and is more than likely a jerk in the U.S. as well.

 

[SShepherd]

All I can say is....Dickheads come from all nations.

My wife and I travel alot, and I remember quite a few from the countries we travel to saying, "wow, you guys aren't what we thought Americans would be like"

well, there was that one time in the carribbean when I threw my knife into the dartboard

Simply put, you're a guest in their country and should act like one. We just act like were a guest in someone elses house.

 

[BigAl]

All I can say is....Dickheads come from all nations.

My wife and I travel alot, and I remember quite a few from the countries we travel to saying, "wow, you guys aren't what we thought Americans would be like"

well, there was that one time in the carribbean when I threw my knife into the dartboard

Simply put, you're a guest in their country and should act like one. We just act like were a guest in someone elses house.

I wish That I had said it that well , cause you just nailed it ., My friend

 

[jimbo]

I agree, Al. I have spent a little time in Panama and found most of the people to be nothing but polite and willing to help. I took the bus from PTY to David, both ways, and in all instances nothing but people willing to help.
On the other hand, if you are an idiot, that is probably the way you will be treated.

 

[BigAl]

I agree, Al. I have spent a little time in Panama and found most of the people to be nothing but polite and willing to help. I took the bus from PTY to David, both ways, and in all instances nothing but people willing to help.
On the other hand, if you are an idiot, that is probably the way you will be treated.[/QUOTE]




Yep ! that makes good sense .


When were you in Panama ? and how come you did not stop by ??????

 

[EastTexFrank]

Al, I know exactly what you mean about "ugly Americans" but as someone else said, "There are dickheads everywhere" and Americans are definitely not alone. One of my favorite stories is of an English couple sitting at an adjacent table to us for Sunday lunch loudly complaining to the management that there was no roast beef and Yorkshire pudding on the menu and they always had roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for Sunday lunch. Now, this occurred on the Greek island of Paros in late July. I didn't know whether to laugh, take them outside and explain to them where they were or just reach across and slap the shit out of them.

You know it's usually all caused by people who travel in order to be exposed to new cultures and experiences but want everything to be as it is at home. They want the TV experience where the can see new and exciting things but don't actually want to be involved in them. It's a kind of voyeurism.

If they want things to be as they are at home then stay there. It's pretty simple really.

 

[NorthernRedneck]

Living in a popular area for hunting and fishing, we get allot of americans coming up here every spring and fall. While most I've met are very nice to talk to, allot of them tend to present themselves with an "I'm better than you are" "I know everything, you know nothing" "I'm an American and America is the center of the universe" type of attitude without even realizing it. I think this is was sours allot of people away from Americans. It's almost like a type of arrogance where you don't mean to act like that and don't even realize you're doing it but you do it anyways.