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Published: October 10th 2006
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"Fitting In" as a Traveller This is a really complicated issue, but I'll try to tackle it as best I can because it's been on my mind as long as I've been here.
I would hypothesize that American people can never really know the way the rest of the world sees us until we venture out amongst the other peoples of the world, live and travel amongst them, and earn their trust and access to their thoughts.
I've been doing quite a bit of this lately, and though I've
felt their opinions towards us, and I've
heard little snippets of it as jokes and sarcasms, I am just now beginning to really learn about and understand the way we are looked at.
There are different opinions about us in every part of the world, of course, but the similarities and parallels in what I get from at least the Europeans and Australians makes it clear that certain strong sentiments exist about us everywhere. They don't like us, really. (Though it would be just as wrong for me to say, "all foreigners hate us," as it would be for them to say that, "all Americans are loud, rude war-mongers who eat at McDonald's.")
Most of the Europeans I've met have been very nice. They are typically just as friendly and warm to me as they are to other Europeans they meet (or to the Canadians and Australians). However, there are some European people that I have met who flat-out turn up their noses and ignore me as soon as they learn where I am from. I have been frowned at for being an American, I have been isolated and ostracized in groups, and I have been insulted by people before really being introduced.
The majority of the time, however, I am accepted into the group as much as anyone else. I have been a ring-leader in mixed-nationality groups, a clown, and--to some individuals--a confidant. That is to say, I have been able to make friends. But, I am a person who is always able to make friends. No matter how brash, rude, or outrageous I might act most of the time, I am always able to meet new people and to create bonds.
I am afraid that for many other Americans, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to make friends over here. In fact, none of the little international party-posses and travel-teams that I've been in have included other Americans (I am omitting the group in Pattaya because we were ALL Americans and Thais--who are quite friendly to us). There aren't many of us travelling abroad, but those that I have met are not nearly as excited, comfortable, and accepted as the Euros, Aussies, and Canucks.
How They See Us But, as I say, I have made friends. Pretty good friend, actually. Some of us have spent several days and nights together, partied together, travelled and adventured together, and opened up to one another about tough, touchy subjects in our late-night conversation. And this is when I've started to become even more upset.
It seems that over the last three nights or so, I have heard several times that I am, "not a typical American." Actually, the same general line that I have heard from more than one fellow traveller would be best summed up in this mis-quote from Andy (of England):
"You're like two sides of a coin, Nic. On one side you're the typical American, but on the other side you're actually quite intelligent, insightful, and fun."
I've pressed him--and the others--on what this "typical American" looks like, acts like, and thinks like. I also wondered aloud at who this "typical American" was, where did they meet him, and how can I track him down and kick his ass for sullying my reputation so badly abroad.
What they tell me is that their "typical American" is ignorant by inclination, fat from eating McDonald's every day, loud and rude and a braggart as he has been raised to be by our culture, a supporter of international war in his patriotism--and of George Bush--and an advocate of corporate imperialism and international resource-exploitation due to his American greed, insulation, and self-righteousness. We are also violent, criminal, flashy, and completely immodest.
What I'm told is that I come across to people as this "typical American" in their first impressions, but once they get to know me better and hear what I have to say, I redeem myself by being quite the opposite.
I'm not sure if I am more flattered to learn that I do not fit this negative image, or insulted to hear that I was judged against this image--as all Americans are--in first encounters. No, I am sure: I am insulted.
Of course, when the speakers are drunk and it is late at night, they follow these statements with justifications and evidence and compliments to me ("you're one of the good ones"). But I am sick of witnessing such judgemental behavior, sick of this 'type-ing', sick of being made to feel that I need these people's validation in order to continue being myself. I am also quite tired of meeting so much disagreemet and skepticism when I tell people what Americans are
really like.
This is Our Fault It turns out that most of these people have not met too many actual Americans in their lives. I've heard that less than 85%!o(MISSING)f us own passports, and that even less of us use them. I've also seen the kind of American media and culture that they get over here: it's McDonald's, FOX News, 50 Cent, and G.W. Bush.
So, I guess it's our fault, actually. We have allowed these people, their opinions, and--in the case of our corrupt politicians and their assinine foreign policy--their actions abroad to mis-represent us to the world. They have given other nations a terrible view of us, and what they have done will have consequences.
We aren't hated and threatened abroad, we are misunderstood. But, it could turn to hate anywhere and everywhere quite easily, and to danger. The only answer is for more of us to go out into the world, to see it and it's people, to experience these things firsthand. Then, maybe, people can develop a better idea of us. Maybe the "typical American" will be seen to be intelligent, insightful, and fun. Maybe we'll even begin to make some changes in the ways our media, corporations, and government portray us abroad; maybe we'll be able to change the way these organizations behave.
If we don't, I'm afraid things could go quite badly for us. We've already lost our influence over the hearts and minds of the world. It is a small step for them to turn against us. It's your responsibility to keep that from happening.
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Alex
non-member comment
Well, Thailand is also sort of a playground for horny European men, and they want to keep it that way, which means not letting too many Americans in. In China, I met lots of European folks who got over their stereotypes of us as conceited, obnoxious cowboys, and became very good friends with me and the other Americans. You're right, though--they still have that stereotype of us being loud, obnoxious braggarts, and I think it's generally true, and it is our fault. I'm sure you've seen enough of UW's Greek system to know what kind of behavior makes people "popular" here.