Google| Subject | Re: Colonial Photo & Hobby |
| From | Tony Cooper |
| Date | 04/16/2014 00:18 (04/15/2014 18:18) |
| Message-ID | <sfark9d66ohvbab8lqj10v28ganupokflj@4ax.com> |
| Client | |
| Newsgroups | rec.photo.digital |
| Follows | Eric Stevens |
| Followups | PeterN (1d, 21h & 10m) Sandman (3d, 17h & 26m) |
On Wed, 16 Apr 2014 09:14:30 +1200, Eric Stevens <eric.stevens@sum.co.nz>wrote:
Eric StevensThe strange thing about Americans is that we are generally perceived as loud and rude when we're visiting other countries. We do not have a good reputation abroad.
On Tue, 15 Apr 2014 00:54:30 -0400, Tony Cooper <tonycooper214@gmail.com>wrote:Tony CooperEric Stevens
On Tue, 15 Apr 2014 16:07:49 +1200, Eric Stevens <eric.stevens@sum.co.nz>wrote:Eric StevensTony Cooper
On 14 Apr 2014 18:30:42 GMT, Sandman <mr@sandman.net>wrote:SandmanEric Stevens
From recommendation from Tony, I went to Colonial Photo and Hobby, just to check it out. Was a really small store with one half hobby and the other photo-related stuff. Pretty cramped, but really nice british salesman that I talked to.
Here is their web site. It gives some idea of their size. http://www.colonialphotohobby.com/index.htm
This shows a bit more: http://www.colonialphotohobby.com/layout.htm The total number of square feet in the store is 15,000. At any given time, there are four or five knowledgeable sales assistants behind the counter, and Don Rausch (the owner) routinely walks through the shelf area and asks people if they need assistance.
Actually, I am sorry that Jonas was not pleased with the store. I do try to provide information about this city, and specialty information if requested, to any visitors. I rather suspected that nothing I recommended would be favorably commented on here, though.
My reaction was that Jonathon might not have been particularly generous in his assessment, he was at least making an honest comment.Tony CooperEric Stevens
I was certainly not surprised to not to see a "Thanks for the information" about the information about the store and the directions. Someone with a bit more class would have done so.
I think that's a cultural thing. US citizens offer thanks and receive a 'you're welcome' more than most people. I wouldn't regard Jonathon as having gone out of his way to be rude.
As someone who has traveled to several other countries on several occasions, I have to agree with this general assessment. I've personally observed it.
Yet, on our home ground, we are almost excessively polite and helpful to visitors from other countries. Not all Americans, of course, and if Jonas is as arrogant in person as he comes across here, he may find nothing but exceptions.
The complaint I hear the most about Americans from visitors to this country is that Americans can be *too* personal and friendly. A Brit from Oxford that I have an online acquaintanceship with recently returned from a trip to the US and his complaint was "All I wanted was some simple directions, and the wanker wanted to chat for 20 minutes and tell me how much his father enjoyed being stationed in England in WWII."
The only people that are more helpful - as a generality - to tourists that I've experienced have been the Irish outside of Dublin. Ask an Irishman how to get somewhere, and he'll lead to the place and ask if you know his cousin who lives in Cleveland. If he doesn't know how to get to the place, he'll take you to someone who does.
I suspect you have been hypersensitised to Jonathon (as was I) but hopefully with a little effort all will gradually lose their personal sensitivity.I separate online personas from real life. I don't like Jonas online, but I'd willingly provide any information or help to Jonas the tourist.
-- Tony Cooper - Orlando FL
04/14/2014-
