I noticed it the last few times I visited the U.S: I don't hold the door for the person behind me anymore, I walk in between a person and the shelf they're looking at in the supermarket (as opposed to walking behind them and saying "excuse me"), and I've reduced the times I say "Thank you" during an exchange. In other words I'm losing my manners. But I guess this is what happens when you live in Greece! I don't mean to imply that Greeks are necessarily rude, but they definitely don't have the overtly-polite gene that Americans have (and I'm guessing Australians and Canadians, too).
When I first moved here my American upbringing was the reason I would say "Sorry", "Excuse me" and "Thank you" more than any other words during the day. If you're anything like me, you've learned to smile at people when you work, when you shop and for no reason at all, really. But after a few months in Greece you have to somewhat forget about all of that, because dealing with daily life you see that your polite actions are not reciprocated most of the time. So you stop trying. And not only are they not reciprocated, but you find many things that Greeks do to be quite rude. (Read about the "rude" things Greeks do at www.allthegreeks.com)
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Americans say excuse me too much! I think we learn this at an early age. Although I am sure it is taught with the best intentions, we are using it way too much, WAY TOO MUCH.
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήWhen is it proper to say "excuse me"?
Today, someone said it to me in a store. We were walking towards each other, no where near a collision, and an "excuse me" came out of their mouth. Was I supposed to do something??? I froze.
Although Europeans stand too close, push and shove, it is an equal opportunity playing field. Last week in Munich, I walked the back of a shoe off of someone's foot at the train station. I didn't say excuse me, or sorry, I just kept walking. The person just fixed their shoe, didn't even know who did it, didn't scowl and went on stepping on other people's heels. So excuse me if I prefer it that way.
Actually I'm visiting my family now in the US and I have to agree that it gets tiring to excuse and pardon myself constantly. The other day I was walking up a ramp to go into a store and this guy who was waiting at the top of it got offended (he had that puzzled look on his face) when I started walking up the ramp and didn't wait for him to come down first. I mean.. the ramp was big enough for both of us to walk! Should I have waited and excused myself? In Greece, something like this would've never mattered.
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