Sometimes before I've visited a certain country or county people might advise that there is a reputation for being such and such and I have found completely the opposite especially when it comes to asking for directions or suggestions advice on somewhere to stay and I have been pleasantly surprised how helpful people have been.

Even in the workplace occasionally I have been told that certain people had a reputation of being hard to get on with, rude or difficult but I have found that not always the case at all.