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.

Cinque Terre, Italy (November 7-9, 2006)

I didn't originally plan on going to the Cinque Terre, but after hearing several outstanding recommendations for the five villages on the western coast of Italy, I decided I should see what all the fuss was about. The "hostel" I had hoped to stay at had a sign on the door that said they were on vacation (November being low season), but I quickly found accommodation by asking a few doors up the street. I was placed in an apartment that had five beds and a kitchen and bathroom (not bad for 15 Euros a night).

By the time I reached Riomaggiore, the village where I hoped to stay, Tuesday afternoon, I was not feeling well. My throat was scratchy and my sinuses were beginning to act up. I took it easy that evening, hanging out in the kitchen with a few of my "flatmates" and going to bed early and then slept most of the next day. By Thursday I had a full-blown cold (or flu or something) and after going to the village pharmacist for medicine, decided to try to do part of the walk along the coast that links the five small villages. Riomaggiore, Manarola, Cornilgnia, Vernazza, and Monterossa were quaint (although a little more touristy than I had hoped) little villages perched in the mountainous area along the coast with breathtaking views of the sea! I got about half-way through before calling it quits and rested the remainder of the day. The Cinque Terre was a perfect place for a couple of down-days as there is really not much to do other than the walk between the villages. In fact, they take a "siesta" for about four hours every afternoon and the town pretty much shuts down after dinner, except for a few locals hanging out at the only bar that is still open.

Although I was feeling even worse on Friday, I had the travelers' urge to move on, realizing how little time I had left in Italy, so I decided on Florence, mainly because it is easy to get to other places from there and there are a ton of lodging options.

For the photo journal for the Cinque Terre, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com

Northern Italy (November 3-6, 2006)

UPDATE: The photo journals for Venice and Verona are now posted at http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

I spent last weekend in Venice, one of the cities I was most excited about visiting on this trip. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more! Venice is like no other place in the world! Around every corner, you find the most picturesque of scenes, be it a narrow, cobblestoned road or a canal lined with old buildings. There are no cars in the main section of Venice, so it is intriguing to watch life take place through other means, such as boats (for example, to get around you hop on a boat bus and each morning the garbage boats come by to collect trash) and on foot (it is not uncommon to see people wheeling or carrying goods along the streets to their stores or restaurants). And Venice is the absolute easiest city to get lost in! Luckily, the best thing to do in Venice is to wander around aimlessly because if you were actually trying to get somewhere in particular, it would be terribly frustrating (I will never complain about D.C. again!). All this adds to the charm and novelty of the city.

I enjoyed very much my stay in Venice, but was not terribly sad to leave on Monday for two reasons: (1) Venice is expensive and to best enjoy it, you need to be willing to spend money carelessly, (2) it was starting to get really chilly and I did not bring proper winter clothes. Plus, Venice is, I think, more of a travel destination for couples or the slightly older crowd. Nevertheless, Venice is definitely a place I plan on going back to!

After Venice, I planned on immeditately heading to the western coast but having missed my train, decided to stay in Northern Italy for another night in Verona. Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet, is a delightful and beautiful city. I only spent one night there but was able to explore the city Monday evening and early Tuesday morning before making the trip to Italy's western coast.

For the photo journals for Venice and Verona, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.