By Kim Davis | CNN
If you watch shows such as “Emily in Paris,” you can be forgiven for thinking the world is enchanted by Americans who travel abroad. Silly gaffes, like mistaking a public urinal for a monument and taking selfies in front of it, come across as charming quirks on television.
However, as a single American woman who moved to Europe and made a LOT of faux pas of my own, I can assure you that the real world is definitely not amused.
It’s a hard pill to swallow, but sadly, we’ve gained a reputation around the world for being, well, “stupid Americans.”
Is it offensive? Yes. Could we get upset about it? Sure. But with tens of millions of Americans traveling abroad every year, the likelihood is that you’ll encounter us wherever you are in the world.
Therefore, our reputation is completely understandable.
The reality is, we ALL do “stupid” things, especially when we are in foreign places and we don’t know the local customs, cultures or surroundings. No one is immune from this humiliation, not even genius scholars.
However, smart travelers know that doing “stupid” things abroad can not only be disrespectful and embarrassing, but it can put you at risk of being arrested, hurt or the victim of crime.
That’s why, instead of letting labels upset me, I choose to focus on how I can become a master traveler. After 20-plus years of exploring the world, I think I’ve managed to crack it.
So, here are my top 10 tips on how you can avoid the “stupid American” stereotype and become a “Smart American” abroad.
Read social cues
People in most countries are extremely polite. They would never tell you that what you are doing is offensive or socially unacceptable. Instead, they will most likely smile and nod, before quickly changing the topic, running away or ghosting you.
This behavior definitely makes for a very civilized society, but if you’re a tell-it-like-it-is New Yorker like me, it can be very hard to pick up on social cues.
For years, I foolishly thought that what I was saying or doing was of genuine interest to those around me. I had no idea that I was embarrassing myself and chasing people away. As you meet people abroad, try to notice if they are genuinely interested (for example, asking lots of follow-up questions, making eye contact, building on your stories, asking to join in, etc.), or if they are just being polite.
If your Spidey sense starts to tingle, it’s probably time to change the subject or move on to a new activity.
Keep the volume down
It is very true that most Americans have a wonderful zest for life. We don’t think twice about gabbing away with friends (or strangers) on public transportation or laughing whole-heartedly at the dinner table. That’s just our way of being friendly.
However, in many places around the world, speaking loudly is considered extremely rude and highly uncommon.
It’s not unusual to visit major cities and see people traveling in complete silence while on a packed train. You’ll also notice …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
