Sit down kid.
In today’s blog, I will introduce you to 10 annoying tourist/expat types I have met. They are annoying to me, perhaps you are one of them, or enjoy being around them. No offense taken, we all have different personalities and styles. These are in no particular order.
The explainer
We have all been introduced to the concept of the “mansplainer” quite recently. While abroad, the “explainers” are usually male but once in awhile they can be female too. They are usually aged 30+ and will tell you about things you aren’t even interested in, over explain a question, or force their own theory or life philosophy on you.
The camera champion
We all love photos don’t we? Not as much as this guy/girl. They take photos of everything. They often bring an expensive camera everywhere and take 100-500 pictures a day. It is as if they can’t enjoy a location or country without snapping 1000 shots.
The cultural copy cat
Look at these cute cats, which one do you think is the native and which one is the copy cat? The copy cat is on the left. They know everything about the country/culture, perhaps more than a native. They usually gain fluency quite rapidly and want to blend in with the country so far that it will be impossible to tell they aren’t originally from that country. There is nothing wrong with a little bit of pandering, but these copy cats have gone in deep. They will also try to make other expats feel bad that they haven’t gone as far as them.
The social Chameleon
These expats want to be friends with everyone, even if they are friends with two different groups who hate each other. They go to the extent of holding back their own opinion, just so that everyone will like them. This usually has a negative effect. as they are seen as being fake.
The History buff
There’s nothing wrong with loving history, I for one love it too. However, these “history buffs” take it to a whole new level. There is rarely a moment where they stop discussing the history of the country. They love going to historical sites, but that is not the only place where they flaunt their expertise. They will also mention people who visited or did different things at certain locations. Such as a restaurant, shop, district etc. There is no stopping them. Their talent is endless.
Nostalgic dude
In fact, I’ve never met a woman like this, so that’s why I call it “dude”. Usually they have lived in the country or visited it frequently over a course of 5-15 years. They have seen many changes and most of their conversations revolve around the past and how the country or city used to be. I have personally met a few who lived in a country for 5, 7, 14, and 20 years. While it is nice to learn about how the country used to be, at some point you have to move on from the past.
The political activist
I enjoy discussing politics, and I feel if you don’t then you are missing out. However, these activists come in two forms. A.) They find a way to fit politics into almost every conversation. B.) They bring their politics from the west and try to influence the said culture. Often, getting involved with protests, putting their life in harms way, or getting involved with politics that they have no business meddling with.
It’s hard to say which one is more annoying but both are wise to be avoided in my opinion.
The chronic complainer
Obviously, I am complaining in this blog post (in a way). I think it is ok to complain. No country is perfect (including yours). That being said, constantly complaining is annoying. Stop it! Stop right now!
The traveler
We all have our own styles. The traveler is no different. They spend little time in one place. When they visit a country or live in a country they visit as many cities and locations as possible. Spending almost no time there or really getting to know the area. For me, I am less annoyed at them and more sad for them. In my opinion they do not get to know a country or culture that well.
The ultra-mega optimist
“This country is perfect” they might say. In my experience, these people are usually married, engaged or have a boyfriend/girlfriend in the country. This kind of gives them a biased view towards the country, as they have a guide and a large group (the significant other’s family) who are hospitable towards them much longer than a normal tourist or expat would be experiencing hospitality. You can’t criticize the country in front of this person. Because the country “is perfect” and they will argue with you, letting you know how/why. In my experience, they aren’t always married or involved with some one romantically, but they usually are. It also worth noting that not all married/engaged expats in different countries are like this.
That’s it!
Thanks for reading! if you made it through the list, let me know what you think about these types of expats and if you agree/disagree with me on them. At times I have been one of these expats too! So of course we can’t judge too much.