I don´t know what the people are like in your country, but I have to say that the Americans are probably one of the friendliest people in the world. I am not saying they are about to commit to a deep relationship with anybody they meet on the street, but they talk to you. And they are willing to help you.
This never happens in Europe. And I don´t mean only Slovakia, but almost all Europe. It doesn´t matter if you are in London, Barcelona or Rome. You can be sure that if you walk around the city with a map in your hand, nobody will just stop and ask if you need help. Actually my friend from Miami told me, that when he was in Paris for the first time, he was asking people for directions and at least three of them told him to go away (but OK, Paris is extreme).
Maybe it could be an interesting sociological study to find out why the Americans are so talkative and friendly with the strange people. You can travel by bus, or just stand in the line at the grocery store and they start asking you questions – where are you from, what do you do and so on. Then you tell them that you are from Slovakia, and they start making connections (my ex wife´s boss had a cousin from Czech which is close to Slovakia right?…). Most of the time they seem geniunely interested in you.
Or I went to set up a bank account. By the time I got my password and checks the guy knew everything about me. How many times I was in US, which states did I visit, what is the national food in Slovakia, what is my favourite music and so on…In european bank they would just ask you how much money do you want to deposit and the discussion is over.
So what it is that makes americans so friendly? Is it the way they were brought up? (my mum always told me not to talk to strange people…), do they feel the necessity to help to others? Or do they just have a curiosity in their genes? Any suggestions?
Immensely friendly, and I have had to fight the urge to discount it all as being insincere. I justify it by reminding myself that no one would go through all that trouble and effort to strike up a conversation, offer help, or a smile even, if there was not a hint of genuineness in that action.
And the guy at the bank, yes, he did dig somewhat, and I reciprocated. He lived here his whole life and has a toddler who is about to grow into the terrible twos!