Stereotypically American

(Written November 12, 2006)

I have a confession to make: I am in Italy, the origin of some of the world’s most delicious foods, and I have eaten McDonald’s three times in the past week. For those who know me, you know that I very rarely eat McDonald’s. In fact, I don’t even like their food, but over here, it is just about the only place to find a hamburger or an American salad. And (I will blame it on being sick) I have been craving American food desperately! Yes, the person, who usually tries her best to keep from doing anything too typically American while traveling, was seen scarfing a Colorado Cheese (a cheeseburger with mayonnaise) and fries at the McDonald’s in the Florence train station at 11 o’clock this morning before boarding my train to Naples.

Yes, in my mind, I am admitting to some sort of defeat. But to justify my actions, I have been very good about trying local foods while on this trip, which is exactly what I believe anyone visiting a new place should do. One thing I can’t stand about some American travelers is that they expect everything to be just like they have it at home. They go to McDonald’s or even a local restaurant to request food exactly the way it would be prepared in the States, and they expect their lodging, transportation, shopping, etc. experiences to cater to what they are used to in the States.

Europe is in many ways similar to the States (thanks –or no thanks—to globalization) but in other ways it is very different. It doesn’t mean that one is better than the other; they are just different, and how you react to the differences depends on what you are used to and how comfortable you are with trying new things and going outside of your comfort zone. I believe that anyone traveling to another country should be ready and willing to live outside of their comfort zone, to embrace the culture of the new country, but unfortunately, Americans are seen in Europe as some of the worst at doing that. I don’t know how many times I have been embarrassed to see Americans (and consequently tried to hide my nationality) because they were acting so “stereotypically American.” I don’t mean to sound unpatriotic. In fact, I think I am being very patriotic in hoping that my fellow Americans won’t act in a way that justifies negative stereotypes about us.

While on this trip, I have been asked several times if I have gotten any slack for being American, and my answer to that is a resounding no. Although people around the world (many Europeans included) do not hold the highest view of the United States right now, they do not have any animosity towards individuals and are open to giving us a chance to prove them wrong. I believe acting respectful and trying to “blend in” (that means, attempting to communicate even when you only know a few words in the language, following their lead and doing things the way they are accustomed, and not expecting things to be the way you get them in the States) go a long way towards altering negative impression. In a way, I see myself (and every traveler) as an ambassador for America. The way we act while we are traveling helps determine the way they see our country. So please, if you travel overseas, which I encourage everyone to do, be willing to embrace the cultural differences. It will give you a more realistic understanding of the country, and it will speak volumes to lookers-on.

If anyone has any comments or questions on what I have said, I’d be happy to discuss. Having written my Master’s thesis on America’s image abroad, this subject is particularly dear to me.