Ugly American

[clevercraig]

As a prepare to make my first trip overseas (5 weeks until my 2 month trip!!!) I keep comming across the term "Ugly American." At first I sort of resented that term but then thought about some of my travels around my own country. There definently are some less than noble characters roaming around. Anyway, what is this "ugly American" like overseas? 'Cuz that is the last person I want to be. I honestly don't think I fit the mold but who knows? I am fairly quite, well.....Whiskey me up and who knows....I think that I am both curtious and respectful of others customs. Is there more two this "Ugly Ameircan" tag?

[phlipfudge23]

I think alot of it comes from the spring breakers who go to get drunk (w/no respect for the cultures)/ senior citizens who think their traditions are the best and can't understand why anyone would do something differently. Unless you plan on getting wasted and taking a leak on Parliment (throwing a penny off the Eiffel Tower,etc.) I think you are probably ok.

[clevercraig]

You mean i can't take a drunken piss on somebodies parliment? Crap, what's the point of the trip then

[phlipfudge23]

No, no, no





you can't get CAUGHT taking a piss on the Parliment building!

[Canadian Dude]

I have geard the term before, and it is a common pharse in the "world of trav'las" but its mostly Americans I hear it from

If you don't mind I am going to quote Robert Young writer of The Worlds Most Dangerous Places

How to survive being American

Understand that along with your snazzy Timberland backpack, understand that you carry a different kind of bagage---About 200yrs of imperialism, covert action, warfare,occupation, and political interference. A large part of the world resents the fact that you are so damned affluent and healthy, and they are not. You may not have bombed Laos, smart bombed innocent Iraqi children, over thrown every Latin American dictator, shot Moros in the Philippines, bombed inocent Afgani children, or cut down the rain forest to grow cattle for your American Big Macs, but the chances are good you will be blamed for it.

I have observed "Ugly American" incidents, but I have seen "Ugly Canadian" incidents and "Ugly Eglish" and "Ugly Australian" its not where your from its the kind of person you are.

Treat people with respect and you should recieve the same, Be polite and make an effort to understand what others are about and I can not see alot of problems for you over seas.

Topics to avoid, politics ( as you have seen how heated the can get even on these boards) and religion. These are just invites for trouble especially in a public setting.

[Somnambulation]

I also want to avoid being seen as an Ugly American. I know the types of people that term describes and I generally dislike them too. Hopefully I don't have any innate tendencies that are going piss off the locals and invite hostility on myself.

[Canadian Dude]

I also want to avoid being seen as an Ugly American

I don't think any of my American brotha's and sista's on this board need to worry about being seen as "Ugly Americans" quite the contrary..I think you have and will display a positive imagine towards the nation that you come from...pleae do not put this negative thought at the top of your priority list, it will just bug you or cause you to be over cautious about who you really are.

[zylah]

Is an ugly American the same as an annoying american? cos i met my first non-annoying american last week. I didn't realise it at the time, but when i got home i realised he wasn't so bad.
My problem is that most of the americans i've met have been very loud, (their accent is very distinctive so to me the sound carries)
But i figured that most of the ppl who travel alot are normally extroverts and so louder naturally (i mean loud as in either volume or amount)(does that make sence?)

[Canadian Dude]

Your can not generalize that with the term "most americans" a better thing would be to say would be "some people are loud". accent, volume of voice and place of origin do not reflect the entire population of a country cause i know some bloody loud Canadians and some loud Mexicans and French...This is the whole reson I am going to the Middle East..because i know that not everyone that worships Allah or has dark skin or wears a burka is a terrorist.

To generalize any one because of where they come from is just wrong on every level..the French do not stink, Americans are not war mongers, Canadians do not all live in igloos, Australians do not all have kangaroos jumping through their back yard...I think ya get the point...

To meet people who are anoying will happen any where at anytime, but do not use the term "most" because there are alot of people in each of these countries and not one of them is the same.

My rant is not directed at you zylah, not at all ...

[zylah]

the line was

most of the americans i've met

i never said it applied to all, just to the ones i'd met

[Canadian Dude]

I guess i should read better, sorry about that ..but the post still aplies because it is common to hear people say "Most Americans" or "Most Canadians" or "Most (Insert Country Here)" which to me is just a agrivating phrase..

I owe ya a beer i think after i get my foot out of my mouth !!

[LiveFreeorDie]

Australians do not all have kangaroos jumping through their back yard

Damn....you just ruined my upcoming Oz trip for me and I leave in less than 4 weeks!!! Is it too late to cancel?????

[phlipfudge23]

I can honestly say that I have never met a Canadian that lives in an igloo.





I was under the impression that that stereotype was reserved for Eskimos.

[trydieing]

look... this whole "Ugly American" problem... is easily avoided... ok think about it, as americans we have (by default) been associated with the king of all jack asses... the ugly american himself.... George Bush jr. so the answer...
dis-associate your self.... how? not my pres. wear this shirt... I say all this jokingly ofcourse. but I have herd of people wearing canadian patches on there pack so they will not be associated as Americans the problem with that is you better learn french, or your caught, also I have a patch of this shirt and I plan on sporting it on my pack.

seriusly though check this out punk voter

[clevercraig]

hey TRY:

Great shirt.....You willnot find a biiger anti Bush person on this board than I. I love my country and I hate the impression and imprint this figure head is leaving on the world in my country's name.

[trydieing]

yes I agree, you definatly should check out that website, it was started by several politicaly concius punk bands they have some pretty interesting things tosay. There all extremely educated as well.

[d_fresh]

the term stems from a book of the same name by Eugene Burdick and William J. Lederer (1958). Marlon Brando starred in the film version in 1963.

The Ugly American basically describes someone who is boisterous, loud, uncultured, unsophisticated, arrogant, and insensitive to other cultures.

[chana]

you will probobly have different people react to you in different ways. On many levels and for obvious reasons America is looked upon as an intimidator, but another stereotype that American tourists often see while abroad, aside from politics, is the whole fat issue. Its true, the likelyhood of seeing extremely overwheight people in other countries is very slim compared to here. Many people see this as a sloppy, lazy and lethargic cowboy culture, but I am certain beyond a single doubt people like everyone who visits this site can make a powerful impact on bringing about changes in that respect. Young people all over the world are for the most part very opemn minded, after all, our pop culture resonates in a major way. In my experience, I found very little animosity comming my way. The locals adore visitors who take the time to say please and thank you in their language. I think this is true of any country. You will have a blast, no doubt. Unless you are somwhere so remote where indoor plumbing is a luxury, I don't think you'll have an issue being from here. Enjoy the world

[Columbia]

ha phlipfudge! I don't know I think the stereotype is for Canadians in general, and if you take it a step further, for the Inuit. I find it amusing more than anything.

It is too bad that Americans have this whole judgement thing pinned to their backs. They're taking heat they probably shouldn't have to. Not that other countries don't get this, it's nasty in all cases.

...I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack, unless I go somewhere...

[Carisia]

Here's one example of an ugly American I witnessed during my travels:

I was in a post office in Sorrento Italy. There were these two American ladies totally decked out in their vacation attire, and clearly they had gone on a shopping spree and were in the habit of shipping the goods back. There was a long line in the post office and people were getting impatient. But Italians are not known for they efficiency, and I'm not sure that that's a bad thing... But that's a whole other story. Anyhow, the postman behind the counter was taking quite some time, as she had quite a few number of large boxes being shipped and all this paper work that needed to be filled out. Well, the postman was being quite courteous and spoke his limited English in a pleasant manner and tone with the 2 American customers who did not speak any Italian. The Americans however were being quite abrasive, impatient and loud and spoke down to the postman as if he were to blame for the fact that 'they' were taking so long filling out the paperwork and for not speaking a foreign language in his own country! I was so embarassed for being American, so I made an extra hard effort to speak Italian with him, courteously and respectfully, when my turn came, which was next.