To feel a bit like everyone hates me when I'm a British tourist in Europe now

[Everythingisnumbersnow]

I try with the language, I try not to get in people's way, I tip and I don't complain.

But everything still feels much more hostile than it used to.

That's largely down to being bilingual Welsh and English originally which makes it easier to learn other Romance languages.

But neither Welsh nor English is a romance language.

I thought the same thing but decided to leave it.

This thread is hilariously stupid

Reasons being?
That for me ?

If I list of the reasons why here, you'll only get annoyed and try to deny them 🤣..or tell me those Greeks are frightfully rude people .

I'm starting to see why you experience hostility from strangers.

You must be confusing me with another poster. I don't receive hostility.

If a shop, restaurant or tourist resort are treating you with contempt, just don’t go there. Don’t give them your money. Vote with your feet. There’s no way I’d spend my hard earned cash there.

There are lots of places that will welcome your money. If the Spanish don’t want us there, don’t go. Why on earth would you go on holiday, for a rest, to people shouting obscenities at you, with placards, and squirting water pistols at you?

Of course many Brits are horrible abroad, but let them all crack on with each other and you go somewhere you are welcome. I’m never planning on going to Spain again. I’ve been there loads of times and I won’t cry into my pillow if I don’t go again. I’m respectful and polite when I’m there so I’m not going to entertain any crap as a tourist. I’ll go to other places and not have to worry about my safety or being verbally abused.

Ditto to this. In Cyprus with friends once (he is a dual Brit/Greek Cypriot) I wondered why he was speaking to a waiter in English, rather than Greek.
Waiter was Bulgarian! (But v likely did speak pretty good Greek anyway.)

Funnily enough, when in Provincetown (US Cape Cod) we also once had a Bulgarian waiter, who told us he came every summer season (which is pretty short in CC) to help fund his studies.

I went to Europe several times last year and never experienced any hostility. Completely the opposite. I'm English.

I live in Spain, not stuck here. Some people like me, some people don’t. This is life ! Have a good attitude and if you find hostility or rudeness then don’t return 🤔

I know this isn't what Romance means in linguistics, but now I've got the 'Fancy Restaurant' episode of Bluey in my head. "It's very romance".

I haven't experienced this at all.

We go to Switzerland fairly regularly at the moment and always feel welcome.

We travel to Europe and further afield in holidays a few times each year and again - never had any hostility at all. Always felt welcome.

Scottish is British.

As I previously mentioned - I go away fairly regularly and often we end up , passing pleasantries, etc with locals. However I've never once been asked about uk politics or similar. Similarly I don't ask about the politics in their country, would seem an odd conversation starter with a stranger to me.

I suspect it's very obvious that I'm British.
But still never had anyone seem very interested in such things, especially in Europe.

If you're white British and they're white Europeans, it's not racism surely?

There's a considerable Latin influence on Welsh, that's the strong link to Romance languages.

But, hey, even if you don't speak or understand Welsh, don't let that hold you back from dismissing those that do reap the benefits of bilingualism.

And then wonder why the English have a reputation for arrogance at home and abroad.

No I haven’t experienced this anywhere. I was in Spain in October and Italy in November. No hostility at all, despite my shit language skills and very Celtic appearance.

Welsh is a Celtic language.

While on holiday in Spain last year, DH and I went to a restaurant on our first night there. DH’s beer belly and flip-flops must have alerted the staff to the fact that we were British as they shouted “fuck off home, you English bastards” at us and then started squirting us with water pistols. I pointed out that we were actually Scottish, and they immediately put away their water pistols and garlanded us with flowers instead. The same thing happened to us at every restaurant we visited.

I remember we spoke Spanish in Lanzarote to the car hire person and she was delighted and said it was so rare for an English person to try. I mean how hard is it to say hello etc

post brexit I think we will be seen as different and we deserve it

Perhaps it's worthwhile investing in Saltire sweatbands and clothing, and wearing those comedy Tam-o-shanters with the messy ginger wigs attached.
Apologies if that is your regular hairstyle and head gear.

But the OP said she's/he's Scottish so why is the spot the English anecdote relevant?

So OP further up thread when you were describing your typical Brit looks, "round face...etc." you are Scottish? This was the point I was trying to make, London population alone has over 8.7 million people, Scotland's whole population is 5.4 million, therefore if you brought up in London and live in the south east so further increasing the diversity of people you know then this 'typical' Brit stereotype looks wise is at least unlikely to be true! Anecdotally my friendship group is really diverse, only one person with English white heritage going back centuries both sides!

I feel like this too. I feel embarrassed that I’m English when I’m abroad, it shouldn’t be like this should it x

The OP has said she is Scottish so the warm welcome hasn't been afforded her by all accounts.

It depends what part of Europe you are referencing. The OP has used 'Europe' in the title but I know from family in Denmark they don't mind the British or the English, they like the sense of humour.

Sorry but that's simply not true, I think we just have a good reputation abroad, simple as!