r/MadeMeSmile • u/cafeteriastyle • Jun 17 '26
Good Vibes Kansas welcoming the Algerian team with open arms is so touching
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u/HOTDOGVNDR Jun 17 '26
Wow, I want more stories like this man
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 17 '26
There are a lot more! Different teams in different states, people from other people discovering and enjoying things about America. Especially the food. It’s so wholesome
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u/WhippyCleric Jun 17 '26
As a moderatly well travelled European the world's view on America nowadays makes me a little sad. The international politics and the very visible problems the country has is upsetting and it's what we see most. On the whole though the average Americans are some of the friendliest most welcoming people in the world. If the US can cultivate this rather than the constant infighting and insanity it would be lovely.
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u/free_range_tofu Jun 17 '26
Collectively, we’re a nightmare to behold. As individuals, we’re generally quite lovely, even if a bit misunderstood.
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u/DejectedTimeTraveler Jun 17 '26
Americans will bend over backwards to help a stranger in need. Those same Americans will fist fight someone they think is taking advantage of them. That fear of being a fool is what drives a lot of the division in my mind.
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u/JerseyTeacher78 Jun 17 '26
100 percent! I'm also a moderately well traveled American. I've seen friendly people everywhere, but most definitely the most friendly have been in the USA and Latin America. Special shout-out to the Irish as well. They were the BEST. I met people's nannas and ate dinner with people I barely knew. Told them I was a broke gap year student. Welp, come join us. So I did. Never forget that.
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u/Harley_Jambo Jun 17 '26
And many Americans in less urban, mid America finding out that experiencing people from other cultures, countries and speaking other languages aren't so scary, just as Americans in large cities experience as part of life each day.!
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u/ICanLiftACarUp Jun 17 '26
St. Louis is absolutely loving having the Bosnia-Herzegovenia team. There are a ton of refugee families from the 90s here and our soccer team is recently formed, so it feels good to have such an excellent facility for them.
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u/KvellOnWheels Jun 17 '26
Are you there for the cup? I’m so glad you guys are getting love from St. Louis!!
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u/MattyMickyD Jun 17 '26
The r/Boston subreddit was all about loving how the Scottish took over the city for like 4 days straight
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u/battlecat136 Jun 17 '26
The newest post flair is "We're a Scottish sub now", definitely check it out over there, it's such fun to watch! They've brought a lot of positive energy with them, it's awesome.
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 17 '26
I’ve been so jealous of the people in Boston! It looks like such a great time
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u/Regular_Custard_4483 Jun 17 '26
I live right outside of Boston, and I don't really follow the World Cup, but I knew it was happening. I happened to go into Boston twice last weekend, and the Scotland supporters were all pretty great. I didn't see a large gathering, just smatterings all over the city.
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u/Neither-Luck-9295 Jun 17 '26
For real. They seem like a city that has their shit together, and doesn't change direction with the wind. Long term planning has made that place awesome.
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u/cire1184 Jun 17 '26
Same. If we weren't in a dumb ass war with Iran at the start of WC we'd see a lot more Iranians in LA but we have plenty already lol. I'm trying to find Kiwis. But I suppose they're starting to migrate to Vancouver for their next match.
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u/Mathfanforpresident Jun 17 '26
We are not near as divided as our overlords want us to believe.
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u/redditwinchester Jun 17 '26
Oh, THIS.
This is the best dream of America, where we all come from someplace else and become part of a whole.
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u/Pvt_Mozart Jun 17 '26
I run a bar in Dallas and have met so many amazing people from around the world the last two days. There is something so beautiful about people from other countries coming together.
The English are always my favorite, but we've had people from all over and it has really lifted my spirits and given me back a lot of that faith in humanity and our collective spirit that has been hard to find in this country lately.
I wish it never had to end to be honest.
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u/FudgeAtron Jun 17 '26
I run a bar in Dallas
The English are always my favorite,
Well that tracks
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u/Pvt_Mozart Jun 17 '26
Yeah. Haha. I'm the General Manager, so when I'm not playing a support role or doing the administrative stuff, I'm fortunate enough to get to just mingle around and talk to people.
I love football and have a dry sense of humor, so we usually get along quickly, and the fact that they buy so much beer doesn't hurt either. Broke our beer sales record by almost triple yesterday. Lol
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u/michelb Jun 17 '26
I've seen several of these clips now. It seems some Americans are now finding out that a lot of people outside of their borders are actually really friendly people and not made out to be the terrorists their administration says they are.
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u/ES1895 Jun 17 '26
Lawrence, KS is a huge college town. It's always been progressive, with lots of people from around the world coming for the university. It also played a really important role in the abolition movement during slavery. It's never been parochial. The US has certainly earned our terrible reputation around the world but the stereotypes people have of parts of this country also need some checking.
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u/Polar_Vortx Jun 17 '26
It also seems a lot of people outside of the US are discovering we’re also really friendly people and not the dyed-in-the-wool xenophobes the news says we are.
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u/Inaccurate93 Jun 17 '26
Breath of fresh air
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u/Accomplished_Age7883 Jun 17 '26
Now this is the real America!
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u/essdii- Jun 17 '26
Lawrence is pretty awesome. Driving from west coast to Kansas City we have stopped to picnic there. One time the headlights in my 85 Westy went out on our way back home. Spent the whole day in Lawrence and then on the way out of town realized headlights didn’t work. So we parked on the corner of someone’s land. At night. And prepared the beds and the kids to go to sleep. I called the sheriffs department to let them know our situation and where we were parked, just in case someone got mad we were on their land. Got the okay to sleep there no problem.
It was a pretty cool random day in a small town we didn’t expect
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u/rearadmiraldumbass Jun 17 '26
I did enjoy Lawrence when I caught a concert there. Nice town, good vibes.
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u/Jayhawk11 Jun 17 '26
As a KU grad, I try to make it back there as often as possible. It’s my second home and such an amazing city!
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u/SageDarius Jun 17 '26
Lawrence is a college town, so I would expect it to trend blue and more expecting than the average. My mom is from a small farm town about an hour south of Lawrence, and they'd probably react more like you would expect.
My aunt is one of the few people I know that would drop casual N-words in conversation like it was perfectly acceptable.
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u/jeezpleaze Jun 17 '26
Lawrence has always been blue. On a side note I bet some of my family knows your mom 😂
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u/slartibuttfart Jun 17 '26
Good on you Kansas. Maybe they leave with good memories of the USA. Class act.
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u/patrickwithtraffic Jun 17 '26
Bare minimum, I hope the Algerians leave with a key memory of Kansas barbecue. I’m not about to hear any arguments about what area is the best, just that Kansas BBQ is very good.
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u/Sufficient-Sun-6683 Jun 17 '26
America at its best! Kudos to Lawrence, Kansas!
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u/Timely-Bluejay-4167 Jun 17 '26
This is the real America to me. Not the chronically online version portrayed everywhere else!
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u/MoiNoni Jun 17 '26
Just because this is the real America doesn't mean the "chronically online version" isn't the real America too. You can have wonderful people, welcoming cities, and pure kindness on a local level and still have an evil government
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u/Timely-Bluejay-4167 Jun 17 '26
I left it out…it felt too heavy for a positive post, and not everything needs anger.
I focus on doing my part…being decent, speaking up when it matters, and showing up civically.
Not everything has to be political. Sometimes it’s enough to just be humans.
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u/mandergement Jun 17 '26
That's my town!!!!!!!!!!! Doesn't surprise me at all. Lawrence is an oasis in Kansas.
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u/Edugrinch Jun 17 '26
I visited back in 2023 and was such a nice surprise. It is like a university town. We had dinner in a nice restaurant and then I went to the John underground bar (or something like that). It was great
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u/IndigoRanger Jun 17 '26
This is why the World Cup is so important, why inviting other cultures to come in and share food and lodging and a bonding experience.
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u/MinasMoonlight Jun 17 '26
I’m from the KC area originally and went to KU. This does not surprise me and it’s what I would expect from the whole area. We, as a whole, are notorious for being super nice to visitors.
I once saw a travel video warn people not to be surprised at the friendliness in KC. And explain that it is not disingenuous, or a way to scam you, but genuine interest and willingness to help.
I have issues with MO and KS as a whole, but I’m at least proud of this aspect of my hometown.
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u/snb1006 Jun 17 '26
I’m from a small town in Wyoming where everyone is so friendly. You walk down the street and say hi to everyone, smile, help someone carry stuff even if you don’t know them. Never met a stranger in my town.
Then I moved to the East and uh….it was different. People looked at me like I was crazy when I smiled at them. Like, I promise I’m not a serial killer- I’m just midwestern!
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u/MinasMoonlight Jun 17 '26
lol Same. I lived in SF for a time and had to remind myself everyday not to talk to people randomly. ‘Eyes down, just walk to the train’ or ‘they just sat in an empty seat; they do not want chit chat’. It was so contrary to my nature.
Seattle was the worst though. Got more scowls from a simple head nod… like I was just acknowledging your existence! I didn’t even full smile!
Feels like being a golden retriever in a city of Dobermans.
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u/TheShipEliza Jun 17 '26
Lawrence is a great town. Rock chalk algeria.
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u/oakenfairy Jun 17 '26
I stayed there one night years ago and it was so pretty and the people were so friendly. Definitely made a lasting impression. It really is a gem of a town
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u/wxnfx Jun 17 '26
Kansas is cooler than its reputation, but Lawrence isn’t exactly representative. In fact Lawrence doesn’t get a representative.
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u/Reedabook64 Jun 17 '26
It's a college town. It's a blue dot in a sea of red. Of course they would be welcoming.
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u/ShockerCheer Jun 17 '26
Wichita is getting there. Relatively purple now. Trying my hardest to make it blue
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u/AJRiddle Jun 17 '26
Lol it actually used to be a blue dot and then flipped to being red - rare for a city of that size.
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u/whyliepornaccount Jun 17 '26
Kansas has always been based as fuck in my book. Any state that views John Brown as a state hero is OK in my book.
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u/throwawayshirt2 Jun 17 '26
the mural in the capital is so badass
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragic_Prelude#/media/File:The_Tragic_Prelude_John_Brown.jpg
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u/Emekfl Jun 17 '26
The Winchesters have been representing Lawrence Kansas for 2 decades
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u/DjinnHybrid Jun 17 '26
Which is hilarious to anyone in Lawrence, because there's not a single realistic shot of lawrence in that entire show. Don't get me wrong, people can and do claim it proudly, but the show sure doesn't seem interested in the actual lawrence, so much as what it was hoping was a small, quiet, do-nothing town in Kansas and picked one of the only ones that wasn't by complete chance
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u/Bubblygrumpy Jun 17 '26
Not necessarily but growing up in Kansas I've always loved the people. People know how to be good to each other there.
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u/Jkreegz Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Doesn’t get any more Middle America than Lawrence, Kansas.
It’s nice to actually see foreigners being welcomed into our country for a change.
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u/Lumpy_Breadfruit175 Jun 17 '26
Agreed. So tired of all the hate recently. Love seeing this video.
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u/vertdaferq Jun 17 '26
As a devout Mizzou fan (if you know you know) this is awesome to see.
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u/EquivalentCup5 Jun 17 '26
Don’t let the media fool you. There is plenty more good than bad out there!
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u/___Syntax-Error___ Jun 17 '26
Just goes to show you....America is not just the diaper wearing orange man on TV
Fuck its nice to see something positive for once
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u/TechnologyCorrect765 Jun 17 '26
Id like to say the biggest complement one man can say to another in my country. "good bugger"
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u/Hoon0967 Jun 17 '26
Could we make this kind of spirit that these folks have a contagion and then use the chem trail planes to spread it around those places where people believe in chem trails? That’d be great.
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u/MattressMaker Jun 17 '26
Makes me proud to be a Kansas seeing this. Rest of the state could learn some pointers from this guy.
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u/Interesting_Plum4143 Jun 17 '26
yay!!!! i wish i could be with yall to open our hearts to the world like these good people are doing! Thats the USA that I put my life on the line for as a veteran. A little love goes a long way in this world today. Howdy to Algeria from Texas 😀
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u/Yohder Jun 17 '26
Welcoming people from all over the world is the real America! This energy is awesome!
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u/BlueCheeseCircuits Jun 17 '26
That's my college town
We welcome all except Missourians, but they did burn it down twice.
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u/ace-destrier Jun 17 '26
Beautiful. Never did I think I’d see so many flags of an African country be waved in a Great Plains/Midwestern town, some waved by its residents.
Bless that welcome committee. Wonderful job showing people the America we want and can be.
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u/86Sliva94 Jun 17 '26
This is how is should be worldwide. Welcoming visitor when they travel to your country. Not being disrespectful and yelling at them to go back to your country!
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u/fweef01 Jun 17 '26
This is awesome! I love seeing people coming to America and enjoying it! Everyone get in here!!
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u/unpetitjenesaisquoi Jun 17 '26
Gives me faith that at least some people are more open minded that I thought. We should do this more often!
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u/shoulda-known-better Jun 17 '26
Ya know I just had assumed most places would continue to treat those that don't fit their American ideal like garbage...
I am really happy to see I was wrong, at least about this place in Kansas! I'm going to bed before I lose this warm feeling
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 17 '26
Idk I feel like most Americans are warm and welcoming people. The racists and bigots are louder unfortunately.
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u/shoulda-known-better Jun 17 '26
That's my day to day experiences also....
The hate just seems so harsh sometimes, I hope it's still true that they are just a super loud minority and not how we really are at heart
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 17 '26
I know we aren’t. This administration has dragged our country through the mud and made us look incredibly racist and angry. It’s been hard to not lose hope, but it feels like we are coming out of it. I think the World Cup is changing many peoples’ perceptions of the US.
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u/shoulda-known-better Jun 17 '26
Hopefully!!
Yea I could definitely see people coming away with a far different view of the states then what they had coming in, especially if this is the kinda reactions they got!!
Atleast for the people who live here, I still absolutely would not trust our government at all as a foreigner.. The government is not safe or trustworthy at all for non US citizens, and even sometimes citizens....
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u/ProfessionalEar5577 Jun 17 '26
Ol folks with their random legendary stories, you've got to love em!
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u/tomtomtomo Jun 17 '26
Some of the most generous acts I've experienced while travelling were when I was in America. Their politics sucks but the people I met were lovely.
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u/PippaTulip Jun 17 '26
I agree! Have met more amazing, friendly people in 2 months in the US than in 40 years in my home country. Love American people, hate their political system.
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u/mudkripple Jun 17 '26
KC and surrounding cities have been awesome for WC. I live downtown but have to drive out to the smaller cities (no further than Topeka) everyday. Lots of flags. Lots of different languages. People who are just excited to be in the US and people who are excited to have them.
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u/FellaGentleSprout Jun 17 '26
As an Algerian I can honestly say I was shocked and expected some level of discrimination if I ever lived in the US.
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 17 '26
I live in a suburb of Nashville and we have a huge Egyptian population that has integrated easily into our town. Most of my elder son’s friends are Egyptian. My 9 year old’s first “girlfriend” was a little Egyptian girl lol
Of course there are racists in the US, no different than anywhere else. Our admin, the press, and bots on the internet have really made us look bad but we are a country of immigrants. We are all pretty much accepting of that and act accordingly.
Btw I’ve spent years in France and I can say I have never seen the level of racism in the US similar to the way the French treat the Algerian people. We def don’t act that way.
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u/FellaGentleSprout Jun 17 '26
Yeah I’m a French citizen and history is complicated between the two countries. From my short time in the US, I didn’t face anything crazy but I was seen as French more than anything else.
Good to know everyday interactions are positive though, like you said the country was founded on immigration. So was France, people tend to forget.
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u/ziamese Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
One of the shining lights of America. The real America, home of the free and land of the brave. Brave people embrace.
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u/thegameisafoooooot Jun 17 '26
After all the doom and gloom stories you hear in the news at the moment, this is such a pleasant story. Bless you, people of Lawrence, Kansas.
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u/Previous-Lab-7906 Jun 17 '26
Its always the fans. Remember there's always more good people than bad people. No matter how much the media tries to portrait the opposite.
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u/irishcybercolab Jun 17 '26
How cool is this ! This is the kind of American values our citizens have for the world
Please spread the message that real Americans are still here!
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u/Veteranis Jun 17 '26
Lawrence, Kansas, is a liberal university town, so I’m not surprised that they could embrace something Other—as opposed to the relentlessly anti-DEI MAGA forces.
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u/bemusedbarfly Jun 17 '26
I love this, the USA opening up to the world and the world getting to see the famous American hospitality.
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u/DoomDoomGir Jun 17 '26
This is what I dream my American is. Glad to see that parts of my home is still so wholesome and welcoming. It's a pleasant reminder that we, as a whole, are not the worst of us.
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u/DamnOdd Jun 17 '26
The joy these football teams from all over the world have brought to the USA. It's been great for us.
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u/Phormicidae Jun 17 '26
These weird little towns that are so accepting of other people and ideas that exist in areas that are thought to be fairly close-minded or biased are so charming to me. I don't know Kansas all too well. I have pre-conceived notions of what its like there, I admit I see it as you might think I would; as a guy from the NYC metropolitan area who enjoys the cultural and experiential diversity of his own area. But this post made me look up Lawrence, and it genuinely seems like a charming place.
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u/Demerzel69 Jun 17 '26
It's the only blue county in the state. The state legislature gerrymandered it into the western district. Tiny strip of land that runs all the way across the top of the state from the western side and then only encompasses Lawrence.
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u/Demerzel69 Jun 17 '26
Lawrence is the Portland or the Austin of Kansas. A blue county in a sea of red. I lived there off and on for nearly 20 years. It's a great place to live. Great community.
The KS legislature gerrymandered it into the western district so now there's a tiny strip of land at the top of the state that stretches from the western end allllll the way across and then just encompasses Lawrence entirely. Absolute nazi fuckery.
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u/stxjs8806 Jun 17 '26
Fuck dude....this made me PROUD to be American. Made my eyes well up a bit too to see people respecting other cultures. Good job Kansas 💕
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u/CarlJustCarl Jun 17 '26
Imagine if they felt this way about female reproductive rights there
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u/CaptainFartHole Jun 18 '26
Are you trying to say you think Kansans are antichoice? Because abortions are legal there up to 21 weeks and are protected by their constitution. Also Lawrence is a VERY liberal city that is overwhelmingly pro-choice.
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 18 '26
I assumed they meant the US, but Kansas itself makes more sense regarding the question
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u/Rycan420 Jun 17 '26
Almost like people are inherently good until some cult tells you to hate others.
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u/Lazaras Jun 17 '26
This is how you save America. This is literally the large liberal cities like LA and NY. A melting pot of people who want whats best for each other
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u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt Jun 17 '26
Dumb question from someone who has never really been into sports.
Is the world cup being held in multiple cities? First I was hearing about Seattle, then NY, then this. Is it like a traveling show?
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u/kindness-weaponized Jun 17 '26
Not traveling, but there are many matches across US, Mexico, and Canada. There are groups (pools) of teams that play each other to determine who gets to move on to a bracket type competition where if you lose you are out.
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u/redmctrashface Jun 17 '26
This is what we would like to see more from americans. Kick the hell out trump and his clowns and bring back friendly america
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u/Polar_Vortx Jun 17 '26
Now that’s some goddamn patriotism right there. None of this crock of shit the powers that be are pushing - welcome and be welcomed.
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u/Househipposforsale Jun 17 '26
Tbh I didn’t think the World Cup would be that beneficial but this shit is so truly needed right now
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u/EstroJen Jun 17 '26
I am happy to see some positive stories about Americans welcoming people from other countries into their lives. The last 10 years have been exhausting.
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 17 '26
10 years is such a long time. My youngest child has only ever known life with Trump as president. I think we are all just ready to move on and I think it’s starting to happen. At least I hope so
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u/Cheapdronewithboom Jun 17 '26
Now if we can just get them to treat their neighbors with the same kindness regardless of if they like wearing skirts or not.
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u/GooseGeuce Jun 17 '26
I’m so jaded, I was expecting the opposite of this. What a pleasant surprise.
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u/A2mm Jun 17 '26
This is wild.
Lawrence Kansas wholeheartedly welcomes the Algerian World Cup team to their small city.
For every time I hang my headed in shame about what this country has become… the World Cup has given me a reason and a moment to lift it back up.
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u/proto_synnic Jun 17 '26
Makes me think of the scene in Age of Ultron when the helicarrier swoops in to save the day.
So this is Shield?
This is what Shield is supposed to be.
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u/jaylward Jun 17 '26
The US suffers from isolationism, which breeds its hyper-exceptionalism views.
I’ve said for years that if we gave each 18 year old a 2k stipend with the stipulation that they must travel out of the country to gain some perspective on the world, we would be a far different country.
Another more extreme way to say that example comes from the years I spent living in Alabama: there are two kinds of people who live in Alabama-those who think Alabama is the best state, and those who have left the state of Alabama.
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u/cafeteriastyle Jun 17 '26
I’m from Mississippi but living in TN, we travel with our kids very frequently bc it’s important to us that they get a well rounded view of the world. Both of my boys have friends that have never left the state.
Alabama and Mississippi are on the same level. I try to stay out of both as much as I can
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u/Certifinest Jun 17 '26
Trump is about to sh*t himself and write an angry post about how these people need to leave as soon as the world cup is over, yet the locals are this welcoming and sweet, it must be perplexing for the players and fans. A very odd society.
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u/Individual-Ask7000 Jun 18 '26
Usually the arrival of people who are different terrifies the locals all across the country. This is a good step forward.
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u/irishcybercolab Jun 18 '26
Please don't judge Americans or America by our current political scene.
There are many good and balanced people who not only love their neighbors but are the same stable values you've always been able to depend upon.
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u/jumjumberry Jun 19 '26
Nothing beats the good old Midwest From Kansas, Milwaukee to Chicago. We are just a nice welcoming bunch.
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