5 Countries I've Visited Which Were The Most Welcoming

When we visit new countries, we are exposed to new cultures in which people behave differently from our own and there are some countries which which have a reputation of being more welcoming than others. This is all from my experiences and it is in no particular order.

1. Canada 

Anyone who tells you that they've been to Canada will indefinitely tell you that Canadian people are super friendly and are stereotypically known for saying "sorry" all the time. The first time I went to Canada was back in 2012, my family and I stayed with our relative who treated us like royalty. He was an incredible host and we got to visit more of our relatives in Vancouver. Moreover, in 2016 I visited Toronto on a holiday to America with my dad, Toronto feels like a has friendlier people than its US counterparts such as New York and Chicago and a friend from Toronto told me that you can make friends while waiting in line at the supermarket.

2. Sweden 

Sweden is the home of ABBA, Minecraft and Kopparberg. Back in 2018, I went to Stockholm for the weekend and I had noticed that Swedish people were very nice and could speak excellent english. In Scotland, we know bouncers to be rather rude, but in Sweden, even the bouncers were friendly and having a casual talk with us. Stockholm is also one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, the traditional architecture has been maintained well and is wonderful to walk through.

3. Brazil 

If you know me, I love Brazil like a fat kid loves cake. Thanks to sensationalist news reports and films like Cidade de Deus and Tropa de Elite. I won't lie, from my time in Rio, I had experienced crime and dirty cops. However, the news never focus on the good side of Brazil, it is a massive country which is more than just what you see on the news. There are incredible cities such as Salvador, Fortaleza and Porto Alegre which I hope to visit and not to mention the remarkable nature. 

Most Brazilians are incredibly happy people, who would probably down to have a beer with you, I have said before that you could spend a few hours with a Brazilian and it feels like you have known them for years. Sometimes when I have been in London, or even in my hometown of Glasgow, I notice that people are speaking Portuguese on the street and then I ask them where they are from. 

4. Japan 

The land of the rising sun is one of the most beautiful, fascinating and friendliest countries I have ever visited. There's a huge misconception that Japanese people are racist to foreigners, this idea is hugely misunderstood. Japanese people expect that foreigners will conform to their cultural norms, if you walk around areas which aren't touristy, you may have people staring at you, but they won't hold any hostility. When I was confused at train stations, people would come towards me and tell me where I'd need to go. In big cities like London and New York City, people are known to be incredibly rude, however in the huge metropolis of Tokyo, this is not the case. In Saitama I met up with a friend who is a Japanese Hearts fan, he took me to a football match and we even went to an izakaya to have some beer. When I was in Kyoto, I needed to get to the station quickly, as I was checking out of my guesthouse, the receptionist went out of her way to give me a lift to the station, even though there was nothing in it for her. 

5. Thailand

When I visited Bangkok back in 2017, it was my first time in the far east, my mind was blown, last year I also went to Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. I have only been to the biggest touristy places in Thailand, but these places are still great, loads of people are happy to accommodate tourists and you will be unlikely to get into an aggressive confrontation as it is incredibly rare for Thai people to shout. Thailand is known as the land of smiles because Thai people are famed for their politeness, however, if you are planning to visit be aware of people trying to scam or rip you off. But, in short, Thailand is one of the most interesting and welcoming countries that I highly recommend you visit.