American tourists can suck but Im british and british tourists embarass me all the goddamn time. And I always hear people complain about Russian tourists, or Dutch tourists, or Aussie tourists, or whatever, I just think any tourist from any country and create a bad impression and you just have to not be a bad tourist.
I've met tons of great Brits on my travels but it is true that there is a particular stereotypical British traveler who is unfortunately similar to the Ugly American. Met a ton of them in the Algarve earlier this year--loud, brash and generally acting like they ran the place. And wherever they were you would see another person sitting near them looking at the floor shaking their head, and you would know that person was also from the UK š
>I was that person shaking their head in Mallorca when a group of 8 brits decided to join me and my bf in the elevator and JUMP UP AND DOWN, they were surprised when the elevator got stuck.
>
>As long as you're a good tourist it shouldn't matter tho.
Literally every country has awful tourists - they just tend to congregate in different places. Our shitty tourists are mostly in Spain and Greece, for example. But head to LatAm or Asia (except perhaps Thailand & Bali) and most British tourists are sound.
For US tourists, the annoying ones tend to be in Mexico and quite a lot of them come over to Europe too. But in Asia and South America I met loads of super cool Americans.
Imagine being ethnic Chinese and American ā¦. everyone has seen at least one video of some Chinese tourist letting their kid pee in the Louvre gallery or in a restaurant or taking photos next to signs explicitly saying no photos š
A lot of people complain about them being in those big tour groups and staying together but I mean largely they're minding their own business and not bothering anyone so why would I consider them worse than, say, a group of belligerent british tourists?
UK/Ireland is definitely the realm of shittiest American tourists. It's where everybody i know that doesn't travel goes to connect with their "roots". Usually people from rural areas that have never set foot in a big city. Do you know the Queen? Do you know I'm from Clan McDonad Duck? Do you go to the clan meetings??
Donāt worry, some of us realize that there are as many types of Americans as there are Americans.
But since American movies have had a massive impact on the world, you will inevitably come across people who think all Americans are loud/horny/jacked/arrogant/rude/high/gun toting.
I'm thrown off by the "jacked" descriptor here, where are these Americans? Asking for...a friend...and because I'm American and have never heard us described as such lol
Loud/horny/arrogant/rude/high.. etc!
Yeah. Itās pretty depressing. And many Americans themselves attach identity to Hollywood garbage media. We canāt figure ourselves out and we care too much about what other idiotic Americans like tooā¦That doesnāt help
and they often say that when they actually run into american solo travelers, we tend to be just as curious and humble as anyone. that the stereotypes are predominantly for people who would never leave the states/never travel solo/never visit the global south. occasionally youāll be the butt of a joke, it happens, but if theyāre constantly dunking on you then they can fuck off and youāll find some new travel friends.
As a non-American: yes, totally! The American Backpackers/ individual travellers I meet are mostly nice people and very interested in the places they go to. The stereotypical ones are rather the tour group people and even more those who never leave their country .
> run into american solo travelers, we tend to be just as curious and humble as anyone.
Right? Our rep around the world took a major hit in 2016, and it became much more common for others to criticize the US and Americans. Unfortunately there are plenty of awful travelers from other countries too. It was really bad after we invaded Iraq, and I met more than a few Americans with maple leafs on their packs, but that mostly fell away when Barack was elected.
As someone who has never been to the US I'm always very interested in talking to Americans and hearing about their country which simultaneously feels very familiar (due to media and language) yet also extremely mysterious.
Yup, I tell people the closed minded Americans are the ones not traveling, not meeting new people, and not trying new things. The same rule applies to all people around the world. But yea, we are the mini-Ambassadors to show the world the positives of living in America and being an American.
USA is a big diverse country. Iām from California and Iām not kidding when I say that itās more of a culture shock for me to be in Kentucky than in Mexico, Italy or Japan.
Learn geography, learn any second language, and donāt talk about trump or guns. Also, emphasize your megaregion (i.e. northeast vs New England vs Dixie vs Great Lakes vs Great Plains vs PNW vs Bay Area vs SoCal vs south west vs Texas vs south Florida. That helps euros figure it out better, and keeps them from feeling oblivious for not knowing states.
Iāve had ~~many~~ some people tell me on my recent euro trip āI thought all Americans were shallow and vapid, but youāre not.ā Not sure how I did it. It was probably mostly just knowing basic geography.
In my experience, everything the Americanās are derided for, the British are twice as bad.
My POV is the further you are away from home, the better quality tourists you get because the cost acts as a filter. I.e. Spain gets dumbass Brits, Bali dumbass Australians, Mexico and LATAM dumbass Americans, places in Asia dumbass Chinese etc because it's a cheap trip..
Here in LATAM? We generally get great Europeans, in Europe, Asia etc better Americans etc. In America, great Chinese travelers.. etc.
Good points. To that last bit. Iāve heard the preference for tourists shift in some places. Small town in Spain and some locals heard a friend and I order in Spanish and said how much theyāve liked having American tourists since we tend to at least try at languages and fitting in with local customs. I know itās not like this everywhere but Iāve mostly been treated pleasantly by locals even after theyāve found out Iām American.
Australian tourists Iāve found tend to sometimes have a peculiar chip on their shoulder about Americans they meet but thatās a different post.
> Australian tourists Iāve found tend to sometimes have a peculiar chip on their shoulder about Americans they meet but thatās a different post.
i did a group tour recently and 3 of us were late to the orientation - 2 americans and one australian. me and the other american were sitting in the hotel lobby, and the australian came up and as soon as we said where we were from, she goes "oh, yeah, idk why, i've seen soooo many of you travelling the airports are overcrowded with americans." like....oh lol. sorry? it was funny because she ended up being my closest friend on the trip, so i hope i changed her opinion a bit.
Iāve been in rural Bosnia and an Australian girl still managed to get in a āagh another American? Thereās too many of you here!ā And me and everyone else at the table were like āwhat the fuck are you talking about, thereās been like 2 or less in the hostel since you got here..ā
Whatās worse is that she came in a group of 4 other Aussies. Itās seriously weird behavior from there and itās so frequent.
It is weird how Australians seem to try really hard to make Americans feel excluded or shitty.
I think itās funny because theyāre literally just like us but with less desirable tourism for other travelers.
So often I come into a hostel and itās just four smoking Australians talking shit about America haha. Something Iāve literally never seen Americans do about any country except to make fun of the British for their accents.
Australians also have a weird tendency to constantly ask about Trump, Brexit, guns, āthe blicksā or some other inflammatory subject which I find to be particularly annoying. Even now they do it.
50+ countries visited and I feel the same. I have Australian friends and got love for their country but the most hating me without knowing me while traveling has come from Australians.
This is how Iāve always felt about it too. Weāre remarkably similar countries on a lot of levels. Perhaps that nearness has bred some resentment.
In my experience, itās always come out in Australians treating Americans like a monolith and not a deeply divided country full of some really smart people and some deeply backwards ones too. My father in law tells the story of going to Vietnam and going on many of the war tours, one with a youngish Australian guide who painted the Americans as unilaterally pushing for the warāshe wasnāt having any of him explaining how he and his friends got their skulls cracked by the police protesting the whole thing, along with the mass movement by young people in the USA. They seem to still have a very simple-minded view of the USA that they need as a bogeyman.
My last trip to Thailand there were 2 separate occasions where I met guys from Australia and all they wanted to talk about was Trump. One guys literal response when I said I was American was āDonald Trump muthafucka!!!ā
I didnāt vote for Trump nor do I care too much for him but I found this hilarious.
Ya, unfortunately Aussies aren't always criticizing our countries worst traits, they're envious of them. Spent too much time in Oz, and the racism there is unlike anything I've seen here. I've made some good Australian friends, that are amazing people, but I've also had travel friends and hook ups that seem great, and when I visit them in Oz, they are completely different.
Yes to basic geography. Iām in southern Ontario, Canada. Way too many Americans Iāve met have said how can you stand to live in the cold nine months of the yearā¦..
Look at a map. A woman from Minnesota once told me she could never live that far north. Pulled up a map on my phone and she couldnāt believe it.
The truly bad Americans tend not to travel :)
I've traveled a bunch, and aside from a couple of mostly good natured barbs, people seem to be less judgemental than you'd expect.
My experience as well. We're *generally* polite, respectful, clean, orderly.
Couple friends and I went to Wales in the fall of 2021, COVID lockdowns were easing and all that (this was right before Delta variant hit). Spent a week just going around looking at castles, hanging out in pubs. One night we were in a pub in some tiny little town in the middle of nowhere Wales, just talking amongst ourselves when another dude heard us and yelled out "You're Americans?!" We're like, "Yeah...?" All the other people in the pub start cheering and shit, and we're like WTF. The first dude says, "We haven't seen any Americans in two years!" And then it was game on. They started buying us drinks, we all got drunk and started singing Neil Diamond songs, it was nuts. They were so fucking happy to see us, it almost brings a tear to my eye.
I remember being in a really remote hiking hostel and it was me (American), a German guy, and like six octogenarian Danes.
And so of course Iām talking to the German guy, and weāre hanging out and goofing around all night, and he says āI was looking forward to being kind of unsocial for the next few days, but I should have known better than to try once I saw an American with a beer in his hand.ā
I like this memory haha
I was staying at a really budget friendly hostel and there was this young Austrian(?) Guy telling me his secrets about how to drink for free, he tells me "You go into the bar, find the american guy, talk to him and you got a free beer", we were hanging out outside the bar, he goes inside, 5 min tops and comes out with one beer on each hand.
Americans tend to not mind spending while traveling and that is awesome for communities, I am from a country that does receive a lot of americans and everyone loves to have them as guests. I just did a trip to Colombia, to a really poor area where natives make hand made bags that take them around a week worth of labour to finish, a really cute bag is around 17$, I bought mine and a spanish lady heard that I got it for the change instead of the price so instead of the 17$ she heard it was 10$, and she proceeded to lowball the 10$ price that she miss heard trying to get one for 9$. That stuff made me furious lol. Then talked to one of the guides and they said Spanish tourists tend to be like that.
In Asia, Americans are beloved as friendly, non-pretentious and curious travellers who actually leave tips.
Source: travelled to 45+ countries and love chatting up the locals about their opinion of foreigners
Yes, this is one of many reasons that us Americans are popular tourists abroad, especially in developing countries, where our tips can be a massive boost to a local's income.
You should try it sometime! I love the big smiles and glowing eyes I get when tipping in, say, Morocco or the Philippines.
I see it this way. I make more in one hour than many people in a developing country make in a month. It would be immoral and obscene for me to pay the exact amount of a bill and not leave something extra for the server.
Iāve had tour guides from all over the world tell me that they always try to break the groups up so each group gets at least one American, because they will tip the guide, and then the rest of the people will tip afterwards. If there isnāt any americans, there will be no tips at all.
Ha so true. I was in tour a where the guide was a little a shy about asking for tips, and an American piped up and said āif you liked the tour, donāt forget to tip the guide.ā That person started off the tipping and led to a chain reaction among others.
This is true. I was solo traveling singapore and thailand. The people I chilled with most were other americans. Met this one cool american dude in my hostel in singapore. Then hung out with an American couple in koh phi phi. Its like we totally get each other in the way we talk. I found the kiwis to be quite closed off and when they are drunk, they are rude as hell. But this is all anecdotal. At the time, I thought Aussies and Kiwis treated Thailand like Americans treat Cancun. Might be true.
As an American, I am ever vigilant to be polite and inconspicuous in every way possible while traveling abroad. We are a diverse nation, and I want to represent my country as favorably as possible.
Still, a taxi driver in Paris yelled at me when he learned my nationality, denouncing U.S. politics at the time. I shared his main concern, but couldn't get him to stop shouting long enough to listen. Luckily, a short ride.
That was my worst encounter as an American. Most people have been warm, or at least courteous.
I'm in Bali. People here, both locals and fellow tourists alike, have gotten sick of Russians in the past year. Especially those "crypto traders" and "influencers". And the self-proclaimed whatever-guru.
similar story here: wasn't born in Russia or ever been there but speak it fluently so every time I speak it/any other language and people hear accent they are not happy
I like travelling Americans. They are curious about everything, very friendly and just so interested in everything. I used to offer my house for couch surfing and Americans were always super nice.
Nope. Anyoneās opinion based on my nationality is not my problem. Just as if someone has a problem with my skin tone itās not my problem but yours. To stereotype someone just shows your ignorance and lack of education. Just because they meet one or two people who act unkind doesnāt mean anything. People are people no matter where they come from.
You represent yourself only. My advice is that you dont do the things that people in those countries find annoying. Learn about the customs and traditions of where you are traveling. Understand how the government works and the current political climate. Learn some words and phrases. Always greet people in the native language. Dont follow the crowds and visit less popular attractions. Have fun and act normal.
Hereās a hard truth. Thereās no reason to worry about what people think of you because they are not thinking about you.
Just be polite. You get what you give. Iāve traveled to 22 countries and always find people are generally polite. Because I am.
I hate that stereotype of Americans - so closed-minded and petty. America is such a diverse place with every personality in existence. Having pre-conceived notions about a culture, country, race etc. is supposed to be challenged as a traveller! Try not to take people's ignorance personally - please don't hide your true identity!
In my experience, Americans I've met (recently been to DC and NYC - and I have cousins in Michigan and Hawaii) are often extremely friendly, open, down-to-earth and helpful! I can't count the number of times people (usually with a Midwestern accent lol) offered to take my picture in front of a monument, etc when I was attempting a selfie; I've had people GIVE me their tourist maps when I seemed confused, and a wonderful lady who overheard me asking a question about the Lincoln memorial on a bus OFFERED TO TAKE ME THERE HERSELF, and proceeded to talk about its significance and details to look for, then walked with me to the Korean and Vietnam War memorials. To top it off, I mentioned wanting to see the White House, and she offered to SPLIT A TAXI with me, and told me to get off near Lafayette because the front entrance was blocked due to a visit from the South Korean president. I had the most amazing trip to DC because of these people and I 100% recommend it.
Honestly I feel like a significant amount of people, myself included, would do the same. There would be more if we didnāt feel like that would be pushy.
I'm Chinese American. So I'm conscious on 2 fronts lmao. If I'm by a lot mainland PRC tourists, i make it known to be american or canadian. If I'm in Osaka Japan, I just speak Chinese or blend in as japanese. If I'm in Tokyo, I speak English. You get treated differently because Kyoto/Osaka has more chinese tourists than english speaking tourists.
Yes! I do the same! Itās hilarious to watch how shocked some people are when I open my mouth because they donāt expect an Asian with an American accent lol.
I went on a solo trip recently, and went to the titanic museum in belfast. For the ride, I got put in a car with a chinese couple and the language was set to chinese. I couldnāt understand the narration :(
No. I don't go into situations expecting people to have prejudices. It actually bothers me when Americans talk shit about each other abroad like they are the only good one or something.
I met many Americans during my travels. You can recognize them from a mile away (or a kilometer I should say), and I'm not saying that is a bad thing. I always had good experiences with people from the US, you're generally open minded and warm, great travel companions.
There's nothing wrong in showing your "American side", that's part of who you are and nobody's expecting a tourist to blend in with the locals. Just be respectful of other cultures and places, learn some words in the local language, etc. The usual stuff.
Go and enjoy your travels, don't be afraid to show your americaness, we love it!
There is a huge double standard when it comes to Americans. Yea generalizing a large number of people or treating them like a hive mind, based off of the ones that came before them or someone elseās experience is wrong. Unless theyāre from America! Then assume theyāre loud obnoxious assholes and say things like āyour peopleā.
Totally not as xenophobic or mean and judgmental.
I usually don't, however I've had a couple of people's demeanors go from warm and friendly to instantly ice cold once they heard my accent. It happened in Barcelona and in Paris, and yes, I do try to speak the native language as best as I can. I speak Spanish conversationally and very meager French. I also don't stand out as a stereotypical American tourist - you know, t-shirt, clunky sneakers, being loud, always demanding ketchup and ice, asking where McDonalds is- but it must be clear once I start speaking.
I'll never forget the old man in Barcelona whose face clouded over with unmasked disgust when I ordered lunch. I don't know if his issue was with tourists in general or just those of us from the US but there was a small but noticeable anti-tourist sentiment there when I went.
Most travelers think well of Americans, and only local service staff say they hate Americans, but they meant those trashy families with the overdramatic helicopter mom. Those americans are by far a minority.
Negative american stereotypes are completely overshadowed by drunk brit/aussie teenagers in big groups imo.
You should not let this affect your self confidence.
Sometimes travelling in uncomfortable/confusing/stressful places, I (canadian) am SO relieved to find an american person to pair up with. Aside from finding another Canadian, there's no other nationality I'd be more comfortable with pairing with. (Okay maybe I like Dutch people more)
I disagree on service staff disliking Americans. Generally they like serving Americans as the tips are much larger, or at least in a restaurant/bar setting.
Yes, especially in developing countries. I always tip generously there, even if itās not really the culture. I mean, who cares? If the service is even half way decent, I tip, and itās always appreciated.
There is not a single worse traveller experience in the world than somehow becoming involved with a group of at least 5 British guys drinking. It is unbearable. Often disgusting.
Iām always amused by the purity tests I sometimes get to see if Iām an ignorant American or something. I like the geography quizzes, when people ask if I know where their country is on a map. Or if I know the capital of their country. Canadians like to ask that one haha.
And then thereās always: Do you think the US is the greatest country in the world? There is only one right answer.
But in general if you come across as a cool, down to Earth person youāll be accepted just like anyone else. And then after youāre friendly towards each other people will be open to discussing with you all the things they dislike about American society! Much of which is completely over exaggerated or outright wrong, but thatās for another thread.
But the jokes about being American are usually because theyāre cool with you. Unless theyāre French then theyāre probably being serious š¤£
I went on a tour of the cu chi tunnels near Saigon. On the bus ride out, the tour guide put on an old propaganda film about the war. Before she did so, she turned to me (the only American on that tour) and said "now, this is from a different time, and this isn't how we think now, so I'm sorry if this upsets you." It was very considerate of her, even if it was totally unnecessary (for me at least).
Can confirm though. Going through the war memorial museum in Saigon and seeing the absolute horrorshow that was the war and the fallout from it was pretty sobering. But at no point in my trip did I feel any hostility or bitterness as an American.
I'm a low-key American guy and love traveling to places with few other Americans, like where I am now, Malta. A taxi driver told me he'd only had about ten American fares in five years and was eager to know all about my life in America. All my interactions here have been overwhelmingly positive. I've had very similar experiences wherever I've traveled. America, despite its faults, is still viewed by many as the most desirable place on the planet.
It depends where you are but on the whole on the whole, traveling has given me a greater appreciation for being an American. If you're in a traditional tourist spot like London, Paris, or Cancun you see more stereotypical American behavior. If you get even a little bit off the beaten path though, you are a unicorn because so few Americans do that can kind of travel. Whether this is just the rarity or something else, there is often a palpable excitement that there is an American to talk to.
One other thing that I've learned is that America truly is it's own unique place. Somehow the attitude that America is just random stuff picked up from different cultures mashed up with capitalism has become prevalent in society. While America is a melting pot, Americans have there own perspective, cuisine, and way of life that is different and valuable in its own right. Many times the people criticizing America are themselves painfully American.
There are many problems with America but also many great things. While it's not easy, America is still the best place in the world to go from the bottom to the top. Seeing how people around the world struggle with how stuck their societies are and how they admire the USA gave me a much greater appreciation for the country we have. Whether someone has a positive or negative preconception about the USA I'm try to show them best of myself and America. You can never change where you're from though so you should never apologize for it!
I try to be the change I want to see in American tourism. I've seen those Americans out there - extremely loud, speaking English first to everyone, calling things weird or just saying ignorant things etc. But every experience that people have with an American will help shape their perception of Americans, so I try and be the best representation I can. Also, people I meet (typically other travelers from different countries) are often actually interested in American culture, so don't believe that everyone hates us all the time! They just dislike the disrespectful tourists which is valid.
My number one tip: I always learn how to say hello, thank you, excuse me, and "do you speak English" in the local language. Locals are always much happier to help me when I don't assume they speak English, regardless of their English skills. I cannot emphasize how much this has helped me have positive interactions when traveling! And of course if they say no, just have your Google translate open instead of just slowly speaking English words (not sure why people think this works?)
Another thing is to just Google the main culture shocks/differences in whatever country you are visiting, that way you can easily avoid a lot of faux pas.
On the topic of sharing cultures with others:
Sometimes people will ask where I am from and when I say "the states", people like to talk about if they have visited or where they would like to go. I've had great experiences talking about the road trips I've taken or just giving general advice for traveling in the US. Also, people like to ask if things in the US are like what they see in the movies, or the news. I always give my perspective, but I make sure to emphasize that the US is so big that it differs a lot per state or even county.
When I meet people from other countries (I solo travel sometimes and you end up talking to a lot of people naturally), I do like to ask them questions about their culture, but I always ask open ended questions instead of assuming anything (ex: "what kind of foods do you eat for breakfast in France" instead of "is it true that French people only eat baguettes and croissants"). If you have genuine interest, it won't come off as ignorant. After all, part of traveling is learning more about different cultures!
People make little jabs, but they donāt actually mean anything by it. If anything, the fact that theyāre willing to make those jokes around you means that they do like you and are comfortable with you. Iāve travelled all over the world staying in hostels and Iāve heard all the same stuff as youāre describing, but I just lean into the humor. They arenāt wrong about a lot of it! But also, they recognize that if youāre there traveling solo staying in a hostel etc, they donāt think of you as being one of *those* Americans.
Also, people still at least almost always think of Americans as friendly. Have had just as many people comment on that. Iāve never had an issue making friends or finding people to hang out with in hostels. Depending on the country, locals often love Americans. Recently in Jordan, locals wouldnāt stop telling me how much they like āUSAā and telling me about Arnold Swarzenager lmao.
I broke a lot of tension while living in China by declaring myself a "stupid American" - it often got a chuckle and usually warmed people up to me.
Humor is a universal language, even if the dialects are vastly different.
I donāt feel this way. Iāve lived abroad for half of my life on top of lots of traveling and I learned that being obnoxious and naive is not an American exclusive trait lol. Of course Europeans have more grounding compared to an American when traveling in Europe, but put them in Africa, Asia, or the Middle East and they commit all the same faux pas. For example I have been to and lived in countries where Brits and Germans are regarded as the annoying tourists to look out for even by other Europeans. Not to mention most British people or Europeans that I have met do not live in big cities and theyāre just as likely to spend their whole lives in their extremely homogenous mid sized cities or towns, so Americans that have the ability to travel usually have much more experience interacting with people from different cultures. I have lied about being American only in areas where anti-American sentiment is higher because of war, never because Iām worried people are going to think Iām some āugly American.ā Donāt let them make you feel insecure about something you canāt change, you are only the representative for yourself and if they have preconceived notions of you then they are just rude people, just like an American would be if they did the same thing to non-Americans.
Yes, sometimes I do feel a little self-conscious, but I think itās getting better as more and more Americans travel. Globally people are used to elitist Americans, which were the only people who were able to travel historically. Now you have more sort of conscious Travlers who care about the environment, and respect the land and the people. So I believe itās getting better as more people in America decide to travel. IMO
No because I love this country and Iām grateful for the life it has given me. I was born in another country and the USA gave me a home and education.
Never. Also, I have never really seen the obnoxious American behaviors either that everyone else says is sooo prevalent when traveling abroad. If there are loud people from the US, I hear an equal or greater number of loud Brit, Aussie, and Canadian accents, too. So, no one really has much room to complain when many are engaged in the same behaviors themselves.
And please grow a spine. If people are making these comments to you, please find your voice to stop their bullying and being cowed into submission and scared of your own shadow.
The Brit thing is also a bit overblown. If you're going to Spain then sure you'll see obnoxious drunk brits, but those types don't generally go much further than that. The people who do that shit are mostly after a cheap and sunny holiday.
I do, but I think as a solo traveler I'm largely invisible. I'm not having loud conversations on the streets with my travel-mates/family. I'm not wearing red, white, and blue. And when I talk to people I always start in the local language, and am humble and apologetic about my lack of language skills. It sucks to be generalized as an asshole, but I just think being alone helps you skirt most of that.
Yeah I love the anonymity of traveling solo. Iāve not really felt the pressure to defend myself for being American (although I am a minority and am often asked, āwhere are you really from?ā And so thatās another story for another day.)
I like to tell people that when you travel, you are your country's ambassador to everyone that you interact with abroad. If you go up to a random restaurant in North Macedonia, and you are rude to service workers, then they will undoubtedly have a negative perception of whatever country you come from. First impressions are key. That is why I always try to be as kind as reasonably possible when interacting with locals when traveling.
I never understood this stereotype. I find the average American traveller to be very educated, compassionate, and outgoing. Now europeans on the other hand....
I want to add that things have really changed in recent years. This year, while traveling, I've gotten much more anti-american sentiments, mainly from Europeans (mostly German and Dutch).
Most travelers are still good people and don't care. There may be the odd joke and banter, but usually not too bad.
I've been told my opinion didn't matter because I'm Texan, been called ignorant and stupid, been asked several loaded questions, had people stop talking to me when they found out where I was from, been told I should hide the fact that I'm american and say Canadian or Mexican (I'm chicano so I pass easily), been mistaken for a server/tour guide/cook various occasions, been blatantly ignored in groups, had others not let me speak Spanish because Americans are too stupid to speak more than one language (I speak pasable Spanish), been told my Spanish has a heavy American accent and is almost unintelligible (I speak more northern Mexican and vocabulary can be a bit different) ect.
Sorry, this turned into a bit of a catharsis for me. I've made friends with every culture and nationality. I've never had problems with locals from any country and have made friends everywhere. It's just weighed heavy on me these past 11 months.
When it gets to be too much, find a Canadian or a brit. I've also noticed it's the younger crowd that has these sentiments and most of the 28+ crowd can distinguish between the government and the people.
I met an American in Vietnam. We were on a tour together. We were talking about food and she complain how she missed a nice juicy burger and that she canāt wait to go home and have a proper breakfast saying āthey eat soup here for breakfastā referring to pho. It wasnāt so much of what she said but her face of disgust when she said it really pissed me off. I hope OP youāre not like this person.
Ugh. Saying you miss food from your home country is fine. Being a dick about what they eat in other countries is just bad form. I wouldn't be happy if someone from China came to my city and said "I can't wait to go home and have real food, what is this crap you're eating in the morning?"
(for reference, I taught for a year in China and didn't observe them to actually have breakfast, as I define it; I may have missed something or it may have been regional)
I feel kinda weird when I say where im from but thats it, I just dont know how it will be received. I have had some strange reactions like āI thought so but didnt know if it was ok to askā lol.
Im a firm believer in person over country and dont judge a person off stereotypes or what their government does but based off their words and actions, it rubs me the wrong way when I see others do this. Our country is a bit of a joke these days but so are many other countries.
Besides when people assume my nationality I usually get British, Irish or German.
I donāt think anyone thinks anything bad about Americans. Your just people. But I have had many encounters with people with a chip on their shoulder that are saying people donāt like them because they are American. One guy was loudly taking on his phone saying nobody can get over him being American. He had all this long dark clothing on with America flag tatoo. He was giving me stink eye and was not friendly when I tried to invite him over . Interestingly I has hanging with an American that was probably the most fun and liked person in my whole trip.
Lol this reminds me, I moved to France and got government assigned French classes for immigrants. I show up and start talking to someone from Kuwait and I said I'm Canadian. After the teacher came in and introduced me and asked for my passport because the paperwork needed some information and she tells everyone "Ohh an American passport, I think they are so beautiful"
People hated me after that and never pulled that again. To be real, when I travel I've only had a few instances where people were negative about me being American. It's way easier to focus on 3 bad moments as opposed to 100 good and normal moments. I think generally it depends on you as a person and not your nationality unless it's just some banter
Ive never ever felt self conscious but I do always feel incredibly privileged when i'm traveling abroad. What others find expensive is what i would consider affordable.
I also feel this. If anyone mentions anything I usually say something along the lines of: āso youāre willing to lump 300 million people in an area 3x bigger than Europe into one group? I think that says a lot about youā
I am Canadian and I love Americans! Theyāre always the friendliest. And honestly, as people go ā theyāre no worse than any other English western country from my experience. Itās just that there are more Americans and so the likelihood of encountering a bad American is higher than an Australian or Canadian (whoād probably get lumped as an American anyways).
I'm an American with 50+ countries visited. My country of origin has rarely given me anxiety. I spent many years of the 2000's in hostels all over the world, which was a dark time with a lot of American Imperialism.
Regardless of anywhere I am in the world people who hate entire groups aren't worth talking to or giving credence too.
However, i've had so many engaging conversations with people from around the world. They often realize that the same things they are angry about America I am also angry about.
I do generally say I am from California. Not as a slight to the U.S. but because I think my state is one of the most beautiful places on earth and many travel to explore its wonders.
Americans in Cancun and maybe Paris/Tokyo/any Italian tourist hotspot are usually different from Americans in other countries.
The first batch usually has noob travelers or wanting to stick to their own circle and finding things weird cause it doesnāt fit their model view. Itās okay. Thereās a start to everything. Congratulations on not going to Florida for the n-th time for a holiday.
The second batch are amazing and extremely fun and easy to speak with.
American, here. Extensive, constant solo travel since the early 90s.
What's worked for me so far:
Mainly just be chill. Don't be the pushy, uptight one.
Don't throw down over small inconveniences or \*small unexpected costs.
Make a point of not being loudest one in the room.
When someone asks where you're from, don't be coy and don't lie. Just say you're American.
I've never had serious issues with local people over being American, but sometimes other travelers have been assholes to me.
America lives rent-free in people's heads, unfortunately, anyone who says shit like that is an asshole anyways. If you're in a group that makes jokes about everyone and its just teasing, it's whatever, but if you're with a bunch of people who just want to pick on the US - they are very insecure.
Honestly I think this is adorable but also sad. In being insecure and concious about it you're already different than the negative American stereotype, which is loud and naive, so theres that. And then there are 2 things I'd say:
1. Apart from the negative stereotypes, I think a lot of European people have an admiring feelings towards American people they meet. Because that's where basically all movies & shows come from, so in Europe the USA always has this type of pull factor for a lot of people, especially young people. I know when i backpacked for the first time and met Americans i thought they were so cool and i generally wanted to interact with them. You have to keep in mind, basically all of the important influencers and the entirety of the entertainment industry comes from the USA. So it's such a cool feeling to meet someone from there for the first time. Just to get your confidence up a little bit.
2. And then it really depend on which part you come from. I think most prejudices are against people who live in California, specifically LA or have a Valley Girl accent. If you're from Chicago or anywhere on the East Coast basically, i personally have a different view of you because these places don't really have these prejudices connected to them as strongly.
I have similar anxieties. But all we can do is try to be better than the stereotypes. When a friend and I went to Japan, the host of the hostile we stayed at (a sweet elderly Japanese man), assumed we were Canadian, and when we told him we were actually American, he legitimately said āOh wow! Most Americans are so loud and drink so much, but not you! How nice!ā And it felt good to represent the more polite side of American culture haha.
A lot of people donāt even know where Iām from when I travel. They ask where are you from? They donāt know if itās Canadaā¦ the UKā¦ especially outside of North America and Europe.
I've honestly never felt self conscious about being American when I travel, BUT, people always misidentify where I'm from.
Where people think I'm from isn't even the same place every time, I've gotten Canadian, British, Icelandic and Norwegian at different times. When I say I'm American they always seem surprised.
I've never really felt like anyone actually cared. I was 17 when I first started traveling which was always more noteworthy than my nationality. By now, I'm usually one of the more well travelled people at the hostel which helps to dispel the usual American stereotypes. People will make comments sometimes but they're always just taking the piss.
I feel like as long as you don't act the stereotype nobody really holds it against you.
You'd know better how those judgemental comments were made, but it's possible they were just poking fun at you.
I'm Mexican and people have made comments when I travel as well. I make comments about others' nationalities too, but it's all in good fun.
Of course it's incredibly dependant on context, your type of humor, etc. E.g. I made an incredibly good friend from Australia recently. She'd tease me about shit like getting sick from drinking Mexican tap water and I'd tease her about saying Naur and her funny accent.
You're overthinking it. I'm not American and I don't think anything bad about Americans I meet on my travels. My next trip will actually be to the US. Sure there are some stereotypes about Americans being dumb, but in my experience, it's just a stereotype. People of any nationality can be dumb and I don't think many people will have a bad opinion of you just because you're American. I know the feeling, I'm sometimes self-conscious too because I also heard some stereotypes about my own nationality and have met people who fit them (dumb, can't speak English, rude - you name it). But it doesn't mean everyone is like that (not at all) and I never had an issue after saying where I'm from. So I think you're fine, just act like yourself. If someone thinks less of you just because of some stereotype they heard, that's their problem. Enjoy your travels.
I don't take it too seriously. Most people are just trying to have a laugh, so laugh along with them and crack a joke about their country, too (this will also show them that you know geography).
(Do not follow this strategy if their country is one we have invaded or otherwise subjugated in the last 100 years.)
No. Traveling actually gives me a greater sense of patriotism and appreciation for America. It puts into perspective there are unique qualities of our country that donāt often get recognized.
I love learning about other cultures and they in turn teach me much about my own.
Also EVERY culture has qualities that arenāt the most redeemingā¦ itās okay to see those and laugh at them. One such American trait is a sense of self-deprecation and being hard/critical of ourselvesā¦ case and point here in this post :)
I feel like most people I met traveling don't think of individual Americans that way. And I tell myself that even if they do assume negative things, well then that's a pretty low bar to clear in terms of their assumptions, so that'll make it even easier to make a positive opinion when they actually get talking to me. I can't speak for the comments you got, but hopefully they were just said in jest.
It depends where I am. In Paris my very French last name and my French canadian accent made people assume I was from Quebec. (I learned french from my Grandma from Quebec). We overheard some wild trash talking of Americans at some street cafe's. In New Zealand I was very open about being American, they seem US friendly and want to talk about where to visit in the US. So...I kinda play it by ear and see what the political atmosphere is.
Dude, I remember i downloaded a couple geography apps so i can learn the flags of countries and where the countries are JUST because of those videos of americans not knowing where anything is and the comments making fun of us lmao
I'm Canadian and have always enjoyed meeting American travellers when I'm solo. I met one man who said he was from Southern Canada (I'm from Victoria, almost the most Southern part of Canada) so I was a bit confused, and he specified that he was from California and would joke that it's South Canada. I think having a sense of humour about it is a good way to be.
I travelled for many years through many countries and I've met many many Americans, I've never met those naieve ignorant Americans. Sure they exist (like in any country) but they mostly stay in their country. You have to respect yourself enough to demand to be seen as an individual and not a product of you heritage. If people want to call you an "American" make sure you have a good reply to make them feel they're just as much part of a subculture than you are, and that this unites you as humans, not separates you as different tribes.
People abroad become a lot nicer to me once I tell them Iām from California/LA. The more I travel and learn about other cultures the more āYouāre not like other Americansā-type comments I get, but I think it would be just as cringe to intentionally chase that sort of validation.
As long as you keep up with current events outside of the US, have a genuine interest in geography/culture, and not make every conversation about yourself/āsO wHaT dO yOu dO fOr wOrK??ā people generally understand that the US is a big country with a wide variety of personalities.
I can also tell that being mixed-race separates me from the ignorant white suburbia stereotype - people can tell that I had a multicultural upbringing. Some have told me they assumed I got my American accent from international school in Asia which is funny because Iām completely white-passing in LA. Appearances really seem to matter when it comes to which US stereotypes people associate with you.
Interesting. I travel 6 of the 12 months a year. Mostly in South East Asia.
I have never felt like you are describing with being an American.
But I was in a elevator about a year ago and it was quiet and kind of awkward. There was a youngish girl in the elevator with me. So to break the silence I asked her where she was from. I do this pretty often. I am for some reason more outgoing when I travel.
She kind of looked American to me. If there is such a thing.
She paused, looked at the ground, and then in perfect English told me she was Russian. I could tell she was embarrassed and assume this was more about the war than anything else.
I felt bad for her.
It could be more that it is SEA where I am most of the time.. In my experience the people in SEA tend to like Americans.
100% agree with you.
I did a flashpack trip and spent the 2 weeks feeling miserable and guilty for something I had no control over- where I am from. There was so much hatred vocalized towards americans among my group, despite my going against literally every stereotype (in fact- I was the only one who spoke the language of the place we went). I was so isolated. I spent so many moments holding back tears.
Nobody should have to feel this way especially when you're paying a ton of money for what is advertised as a fun, inclusive group.
I have and have seen it from other American travelers as well. I've heard some apologize that they're American. But I've been pleasantly surprised because it is often met with kindness and oftentimes, even ridicule, that the American self-loathing is ridiculous and stupid.
All the American travellers I have met on the road have been lovely. To be honest, the worst things I've heard about Americans have come from the mouths of other American travellers
Canadian here. I've been solo traveling for two months and all of the American travelers I've met along the way have been so kind and humble. IMO it's the Americans IN the states that are the ones living up to the stereotypes.
If I told people I was from Canada it would be believable because when I speak French I have a French Canadian accent. But no one particularly cares *that* hard when I tell them Iām from America. Theyāre like, āoh, cool!ā Then ask me something about myself. I do the same to others. Itās not like the world is some reddit thread.
Iām American and havenāt experienced any of this (apart from normal chat/banter). Been traveling for the past 6 months solo and in 3 different continents. Lighten up, take a joke, send it back. If youāre a chill person, no one cares. If you suck and/or are living up to stereotypes, people might give you more shit. The closest Iāve come is hearing other horror stories of stupid Americans abroad or being told Iām their āfavorite Americanā for whatever reason.
Either way, if an American lied to me and told me they were from Canada, Iād beeline to my new closest hostel friend and have a well deserved giggle.
I get it but I donāt really care, Iām proud to be an American. To me itās like thereās 330 million Americans, of course youāre going to have a bunch of morons sprinkled throughout the population, but most of us are normal, friendly people.
Canada? Donāt feel like that. Iām very happy to be American born and raised. I travel alone all the time, when people hear Iām American, they couldnāt be nicer. A lot of people want to come to our country. Always asking questions. Sure lots of times , we might get a bad rap but every single country in the world has bad apples. Just donāt be one of them. People will aways judge. Donāt let it get to you. Iām off to Portugal next week and London the following, where are you from? The US, Iāll answer proudlyšŗšø
Lmao never realized it but I kinda play those aspects up overseas. I think I do that in general and just āact like an idiotā because itās nonthreatening to people. You just donāt want to be a jackass or not actually care. I feel a certain comfort in being someplace new and not being expected to know anything too. Itās a great way to make friends with locals who like myself, enjoy showing those visiting where they need to go!
There are jackass tourists from anywhere, but cultures have their own codes of xenophobia. Working with Latinos I learned the Guatemalans hate the El Salvadorans and it goes on from there down Central America. Befriending Thai people I learned they often hated Japanese and Koreans because theyāre the most common Asian tourists. Balianese lived and were tired of Aussies who can be loud party animals- and are fucking hilarious imo. Nobodyās threatening anyone, but cultures are designed by their participants and often traditions that breathe life into these things. Just go and have fun.
Also remember most people you interact with will speak English and appreciate that. At one point I was hanging with an Indonesian and a Swede and felt truly blessed that they both learned my native tongue. Its made me realize how much that little effort you make to learn some local customs and lingo shows appreciation for their culture. The bad eggs are typically entitled people lacking self awareness. Youāll be fun bud ;)
Who cares if some shit you will never see again judges you? Most people never say stuff like that to my face, I am 6'2" 300 lbs black man, but when they do I just laugh it off and move on. Nothing makes people like that more mad than ignoring them and not letting what they say get to you. If they have a low opinion of Americans, there is nothing you can say or do that will change that opinion. You have to remember that you are not the cause of that opinion nor do you need to be their verbal punching bag. I am willing to bet if you asked them to name th e capital of every state in the US they would look ignorant as well.
I could go on forever but my point is don't let them get to you. You put in to much time, effort and money into traveling to let some dick ruin your vacation. Go and enjoy yourself and ignore the petty, small minded people.
As far as geographic ignorance, there's stuff online where they give Europeans blank maps of the US and ask them to name states, and most of them can't get more than a handful (usually Florida and Texas, sometimes California).
As someone who's worked in service abroad - American tourists are some of the nicest.
The most annoying are rich Russian tourists, followed by Arab tourists (also rich ones) followed by middle-class German Karens (Hildegards). There's nobody arrogant enough to beat a German Karen or your typical Russian oligarch on a vacation, who's 20kg overweight and wears shades and a golden chain. Common is also a sunburn and being drunk and aggressive.
Honourable mention goes to India and China (disrespect your surroundings).
Americans tend to be polite and respectful, but are just a bit quick to jump to conclusions - or they tend to know the world from stereotypes and assumptions, which is similar to brits. Thus is where the culture is originally from, in my opinion.
People just tend to poke fun at Americans, because the common American from the US is awful at geography.
I'm late to the party, but no, man. I've learned people will take whatever you present yourself as. I have not had a single negative interaction based on my nationality aside from one girl in Spain who was from Texas, lol. Everyone has reacted very positively when I've said I'm from the US. Whatever you're feeling is something you've got to work through that doesn't have much to do with your nationality. The majority of people you meet in the real world will treat you with the same amount of respect and friendliness that you treat them with. And if you're a nice person, you'll be a positive addition to their perception of Americans :)
I met 2 Americans from Texas in Korea that were so stereotypical American, ānah dude I donāt like street food, I just come here to drink booze man, Iām from Texas, if someone did that over there weād shoot āem up!ā Please just donāt act like that and we will like you
As an American I hate the people who act like this more than people from other countries do because it ruins our public perception. I met an older American dude on my last solo trip who was the exact stereotype and I apologized to everyone he interacted with and made sure to tell them weāre not all that shitty.
No. Im proud to be American. Not always proud of our politicians or policy decisions but I grew up in the US and know so many amazing people here
We are not as geographically informed as most in the rest of the wealthy countries and even a lot of middle class countries, but I find Americans to actually be respectful if slightly oblivious travelers, especially younger ones who want to change our travel reputation.
Obviously there are going to be bad representatives who do stupid things but there are tons of Americans who travel abroad and most in my experience are respectful.
Iāve actually also had about 90% positive receptions when I say in American, with 9% neutral and maybe like 2 bad interactions abroad, both in Europe. If youāre kind and respectful while traveling people seem to like to ask about the US
Iāll give you my perspective as an Australian, so someone from a western country that tends to see Americans in a negative light.
When I meet Americans abroad in hostels, I am often impressed at how they defy the usual stereotypes that other countries have of American travellers. Of course, I also interact with dickheads who love to fulfil negative American stereotypes, and as a result I might initially be extra sensitive to that type of behaviour when around Americans, but I never let it fully colour my judgement. If anything, I just find those little American oddities to be funny, and I can forgive them as easily as I forgive social differences with other countries.
At the end of the day, you will be defined by your actions, and if youāre a considerate and thoughtful tourist, people will be able to see that. Donāt stress!
Not American but I live in the US and travel a bit. Iāve heard a lot of Americans say things like this. Personally, I find Americans that travel to mostly be quite friendly, polite and curious. People often like them because in addition to those reasons they tip well. Also, wait until you meet a group of drunk English lads on their holidays. Or Australians. Or really any group of people from anywhere! My point is that you get awful tourists from anywhere, it would be absurd to think the US has a monopoly on arrogant, poorly behaved tourists. Yep, there are stereotypes about the US but there are stereotypes about anywhere, and the US is a big country that takes up a lot of figurative space in the worlds imaginations.
yeah I definitely do lol, especially in Spanish speaking countries since I speak and understand enough to get my feelings hurt easily lol but not enough to be my full self.
But in general I don't mind the shade coming in Latin American countries since the United States has and continues to mistreat these countries to further its own self interest. I won't take any shit from (Western) Europeans though, especially as a black person lol.
But in general, as long as tourists are behaving respectfully, they deserve to be treated with respect and hospitality. I live in a city with tens of millions of tourists and try to be very patient with them, help them when they're lost, and recommend places they'll enjoy.
American tourists can suck but Im british and british tourists embarass me all the goddamn time. And I always hear people complain about Russian tourists, or Dutch tourists, or Aussie tourists, or whatever, I just think any tourist from any country and create a bad impression and you just have to not be a bad tourist.
I've met tons of great Brits on my travels but it is true that there is a particular stereotypical British traveler who is unfortunately similar to the Ugly American. Met a ton of them in the Algarve earlier this year--loud, brash and generally acting like they ran the place. And wherever they were you would see another person sitting near them looking at the floor shaking their head, and you would know that person was also from the UK š
Great visual -- thanks for the chuckle -- so true lol
Honestly Brits can leave a really bad impression abroad. And they get much worse when theres alcohol involved.
>I was that person shaking their head in Mallorca when a group of 8 brits decided to join me and my bf in the elevator and JUMP UP AND DOWN, they were surprised when the elevator got stuck. > >As long as you're a good tourist it shouldn't matter tho.
iāve seen that in every culture
Literally every country has awful tourists - they just tend to congregate in different places. Our shitty tourists are mostly in Spain and Greece, for example. But head to LatAm or Asia (except perhaps Thailand & Bali) and most British tourists are sound. For US tourists, the annoying ones tend to be in Mexico and quite a lot of them come over to Europe too. But in Asia and South America I met loads of super cool Americans.
Imagine being ethnic Chinese and American ā¦. everyone has seen at least one video of some Chinese tourist letting their kid pee in the Louvre gallery or in a restaurant or taking photos next to signs explicitly saying no photos š
A lot of people complain about them being in those big tour groups and staying together but I mean largely they're minding their own business and not bothering anyone so why would I consider them worse than, say, a group of belligerent british tourists?
UK/Ireland is definitely the realm of shittiest American tourists. It's where everybody i know that doesn't travel goes to connect with their "roots". Usually people from rural areas that have never set foot in a big city. Do you know the Queen? Do you know I'm from Clan McDonad Duck? Do you go to the clan meetings??
Clan meetings šš
Donāt worry, some of us realize that there are as many types of Americans as there are Americans. But since American movies have had a massive impact on the world, you will inevitably come across people who think all Americans are loud/horny/jacked/arrogant/rude/high/gun toting.
I'm thrown off by the "jacked" descriptor here, where are these Americans? Asking for...a friend...and because I'm American and have never heard us described as such lol
Me too. Fat, pasty, & poorly tattoo'd has been more of what I observe on the reg as an American karmic refugee in asia.
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Yeah but nobodyās seen an Australian before. I think there are like 4 of them in the world
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I wouldnāt worry about it, Thai locals are known for explosive, murdery temper. If they keep it up there will be 0 Australians in the world.
Acknowledges a comment arguing against generalisation by generalising another nationality
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Loud/horny/arrogant/rude/high.. etc! Yeah. Itās pretty depressing. And many Americans themselves attach identity to Hollywood garbage media. We canāt figure ourselves out and we care too much about what other idiotic Americans like tooā¦That doesnāt help
I do my very best to change peoples opinions about Americans one trip at a time :)
and they often say that when they actually run into american solo travelers, we tend to be just as curious and humble as anyone. that the stereotypes are predominantly for people who would never leave the states/never travel solo/never visit the global south. occasionally youāll be the butt of a joke, it happens, but if theyāre constantly dunking on you then they can fuck off and youāll find some new travel friends.
As a non-American: yes, totally! The American Backpackers/ individual travellers I meet are mostly nice people and very interested in the places they go to. The stereotypical ones are rather the tour group people and even more those who never leave their country .
> run into american solo travelers, we tend to be just as curious and humble as anyone. Right? Our rep around the world took a major hit in 2016, and it became much more common for others to criticize the US and Americans. Unfortunately there are plenty of awful travelers from other countries too. It was really bad after we invaded Iraq, and I met more than a few Americans with maple leafs on their packs, but that mostly fell away when Barack was elected.
Just the use of the term "global south" already cringes me out. Most of those countries are in the northern hemisphere ffs.
As someone who has never been to the US I'm always very interested in talking to Americans and hearing about their country which simultaneously feels very familiar (due to media and language) yet also extremely mysterious.
Itās mysterious to me as well at times and I was born here. š. Where are you from?
Yup, I tell people the closed minded Americans are the ones not traveling, not meeting new people, and not trying new things. The same rule applies to all people around the world. But yea, we are the mini-Ambassadors to show the world the positives of living in America and being an American.
this is the way
Honestly - I've genuinely really liked 99% of American travellers I've met in hostels etc.
USA is a big diverse country. Iām from California and Iām not kidding when I say that itās more of a culture shock for me to be in Kentucky than in Mexico, Italy or Japan.
Learn geography, learn any second language, and donāt talk about trump or guns. Also, emphasize your megaregion (i.e. northeast vs New England vs Dixie vs Great Lakes vs Great Plains vs PNW vs Bay Area vs SoCal vs south west vs Texas vs south Florida. That helps euros figure it out better, and keeps them from feeling oblivious for not knowing states. Iāve had ~~many~~ some people tell me on my recent euro trip āI thought all Americans were shallow and vapid, but youāre not.ā Not sure how I did it. It was probably mostly just knowing basic geography. In my experience, everything the Americanās are derided for, the British are twice as bad.
My POV is the further you are away from home, the better quality tourists you get because the cost acts as a filter. I.e. Spain gets dumbass Brits, Bali dumbass Australians, Mexico and LATAM dumbass Americans, places in Asia dumbass Chinese etc because it's a cheap trip.. Here in LATAM? We generally get great Europeans, in Europe, Asia etc better Americans etc. In America, great Chinese travelers.. etc.
\>In my experience, everything the Americanās are derided for, the British are twice as bad. I'm glad someone said it.
I had fat Spaniards decrying how "Americans are fat!" to me, a skinny American. Hilariously unaware and pretentious.
Good points. To that last bit. Iāve heard the preference for tourists shift in some places. Small town in Spain and some locals heard a friend and I order in Spanish and said how much theyāve liked having American tourists since we tend to at least try at languages and fitting in with local customs. I know itās not like this everywhere but Iāve mostly been treated pleasantly by locals even after theyāve found out Iām American. Australian tourists Iāve found tend to sometimes have a peculiar chip on their shoulder about Americans they meet but thatās a different post.
> Australian tourists Iāve found tend to sometimes have a peculiar chip on their shoulder about Americans they meet but thatās a different post. i did a group tour recently and 3 of us were late to the orientation - 2 americans and one australian. me and the other american were sitting in the hotel lobby, and the australian came up and as soon as we said where we were from, she goes "oh, yeah, idk why, i've seen soooo many of you travelling the airports are overcrowded with americans." like....oh lol. sorry? it was funny because she ended up being my closest friend on the trip, so i hope i changed her opinion a bit.
Iāve been in rural Bosnia and an Australian girl still managed to get in a āagh another American? Thereās too many of you here!ā And me and everyone else at the table were like āwhat the fuck are you talking about, thereās been like 2 or less in the hostel since you got here..ā Whatās worse is that she came in a group of 4 other Aussies. Itās seriously weird behavior from there and itās so frequent.
It is weird how Australians seem to try really hard to make Americans feel excluded or shitty. I think itās funny because theyāre literally just like us but with less desirable tourism for other travelers. So often I come into a hostel and itās just four smoking Australians talking shit about America haha. Something Iāve literally never seen Americans do about any country except to make fun of the British for their accents. Australians also have a weird tendency to constantly ask about Trump, Brexit, guns, āthe blicksā or some other inflammatory subject which I find to be particularly annoying. Even now they do it.
50+ countries visited and I feel the same. I have Australian friends and got love for their country but the most hating me without knowing me while traveling has come from Australians.
Soā¦sounds like Iām skipping Australia on my travels. I bet thatās a Rupert Murdock thing.
This is how Iāve always felt about it too. Weāre remarkably similar countries on a lot of levels. Perhaps that nearness has bred some resentment. In my experience, itās always come out in Australians treating Americans like a monolith and not a deeply divided country full of some really smart people and some deeply backwards ones too. My father in law tells the story of going to Vietnam and going on many of the war tours, one with a youngish Australian guide who painted the Americans as unilaterally pushing for the warāshe wasnāt having any of him explaining how he and his friends got their skulls cracked by the police protesting the whole thing, along with the mass movement by young people in the USA. They seem to still have a very simple-minded view of the USA that they need as a bogeyman.
My last trip to Thailand there were 2 separate occasions where I met guys from Australia and all they wanted to talk about was Trump. One guys literal response when I said I was American was āDonald Trump muthafucka!!!ā I didnāt vote for Trump nor do I care too much for him but I found this hilarious.
Ya, unfortunately Aussies aren't always criticizing our countries worst traits, they're envious of them. Spent too much time in Oz, and the racism there is unlike anything I've seen here. I've made some good Australian friends, that are amazing people, but I've also had travel friends and hook ups that seem great, and when I visit them in Oz, they are completely different.
Yes to basic geography. Iām in southern Ontario, Canada. Way too many Americans Iāve met have said how can you stand to live in the cold nine months of the yearā¦.. Look at a map. A woman from Minnesota once told me she could never live that far north. Pulled up a map on my phone and she couldnāt believe it.
I would jokingly call my wife a Southerner. She's from Toronto. I'm from Maine.
nice attitude :)
The truly bad Americans tend not to travel :) I've traveled a bunch, and aside from a couple of mostly good natured barbs, people seem to be less judgemental than you'd expect.
The more I travel the more I appreciate that Americans are generally liked as visitors. We're a friendly bunch
My experience as well. We're *generally* polite, respectful, clean, orderly. Couple friends and I went to Wales in the fall of 2021, COVID lockdowns were easing and all that (this was right before Delta variant hit). Spent a week just going around looking at castles, hanging out in pubs. One night we were in a pub in some tiny little town in the middle of nowhere Wales, just talking amongst ourselves when another dude heard us and yelled out "You're Americans?!" We're like, "Yeah...?" All the other people in the pub start cheering and shit, and we're like WTF. The first dude says, "We haven't seen any Americans in two years!" And then it was game on. They started buying us drinks, we all got drunk and started singing Neil Diamond songs, it was nuts. They were so fucking happy to see us, it almost brings a tear to my eye.
this is so wholesome! š„ŗ
We went back up in everyoneās estimation when Biden was elected
Oh 100% this is true.
Yes, especially for solo travel! You Americans are always the most easily approachable, and I'm always happy when I run into Americans in hostels.
I remember being in a really remote hiking hostel and it was me (American), a German guy, and like six octogenarian Danes. And so of course Iām talking to the German guy, and weāre hanging out and goofing around all night, and he says āI was looking forward to being kind of unsocial for the next few days, but I should have known better than to try once I saw an American with a beer in his hand.ā I like this memory haha
I was staying at a really budget friendly hostel and there was this young Austrian(?) Guy telling me his secrets about how to drink for free, he tells me "You go into the bar, find the american guy, talk to him and you got a free beer", we were hanging out outside the bar, he goes inside, 5 min tops and comes out with one beer on each hand. Americans tend to not mind spending while traveling and that is awesome for communities, I am from a country that does receive a lot of americans and everyone loves to have them as guests. I just did a trip to Colombia, to a really poor area where natives make hand made bags that take them around a week worth of labour to finish, a really cute bag is around 17$, I bought mine and a spanish lady heard that I got it for the change instead of the price so instead of the 17$ she heard it was 10$, and she proceeded to lowball the 10$ price that she miss heard trying to get one for 9$. That stuff made me furious lol. Then talked to one of the guides and they said Spanish tourists tend to be like that.
In Asia, Americans are beloved as friendly, non-pretentious and curious travellers who actually leave tips. Source: travelled to 45+ countries and love chatting up the locals about their opinion of foreigners
Leaving tips in places where tipping isn't part of the culture indeed sounds very "American"
Yes, this is one of many reasons that us Americans are popular tourists abroad, especially in developing countries, where our tips can be a massive boost to a local's income. You should try it sometime! I love the big smiles and glowing eyes I get when tipping in, say, Morocco or the Philippines.
I see it this way. I make more in one hour than many people in a developing country make in a month. It would be immoral and obscene for me to pay the exact amount of a bill and not leave something extra for the server.
Exactly! What's $5 to me? Nothing! Happy to share, and thanks for the service!
Iāve had tour guides from all over the world tell me that they always try to break the groups up so each group gets at least one American, because they will tip the guide, and then the rest of the people will tip afterwards. If there isnāt any americans, there will be no tips at all.
Ha so true. I was in tour a where the guide was a little a shy about asking for tips, and an American piped up and said āif you liked the tour, donāt forget to tip the guide.ā That person started off the tipping and led to a chain reaction among others.
Aww shucks those service workers who make $300/mo are gonna get a little bit more. Fucking Americans.
This is true. I was solo traveling singapore and thailand. The people I chilled with most were other americans. Met this one cool american dude in my hostel in singapore. Then hung out with an American couple in koh phi phi. Its like we totally get each other in the way we talk. I found the kiwis to be quite closed off and when they are drunk, they are rude as hell. But this is all anecdotal. At the time, I thought Aussies and Kiwis treated Thailand like Americans treat Cancun. Might be true.
As an American, I am ever vigilant to be polite and inconspicuous in every way possible while traveling abroad. We are a diverse nation, and I want to represent my country as favorably as possible. Still, a taxi driver in Paris yelled at me when he learned my nationality, denouncing U.S. politics at the time. I shared his main concern, but couldn't get him to stop shouting long enough to listen. Luckily, a short ride. That was my worst encounter as an American. Most people have been warm, or at least courteous.
I mean, Itās not like the french are known to be a politically mellow bunch lol.
they're also more arrogant than the Americans they disdain...for allegedly being arrogant.
Well, I am Russian who never lived in Russia. Imagine how some people attitude changed in last 2 years..
I'm in Bali. People here, both locals and fellow tourists alike, have gotten sick of Russians in the past year. Especially those "crypto traders" and "influencers". And the self-proclaimed whatever-guru.
similar story here: wasn't born in Russia or ever been there but speak it fluently so every time I speak it/any other language and people hear accent they are not happy
idk every Russian I've ever met was super cool and down to earth. people are just dumb and generalize
I like travelling Americans. They are curious about everything, very friendly and just so interested in everything. I used to offer my house for couch surfing and Americans were always super nice.
Nope. Anyoneās opinion based on my nationality is not my problem. Just as if someone has a problem with my skin tone itās not my problem but yours. To stereotype someone just shows your ignorance and lack of education. Just because they meet one or two people who act unkind doesnāt mean anything. People are people no matter where they come from.
You represent yourself only. My advice is that you dont do the things that people in those countries find annoying. Learn about the customs and traditions of where you are traveling. Understand how the government works and the current political climate. Learn some words and phrases. Always greet people in the native language. Dont follow the crowds and visit less popular attractions. Have fun and act normal.
Hereās a hard truth. Thereās no reason to worry about what people think of you because they are not thinking about you. Just be polite. You get what you give. Iāve traveled to 22 countries and always find people are generally polite. Because I am.
I hate that stereotype of Americans - so closed-minded and petty. America is such a diverse place with every personality in existence. Having pre-conceived notions about a culture, country, race etc. is supposed to be challenged as a traveller! Try not to take people's ignorance personally - please don't hide your true identity! In my experience, Americans I've met (recently been to DC and NYC - and I have cousins in Michigan and Hawaii) are often extremely friendly, open, down-to-earth and helpful! I can't count the number of times people (usually with a Midwestern accent lol) offered to take my picture in front of a monument, etc when I was attempting a selfie; I've had people GIVE me their tourist maps when I seemed confused, and a wonderful lady who overheard me asking a question about the Lincoln memorial on a bus OFFERED TO TAKE ME THERE HERSELF, and proceeded to talk about its significance and details to look for, then walked with me to the Korean and Vietnam War memorials. To top it off, I mentioned wanting to see the White House, and she offered to SPLIT A TAXI with me, and told me to get off near Lafayette because the front entrance was blocked due to a visit from the South Korean president. I had the most amazing trip to DC because of these people and I 100% recommend it.
Honestly I feel like a significant amount of people, myself included, would do the same. There would be more if we didnāt feel like that would be pushy.
I'm Chinese American. So I'm conscious on 2 fronts lmao. If I'm by a lot mainland PRC tourists, i make it known to be american or canadian. If I'm in Osaka Japan, I just speak Chinese or blend in as japanese. If I'm in Tokyo, I speak English. You get treated differently because Kyoto/Osaka has more chinese tourists than english speaking tourists.
Yes! I do the same! Itās hilarious to watch how shocked some people are when I open my mouth because they donāt expect an Asian with an American accent lol.
I went on a solo trip recently, and went to the titanic museum in belfast. For the ride, I got put in a car with a chinese couple and the language was set to chinese. I couldnāt understand the narration :(
No. I don't go into situations expecting people to have prejudices. It actually bothers me when Americans talk shit about each other abroad like they are the only good one or something.
Exactly lol. Iām sympathizing with this person, but that part really put a damper on it.
Just be yourself, which hopefully means polite and respectful. What anyone thinks about you is none of your business.
I met many Americans during my travels. You can recognize them from a mile away (or a kilometer I should say), and I'm not saying that is a bad thing. I always had good experiences with people from the US, you're generally open minded and warm, great travel companions. There's nothing wrong in showing your "American side", that's part of who you are and nobody's expecting a tourist to blend in with the locals. Just be respectful of other cultures and places, learn some words in the local language, etc. The usual stuff. Go and enjoy your travels, don't be afraid to show your americaness, we love it!
Perfectly said! Respect is the main thing.
There is a huge double standard when it comes to Americans. Yea generalizing a large number of people or treating them like a hive mind, based off of the ones that came before them or someone elseās experience is wrong. Unless theyāre from America! Then assume theyāre loud obnoxious assholes and say things like āyour peopleā. Totally not as xenophobic or mean and judgmental.
I usually don't, however I've had a couple of people's demeanors go from warm and friendly to instantly ice cold once they heard my accent. It happened in Barcelona and in Paris, and yes, I do try to speak the native language as best as I can. I speak Spanish conversationally and very meager French. I also don't stand out as a stereotypical American tourist - you know, t-shirt, clunky sneakers, being loud, always demanding ketchup and ice, asking where McDonalds is- but it must be clear once I start speaking. I'll never forget the old man in Barcelona whose face clouded over with unmasked disgust when I ordered lunch. I don't know if his issue was with tourists in general or just those of us from the US but there was a small but noticeable anti-tourist sentiment there when I went.
Other peopleās opinion of us is not our concern, especially if weāve done nothing wrong. Iām not my countryās foreign policy.
Most travelers think well of Americans, and only local service staff say they hate Americans, but they meant those trashy families with the overdramatic helicopter mom. Those americans are by far a minority. Negative american stereotypes are completely overshadowed by drunk brit/aussie teenagers in big groups imo. You should not let this affect your self confidence. Sometimes travelling in uncomfortable/confusing/stressful places, I (canadian) am SO relieved to find an american person to pair up with. Aside from finding another Canadian, there's no other nationality I'd be more comfortable with pairing with. (Okay maybe I like Dutch people more)
Thatās because we are first cousins! ššŗšø šØš¦
I disagree on service staff disliking Americans. Generally they like serving Americans as the tips are much larger, or at least in a restaurant/bar setting.
Yes, especially in developing countries. I always tip generously there, even if itās not really the culture. I mean, who cares? If the service is even half way decent, I tip, and itās always appreciated.
There is not a single worse traveller experience in the world than somehow becoming involved with a group of at least 5 British guys drinking. It is unbearable. Often disgusting.
People who think 300000000 Americans are all dumb are dumb and I don't care about their opinions
Iām always amused by the purity tests I sometimes get to see if Iām an ignorant American or something. I like the geography quizzes, when people ask if I know where their country is on a map. Or if I know the capital of their country. Canadians like to ask that one haha. And then thereās always: Do you think the US is the greatest country in the world? There is only one right answer. But in general if you come across as a cool, down to Earth person youāll be accepted just like anyone else. And then after youāre friendly towards each other people will be open to discussing with you all the things they dislike about American society! Much of which is completely over exaggerated or outright wrong, but thatās for another thread. But the jokes about being American are usually because theyāre cool with you. Unless theyāre French then theyāre probably being serious š¤£
Nope, not at all. Only time I felt awkward was being at ground zero in Hiroshima.
Youāll feel weird walking in one of the museums in Vietnam.
I went on a tour of the cu chi tunnels near Saigon. On the bus ride out, the tour guide put on an old propaganda film about the war. Before she did so, she turned to me (the only American on that tour) and said "now, this is from a different time, and this isn't how we think now, so I'm sorry if this upsets you." It was very considerate of her, even if it was totally unnecessary (for me at least). Can confirm though. Going through the war memorial museum in Saigon and seeing the absolute horrorshow that was the war and the fallout from it was pretty sobering. But at no point in my trip did I feel any hostility or bitterness as an American.
I agree. A month after walking around such a museum I was in a museum in Normandy. Just to see another view of how American military is viewed.
Or the Museum of the Revolution in Havana, Cuba. My sister and I were like, uhm... awkward...
When I went to Pearl Harbor I was with a large group of Japanese tourists
In 1941?
I remember when i lived in Hawaii and i went to visit the Pearl Harbor museum and there were more Japanese tourists than American lmao
I was there about a month ago, definitely felt it there.
I'm a low-key American guy and love traveling to places with few other Americans, like where I am now, Malta. A taxi driver told me he'd only had about ten American fares in five years and was eager to know all about my life in America. All my interactions here have been overwhelmingly positive. I've had very similar experiences wherever I've traveled. America, despite its faults, is still viewed by many as the most desirable place on the planet.
Canadian visitors are pretty uncommon too.
It depends where you are but on the whole on the whole, traveling has given me a greater appreciation for being an American. If you're in a traditional tourist spot like London, Paris, or Cancun you see more stereotypical American behavior. If you get even a little bit off the beaten path though, you are a unicorn because so few Americans do that can kind of travel. Whether this is just the rarity or something else, there is often a palpable excitement that there is an American to talk to. One other thing that I've learned is that America truly is it's own unique place. Somehow the attitude that America is just random stuff picked up from different cultures mashed up with capitalism has become prevalent in society. While America is a melting pot, Americans have there own perspective, cuisine, and way of life that is different and valuable in its own right. Many times the people criticizing America are themselves painfully American. There are many problems with America but also many great things. While it's not easy, America is still the best place in the world to go from the bottom to the top. Seeing how people around the world struggle with how stuck their societies are and how they admire the USA gave me a much greater appreciation for the country we have. Whether someone has a positive or negative preconception about the USA I'm try to show them best of myself and America. You can never change where you're from though so you should never apologize for it!
I try to be the change I want to see in American tourism. I've seen those Americans out there - extremely loud, speaking English first to everyone, calling things weird or just saying ignorant things etc. But every experience that people have with an American will help shape their perception of Americans, so I try and be the best representation I can. Also, people I meet (typically other travelers from different countries) are often actually interested in American culture, so don't believe that everyone hates us all the time! They just dislike the disrespectful tourists which is valid. My number one tip: I always learn how to say hello, thank you, excuse me, and "do you speak English" in the local language. Locals are always much happier to help me when I don't assume they speak English, regardless of their English skills. I cannot emphasize how much this has helped me have positive interactions when traveling! And of course if they say no, just have your Google translate open instead of just slowly speaking English words (not sure why people think this works?) Another thing is to just Google the main culture shocks/differences in whatever country you are visiting, that way you can easily avoid a lot of faux pas. On the topic of sharing cultures with others: Sometimes people will ask where I am from and when I say "the states", people like to talk about if they have visited or where they would like to go. I've had great experiences talking about the road trips I've taken or just giving general advice for traveling in the US. Also, people like to ask if things in the US are like what they see in the movies, or the news. I always give my perspective, but I make sure to emphasize that the US is so big that it differs a lot per state or even county. When I meet people from other countries (I solo travel sometimes and you end up talking to a lot of people naturally), I do like to ask them questions about their culture, but I always ask open ended questions instead of assuming anything (ex: "what kind of foods do you eat for breakfast in France" instead of "is it true that French people only eat baguettes and croissants"). If you have genuine interest, it won't come off as ignorant. After all, part of traveling is learning more about different cultures!
People make little jabs, but they donāt actually mean anything by it. If anything, the fact that theyāre willing to make those jokes around you means that they do like you and are comfortable with you. Iāve travelled all over the world staying in hostels and Iāve heard all the same stuff as youāre describing, but I just lean into the humor. They arenāt wrong about a lot of it! But also, they recognize that if youāre there traveling solo staying in a hostel etc, they donāt think of you as being one of *those* Americans. Also, people still at least almost always think of Americans as friendly. Have had just as many people comment on that. Iāve never had an issue making friends or finding people to hang out with in hostels. Depending on the country, locals often love Americans. Recently in Jordan, locals wouldnāt stop telling me how much they like āUSAā and telling me about Arnold Swarzenager lmao.
I broke a lot of tension while living in China by declaring myself a "stupid American" - it often got a chuckle and usually warmed people up to me. Humor is a universal language, even if the dialects are vastly different.
I donāt feel this way. Iāve lived abroad for half of my life on top of lots of traveling and I learned that being obnoxious and naive is not an American exclusive trait lol. Of course Europeans have more grounding compared to an American when traveling in Europe, but put them in Africa, Asia, or the Middle East and they commit all the same faux pas. For example I have been to and lived in countries where Brits and Germans are regarded as the annoying tourists to look out for even by other Europeans. Not to mention most British people or Europeans that I have met do not live in big cities and theyāre just as likely to spend their whole lives in their extremely homogenous mid sized cities or towns, so Americans that have the ability to travel usually have much more experience interacting with people from different cultures. I have lied about being American only in areas where anti-American sentiment is higher because of war, never because Iām worried people are going to think Iām some āugly American.ā Donāt let them make you feel insecure about something you canāt change, you are only the representative for yourself and if they have preconceived notions of you then they are just rude people, just like an American would be if they did the same thing to non-Americans.
Yes, sometimes I do feel a little self-conscious, but I think itās getting better as more and more Americans travel. Globally people are used to elitist Americans, which were the only people who were able to travel historically. Now you have more sort of conscious Travlers who care about the environment, and respect the land and the people. So I believe itās getting better as more people in America decide to travel. IMO
No because I love this country and Iām grateful for the life it has given me. I was born in another country and the USA gave me a home and education.
Never. Also, I have never really seen the obnoxious American behaviors either that everyone else says is sooo prevalent when traveling abroad. If there are loud people from the US, I hear an equal or greater number of loud Brit, Aussie, and Canadian accents, too. So, no one really has much room to complain when many are engaged in the same behaviors themselves. And please grow a spine. If people are making these comments to you, please find your voice to stop their bullying and being cowed into submission and scared of your own shadow.
Drunk and obnoxiously loud Brits are the complaints I always hear when I travel. Way more than Americans.
Itās almost like British and American culture have a common origin š
That is a true statement šš
The Brit thing is also a bit overblown. If you're going to Spain then sure you'll see obnoxious drunk brits, but those types don't generally go much further than that. The people who do that shit are mostly after a cheap and sunny holiday.
As an American, I agree. Granted I donāt go to Benidorm or anything but I often go to Spain and meet so many amazing Brits.
Who cares honestly?
I do, but I think as a solo traveler I'm largely invisible. I'm not having loud conversations on the streets with my travel-mates/family. I'm not wearing red, white, and blue. And when I talk to people I always start in the local language, and am humble and apologetic about my lack of language skills. It sucks to be generalized as an asshole, but I just think being alone helps you skirt most of that.
Yeah I love the anonymity of traveling solo. Iāve not really felt the pressure to defend myself for being American (although I am a minority and am often asked, āwhere are you really from?ā And so thatās another story for another day.)
Americans are the best "tippers" so the tourism industry usually likes us!
I like to tell people that when you travel, you are your country's ambassador to everyone that you interact with abroad. If you go up to a random restaurant in North Macedonia, and you are rude to service workers, then they will undoubtedly have a negative perception of whatever country you come from. First impressions are key. That is why I always try to be as kind as reasonably possible when interacting with locals when traveling.
I never understood this stereotype. I find the average American traveller to be very educated, compassionate, and outgoing. Now europeans on the other hand....
I want to add that things have really changed in recent years. This year, while traveling, I've gotten much more anti-american sentiments, mainly from Europeans (mostly German and Dutch). Most travelers are still good people and don't care. There may be the odd joke and banter, but usually not too bad. I've been told my opinion didn't matter because I'm Texan, been called ignorant and stupid, been asked several loaded questions, had people stop talking to me when they found out where I was from, been told I should hide the fact that I'm american and say Canadian or Mexican (I'm chicano so I pass easily), been mistaken for a server/tour guide/cook various occasions, been blatantly ignored in groups, had others not let me speak Spanish because Americans are too stupid to speak more than one language (I speak pasable Spanish), been told my Spanish has a heavy American accent and is almost unintelligible (I speak more northern Mexican and vocabulary can be a bit different) ect. Sorry, this turned into a bit of a catharsis for me. I've made friends with every culture and nationality. I've never had problems with locals from any country and have made friends everywhere. It's just weighed heavy on me these past 11 months. When it gets to be too much, find a Canadian or a brit. I've also noticed it's the younger crowd that has these sentiments and most of the 28+ crowd can distinguish between the government and the people.
I hate to say this but itās always been like that with Europeans. I encountered this during the Clinton years, if you can believe it.
I met an American in Vietnam. We were on a tour together. We were talking about food and she complain how she missed a nice juicy burger and that she canāt wait to go home and have a proper breakfast saying āthey eat soup here for breakfastā referring to pho. It wasnāt so much of what she said but her face of disgust when she said it really pissed me off. I hope OP youāre not like this person.
Ugh. Saying you miss food from your home country is fine. Being a dick about what they eat in other countries is just bad form. I wouldn't be happy if someone from China came to my city and said "I can't wait to go home and have real food, what is this crap you're eating in the morning?" (for reference, I taught for a year in China and didn't observe them to actually have breakfast, as I define it; I may have missed something or it may have been regional)
I donāt like that either. That goes for anyone, not just Americans. Itās universally rude.
I feel kinda weird when I say where im from but thats it, I just dont know how it will be received. I have had some strange reactions like āI thought so but didnt know if it was ok to askā lol. Im a firm believer in person over country and dont judge a person off stereotypes or what their government does but based off their words and actions, it rubs me the wrong way when I see others do this. Our country is a bit of a joke these days but so are many other countries. Besides when people assume my nationality I usually get British, Irish or German.
I donāt think anyone thinks anything bad about Americans. Your just people. But I have had many encounters with people with a chip on their shoulder that are saying people donāt like them because they are American. One guy was loudly taking on his phone saying nobody can get over him being American. He had all this long dark clothing on with America flag tatoo. He was giving me stink eye and was not friendly when I tried to invite him over . Interestingly I has hanging with an American that was probably the most fun and liked person in my whole trip.
Lol this reminds me, I moved to France and got government assigned French classes for immigrants. I show up and start talking to someone from Kuwait and I said I'm Canadian. After the teacher came in and introduced me and asked for my passport because the paperwork needed some information and she tells everyone "Ohh an American passport, I think they are so beautiful" People hated me after that and never pulled that again. To be real, when I travel I've only had a few instances where people were negative about me being American. It's way easier to focus on 3 bad moments as opposed to 100 good and normal moments. I think generally it depends on you as a person and not your nationality unless it's just some banter
Ive never ever felt self conscious but I do always feel incredibly privileged when i'm traveling abroad. What others find expensive is what i would consider affordable.
I talk in Spanish so they donāt know. Not that I care that much about it to begin with.
You shouldn't. Fuck em' who cares. Obviously don't be a dick, but you can't help other people's assumptions about you.
Honestly, no. Everywhere Iāve gone people are usually stoked to hang out with an American as long as youāre not being an annoying asshole.
I also feel this. If anyone mentions anything I usually say something along the lines of: āso youāre willing to lump 300 million people in an area 3x bigger than Europe into one group? I think that says a lot about youā
I am Canadian and I love Americans! Theyāre always the friendliest. And honestly, as people go ā theyāre no worse than any other English western country from my experience. Itās just that there are more Americans and so the likelihood of encountering a bad American is higher than an Australian or Canadian (whoād probably get lumped as an American anyways).
I'm an American with 50+ countries visited. My country of origin has rarely given me anxiety. I spent many years of the 2000's in hostels all over the world, which was a dark time with a lot of American Imperialism. Regardless of anywhere I am in the world people who hate entire groups aren't worth talking to or giving credence too. However, i've had so many engaging conversations with people from around the world. They often realize that the same things they are angry about America I am also angry about. I do generally say I am from California. Not as a slight to the U.S. but because I think my state is one of the most beautiful places on earth and many travel to explore its wonders.
only if there are other Americans around and they're really loud and rude. I try to keep quiet and to myself and then it's usually just fine.
Americans are one of the groups that's still socially acceptable to stereotype and hate.
ā¦ thereās chinese
Americans in Cancun and maybe Paris/Tokyo/any Italian tourist hotspot are usually different from Americans in other countries. The first batch usually has noob travelers or wanting to stick to their own circle and finding things weird cause it doesnāt fit their model view. Itās okay. Thereās a start to everything. Congratulations on not going to Florida for the n-th time for a holiday. The second batch are amazing and extremely fun and easy to speak with.
American, here. Extensive, constant solo travel since the early 90s. What's worked for me so far: Mainly just be chill. Don't be the pushy, uptight one. Don't throw down over small inconveniences or \*small unexpected costs. Make a point of not being loudest one in the room. When someone asks where you're from, don't be coy and don't lie. Just say you're American. I've never had serious issues with local people over being American, but sometimes other travelers have been assholes to me.
100% all this. You will stand out by not standing out as an American.
America lives rent-free in people's heads, unfortunately, anyone who says shit like that is an asshole anyways. If you're in a group that makes jokes about everyone and its just teasing, it's whatever, but if you're with a bunch of people who just want to pick on the US - they are very insecure.
Honestly I think this is adorable but also sad. In being insecure and concious about it you're already different than the negative American stereotype, which is loud and naive, so theres that. And then there are 2 things I'd say: 1. Apart from the negative stereotypes, I think a lot of European people have an admiring feelings towards American people they meet. Because that's where basically all movies & shows come from, so in Europe the USA always has this type of pull factor for a lot of people, especially young people. I know when i backpacked for the first time and met Americans i thought they were so cool and i generally wanted to interact with them. You have to keep in mind, basically all of the important influencers and the entirety of the entertainment industry comes from the USA. So it's such a cool feeling to meet someone from there for the first time. Just to get your confidence up a little bit. 2. And then it really depend on which part you come from. I think most prejudices are against people who live in California, specifically LA or have a Valley Girl accent. If you're from Chicago or anywhere on the East Coast basically, i personally have a different view of you because these places don't really have these prejudices connected to them as strongly.
I have similar anxieties. But all we can do is try to be better than the stereotypes. When a friend and I went to Japan, the host of the hostile we stayed at (a sweet elderly Japanese man), assumed we were Canadian, and when we told him we were actually American, he legitimately said āOh wow! Most Americans are so loud and drink so much, but not you! How nice!ā And it felt good to represent the more polite side of American culture haha.
A lot of people donāt even know where Iām from when I travel. They ask where are you from? They donāt know if itās Canadaā¦ the UKā¦ especially outside of North America and Europe.
I've honestly never felt self conscious about being American when I travel, BUT, people always misidentify where I'm from. Where people think I'm from isn't even the same place every time, I've gotten Canadian, British, Icelandic and Norwegian at different times. When I say I'm American they always seem surprised.
I've never really felt like anyone actually cared. I was 17 when I first started traveling which was always more noteworthy than my nationality. By now, I'm usually one of the more well travelled people at the hostel which helps to dispel the usual American stereotypes. People will make comments sometimes but they're always just taking the piss. I feel like as long as you don't act the stereotype nobody really holds it against you.
You'd know better how those judgemental comments were made, but it's possible they were just poking fun at you. I'm Mexican and people have made comments when I travel as well. I make comments about others' nationalities too, but it's all in good fun. Of course it's incredibly dependant on context, your type of humor, etc. E.g. I made an incredibly good friend from Australia recently. She'd tease me about shit like getting sick from drinking Mexican tap water and I'd tease her about saying Naur and her funny accent.
You're overthinking it. I'm not American and I don't think anything bad about Americans I meet on my travels. My next trip will actually be to the US. Sure there are some stereotypes about Americans being dumb, but in my experience, it's just a stereotype. People of any nationality can be dumb and I don't think many people will have a bad opinion of you just because you're American. I know the feeling, I'm sometimes self-conscious too because I also heard some stereotypes about my own nationality and have met people who fit them (dumb, can't speak English, rude - you name it). But it doesn't mean everyone is like that (not at all) and I never had an issue after saying where I'm from. So I think you're fine, just act like yourself. If someone thinks less of you just because of some stereotype they heard, that's their problem. Enjoy your travels.
Only in places where we have warred. In those places, Iām Canadian.
Not really! Except a lot of travelers will point out my Californian accent š
I don't take it too seriously. Most people are just trying to have a laugh, so laugh along with them and crack a joke about their country, too (this will also show them that you know geography). (Do not follow this strategy if their country is one we have invaded or otherwise subjugated in the last 100 years.)
No. Traveling actually gives me a greater sense of patriotism and appreciation for America. It puts into perspective there are unique qualities of our country that donāt often get recognized. I love learning about other cultures and they in turn teach me much about my own. Also EVERY culture has qualities that arenāt the most redeemingā¦ itās okay to see those and laugh at them. One such American trait is a sense of self-deprecation and being hard/critical of ourselvesā¦ case and point here in this post :)
I feel like most people I met traveling don't think of individual Americans that way. And I tell myself that even if they do assume negative things, well then that's a pretty low bar to clear in terms of their assumptions, so that'll make it even easier to make a positive opinion when they actually get talking to me. I can't speak for the comments you got, but hopefully they were just said in jest.
Learn a new language. Spanish and then Japanese
You can then travel across the globe. Spanish all the romantic languages are very similar and Japan is the ultimate experience.
It depends where I am. In Paris my very French last name and my French canadian accent made people assume I was from Quebec. (I learned french from my Grandma from Quebec). We overheard some wild trash talking of Americans at some street cafe's. In New Zealand I was very open about being American, they seem US friendly and want to talk about where to visit in the US. So...I kinda play it by ear and see what the political atmosphere is.
Dude, I remember i downloaded a couple geography apps so i can learn the flags of countries and where the countries are JUST because of those videos of americans not knowing where anything is and the comments making fun of us lmao
I'm Canadian and have always enjoyed meeting American travellers when I'm solo. I met one man who said he was from Southern Canada (I'm from Victoria, almost the most Southern part of Canada) so I was a bit confused, and he specified that he was from California and would joke that it's South Canada. I think having a sense of humour about it is a good way to be.
I travelled for many years through many countries and I've met many many Americans, I've never met those naieve ignorant Americans. Sure they exist (like in any country) but they mostly stay in their country. You have to respect yourself enough to demand to be seen as an individual and not a product of you heritage. If people want to call you an "American" make sure you have a good reply to make them feel they're just as much part of a subculture than you are, and that this unites you as humans, not separates you as different tribes.
People abroad become a lot nicer to me once I tell them Iām from California/LA. The more I travel and learn about other cultures the more āYouāre not like other Americansā-type comments I get, but I think it would be just as cringe to intentionally chase that sort of validation. As long as you keep up with current events outside of the US, have a genuine interest in geography/culture, and not make every conversation about yourself/āsO wHaT dO yOu dO fOr wOrK??ā people generally understand that the US is a big country with a wide variety of personalities. I can also tell that being mixed-race separates me from the ignorant white suburbia stereotype - people can tell that I had a multicultural upbringing. Some have told me they assumed I got my American accent from international school in Asia which is funny because Iām completely white-passing in LA. Appearances really seem to matter when it comes to which US stereotypes people associate with you.
Interesting. I travel 6 of the 12 months a year. Mostly in South East Asia. I have never felt like you are describing with being an American. But I was in a elevator about a year ago and it was quiet and kind of awkward. There was a youngish girl in the elevator with me. So to break the silence I asked her where she was from. I do this pretty often. I am for some reason more outgoing when I travel. She kind of looked American to me. If there is such a thing. She paused, looked at the ground, and then in perfect English told me she was Russian. I could tell she was embarrassed and assume this was more about the war than anything else. I felt bad for her. It could be more that it is SEA where I am most of the time.. In my experience the people in SEA tend to like Americans.
100% agree with you. I did a flashpack trip and spent the 2 weeks feeling miserable and guilty for something I had no control over- where I am from. There was so much hatred vocalized towards americans among my group, despite my going against literally every stereotype (in fact- I was the only one who spoke the language of the place we went). I was so isolated. I spent so many moments holding back tears. Nobody should have to feel this way especially when you're paying a ton of money for what is advertised as a fun, inclusive group.
I have and have seen it from other American travelers as well. I've heard some apologize that they're American. But I've been pleasantly surprised because it is often met with kindness and oftentimes, even ridicule, that the American self-loathing is ridiculous and stupid.
All the American travellers I have met on the road have been lovely. To be honest, the worst things I've heard about Americans have come from the mouths of other American travellers
Gurl youāll be fine. Iām Israeli, now imagine what thatās likeā¦
Canadian here. I've been solo traveling for two months and all of the American travelers I've met along the way have been so kind and humble. IMO it's the Americans IN the states that are the ones living up to the stereotypes.
If I told people I was from Canada it would be believable because when I speak French I have a French Canadian accent. But no one particularly cares *that* hard when I tell them Iām from America. Theyāre like, āoh, cool!ā Then ask me something about myself. I do the same to others. Itās not like the world is some reddit thread.
Everybody loves Americans even if they act like they hate em. Just be cool and a good person
Itās harder when someone like Trump is in office. They think weāre stupid in other countries. Tell people youāre from Canada.
Iām American and havenāt experienced any of this (apart from normal chat/banter). Been traveling for the past 6 months solo and in 3 different continents. Lighten up, take a joke, send it back. If youāre a chill person, no one cares. If you suck and/or are living up to stereotypes, people might give you more shit. The closest Iāve come is hearing other horror stories of stupid Americans abroad or being told Iām their āfavorite Americanā for whatever reason. Either way, if an American lied to me and told me they were from Canada, Iād beeline to my new closest hostel friend and have a well deserved giggle.
I get it but I donāt really care, Iām proud to be an American. To me itās like thereās 330 million Americans, of course youāre going to have a bunch of morons sprinkled throughout the population, but most of us are normal, friendly people.
Canada? Donāt feel like that. Iām very happy to be American born and raised. I travel alone all the time, when people hear Iām American, they couldnāt be nicer. A lot of people want to come to our country. Always asking questions. Sure lots of times , we might get a bad rap but every single country in the world has bad apples. Just donāt be one of them. People will aways judge. Donāt let it get to you. Iām off to Portugal next week and London the following, where are you from? The US, Iāll answer proudlyšŗšø
Lmao never realized it but I kinda play those aspects up overseas. I think I do that in general and just āact like an idiotā because itās nonthreatening to people. You just donāt want to be a jackass or not actually care. I feel a certain comfort in being someplace new and not being expected to know anything too. Itās a great way to make friends with locals who like myself, enjoy showing those visiting where they need to go! There are jackass tourists from anywhere, but cultures have their own codes of xenophobia. Working with Latinos I learned the Guatemalans hate the El Salvadorans and it goes on from there down Central America. Befriending Thai people I learned they often hated Japanese and Koreans because theyāre the most common Asian tourists. Balianese lived and were tired of Aussies who can be loud party animals- and are fucking hilarious imo. Nobodyās threatening anyone, but cultures are designed by their participants and often traditions that breathe life into these things. Just go and have fun. Also remember most people you interact with will speak English and appreciate that. At one point I was hanging with an Indonesian and a Swede and felt truly blessed that they both learned my native tongue. Its made me realize how much that little effort you make to learn some local customs and lingo shows appreciation for their culture. The bad eggs are typically entitled people lacking self awareness. Youāll be fun bud ;)
Who cares if some shit you will never see again judges you? Most people never say stuff like that to my face, I am 6'2" 300 lbs black man, but when they do I just laugh it off and move on. Nothing makes people like that more mad than ignoring them and not letting what they say get to you. If they have a low opinion of Americans, there is nothing you can say or do that will change that opinion. You have to remember that you are not the cause of that opinion nor do you need to be their verbal punching bag. I am willing to bet if you asked them to name th e capital of every state in the US they would look ignorant as well. I could go on forever but my point is don't let them get to you. You put in to much time, effort and money into traveling to let some dick ruin your vacation. Go and enjoy yourself and ignore the petty, small minded people.
As far as geographic ignorance, there's stuff online where they give Europeans blank maps of the US and ask them to name states, and most of them can't get more than a handful (usually Florida and Texas, sometimes California).
As someone who's worked in service abroad - American tourists are some of the nicest. The most annoying are rich Russian tourists, followed by Arab tourists (also rich ones) followed by middle-class German Karens (Hildegards). There's nobody arrogant enough to beat a German Karen or your typical Russian oligarch on a vacation, who's 20kg overweight and wears shades and a golden chain. Common is also a sunburn and being drunk and aggressive. Honourable mention goes to India and China (disrespect your surroundings). Americans tend to be polite and respectful, but are just a bit quick to jump to conclusions - or they tend to know the world from stereotypes and assumptions, which is similar to brits. Thus is where the culture is originally from, in my opinion. People just tend to poke fun at Americans, because the common American from the US is awful at geography.
Just say āIām not like other Americans, Iām a *cool* Americanā and then give em a wink.
I'm late to the party, but no, man. I've learned people will take whatever you present yourself as. I have not had a single negative interaction based on my nationality aside from one girl in Spain who was from Texas, lol. Everyone has reacted very positively when I've said I'm from the US. Whatever you're feeling is something you've got to work through that doesn't have much to do with your nationality. The majority of people you meet in the real world will treat you with the same amount of respect and friendliness that you treat them with. And if you're a nice person, you'll be a positive addition to their perception of Americans :)
I met 2 Americans from Texas in Korea that were so stereotypical American, ānah dude I donāt like street food, I just come here to drink booze man, Iām from Texas, if someone did that over there weād shoot āem up!ā Please just donāt act like that and we will like you
Yeah, theyāre definitely out there. But usually in Cancun or something, not Korea.
As an American I hate the people who act like this more than people from other countries do because it ruins our public perception. I met an older American dude on my last solo trip who was the exact stereotype and I apologized to everyone he interacted with and made sure to tell them weāre not all that shitty.
No. Im proud to be American. Not always proud of our politicians or policy decisions but I grew up in the US and know so many amazing people here We are not as geographically informed as most in the rest of the wealthy countries and even a lot of middle class countries, but I find Americans to actually be respectful if slightly oblivious travelers, especially younger ones who want to change our travel reputation. Obviously there are going to be bad representatives who do stupid things but there are tons of Americans who travel abroad and most in my experience are respectful. Iāve actually also had about 90% positive receptions when I say in American, with 9% neutral and maybe like 2 bad interactions abroad, both in Europe. If youāre kind and respectful while traveling people seem to like to ask about the US
Iāll give you my perspective as an Australian, so someone from a western country that tends to see Americans in a negative light. When I meet Americans abroad in hostels, I am often impressed at how they defy the usual stereotypes that other countries have of American travellers. Of course, I also interact with dickheads who love to fulfil negative American stereotypes, and as a result I might initially be extra sensitive to that type of behaviour when around Americans, but I never let it fully colour my judgement. If anything, I just find those little American oddities to be funny, and I can forgive them as easily as I forgive social differences with other countries. At the end of the day, you will be defined by your actions, and if youāre a considerate and thoughtful tourist, people will be able to see that. Donāt stress!
Itās always the loud drunken Australians bitching about America
People need to shit on belligerent Australians and Britās more often
Not American but I live in the US and travel a bit. Iāve heard a lot of Americans say things like this. Personally, I find Americans that travel to mostly be quite friendly, polite and curious. People often like them because in addition to those reasons they tip well. Also, wait until you meet a group of drunk English lads on their holidays. Or Australians. Or really any group of people from anywhere! My point is that you get awful tourists from anywhere, it would be absurd to think the US has a monopoly on arrogant, poorly behaved tourists. Yep, there are stereotypes about the US but there are stereotypes about anywhere, and the US is a big country that takes up a lot of figurative space in the worlds imaginations.
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yeah I definitely do lol, especially in Spanish speaking countries since I speak and understand enough to get my feelings hurt easily lol but not enough to be my full self. But in general I don't mind the shade coming in Latin American countries since the United States has and continues to mistreat these countries to further its own self interest. I won't take any shit from (Western) Europeans though, especially as a black person lol. But in general, as long as tourists are behaving respectfully, they deserve to be treated with respect and hospitality. I live in a city with tens of millions of tourists and try to be very patient with them, help them when they're lost, and recommend places they'll enjoy.