BootsnAll's Travel Community

So, I know that none of us could ever be considered Ugly Americans when we travel (especially those of us who aren't, ahem, American in the first place), but what about the few (?) American travelers who give other American travelers a bad name? Would it help if every US passport holder received a handy guidebook on how to behave overseas? Would anyone read the damned thing?

There's a new book called the World Citizens Guide that the US State Department is considering handing out with each US passport. There's a downloadable abbreviated version, from which these gems are taken:

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Smile. Genuinely. It's a universal equalizer.

Most people believe that Americans have the most fun when they are in their own company. Prove them wrong.

Check the atlas. You may not believe anyone could confuse "Australia" with "Austria," but it happens. Everyone's home is important to them. It's helpful if you familiarize yourself with local geography.

Show your best side. Americans are a kind and generous people. You can help dispel the stereotype of the Ugly American; impress people with your kindness, curiosity and fair nature.

On the whole, I think the little brochure is pretty cool; I do think most of this is pretty intuitive for most of the regular readers of the BootsnAll forums... But I can see where it could be really eye-opening advice to some people. The one thing that made me kind of wince was this one:

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Be a traveler, not a tourist. Before you touch down in another country, learn as much as you can about it. Go beyond the guidebooks and pick up some of the music and the literature of the land. If you can, rent some movies from that country. Go online and search for information about the places you want to visit.

I thought, "Oh, damn, here we go again, trying to make enemies of groups who ought to be on the same side..." Ah, well, until that point it's okay. I think.

What do you think? Do you think a booklet like this is necessary? Worth distributing with every single US passport? What about other countries? Is it even possible to write a truly "World Citizens Guide" that would encompass every culture's behavior issues?

(An aside - this is not another rehashing of the "tourist vs. traveler" debate, which has been had on several occasions and doesn't need to be started again.)

I'd think Americans Jessie are not all that much different to some from some other countries - there are lots of great sensitive sensible travellers who get along just fine by being so, just part of their nature and no guidebook really needed.

That said, I can remember getting a little booklet at some stage here in Oz which did include stuff about other country cultures, how some forms of dress could offend etc., preventative measures for health and other commonsense type things.

Ironically, such a booklet is probably to a large extent superfluous for the sensible traveller who may do some research on where he/she is going anyway.
For those who do not and of the nature that I'm me and they can take me whether they like it or not etc., well more ironically me thinks that a little booklet can only do so much.

They probably do have a place for the infrequent sensitive travellers if they do have reasonable helpful information as a mini country guide, something that people will see value in keeping and referring to.

But as to brash loudmouths, some of them might need to be taught how to open pages of a book in the first place.

I love it when people tell others to smile. genuinely. How is it genuine if someone is telling you to do it?

I don't think the idea is all that bad, especially if it contains some general travel things GoNorth mentioned (offensive dress, health concerns, etc). There are people out there who just are truly Ugly Americans or Ugly Whoevers and those people are unlikely to read or learn much from such a thing but I think it may help those people who are ignorant in the true sense of the word- merely unknowing. There are people like that out there who just honestly have never been told nor had occasion to think about such things.

I liked the way they completely ignore chunks of Africa and tricky places like Albania, Kuwait, Monaco, Latvia and most of the -stans and former soviet republics - perhaps they've compiled the website with regieme-change in mind.

Some of the 'fun facts' are interesting -

my country feted through history as the land of saints and scholars is summed up as follows :

"until 1995, the constitution in Ireland made divorce illegal" - you're not going to win many friends trotting that one out in a bar in Dublin.

Russia : "New Year's day is generally Russians favourite holiday"

Qatar : "most adults wear perfume"

Zambia : "people in Zambia consider it an honor to have guests in their home"

Taiwan (not a UN recognised country) : "mostly all of the young people wear eyeglasses in Taiwan"

They sound like suggestions collected from a junior school class.

I suppose if you have absolutly no idea about the rest of the planet, they might help - I guess it's a bit of fun, but maybe a lonely planet guide would be more useful.

Would the target audience actually bother to read one of these pamphlets ?

Ahem.

First posted on November 11th by static.

I thought this thread sounded familiar.

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Russia : "New Year's day is generally Russians favourite holiday"

Qatar : "most adults wear perfume"

Zambia : "people in Zambia consider it an honor to have guests in their home"

Taiwan (not a UN recognised country) : "mostly all of the young people wear eyeglasses in Taiwan"

These 'fun facts' sound like more potential stereotypes. Kind of counterintuitive, eh?

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Originally posted by nerokerr:
I thought this thread sounded familiar.

These 'fun facts' sound like more potential stereotypes. Kind of counterintuitive, eh?

Indeed. A tricky concept to see into reality, I wonder who they had writing it. I would also guess that maybe the countries not listed were in alignment with those the US government has travel warnings out on?

And of course Joe found it first, if he hadn't it wouldn't be worth looking at.

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I wonder who they had writing it.

I believe the Advertising Hack pictured above led the project. His name is Keith Reinhard. I was once in his employ.

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I love it when people tell others to smile. genuinely. How is it genuine if someone is telling you to do it?

When you're told to do it by someone in advertising! Now, quit asking so many questions and do as the man says! Look how genuine his smile is...

First of all, I'm an American, and the only thing ugly about me is my actual physical appearance.

This kind of stuff makes me nuts because this type of information is a) partially wrong advice, and b) directed at Americans specificly? Why? Now that I've been abroad for some time and been around many 'foreigners', I'd say that the US leads the pack in self improvement and enligtenment. There are lots of Asian travellers who travel and simply take notes on how their country is better and others are stupid. This is only something I've come to realize recently. It's newly digested info, so I'm not so articulate. ...Hope the generalizations aren't irritating. ...Also the worst stories I've ever heard are about... drumroll...Australians.

That aside, some of this stuff is non-sense as above posters have noted. Not all people are innocent. There are plenty of 'ugly' locals who think it's ok to shout stupid things at you, and act like you owe them money because you're white. Let's give them a brochure while we're at it.

I think that we all just need to put up with each other. Nothing is that big of a deal.

Except... Recently a US soldier was convicted of rape here in the Phils...I say he should get the death penalty. Crimes are a different story. Also in Korea, US soldiers have really done some damage. I wonder if they get brochures in basic training? I hope they get more than that.

All in all I'm never against awareness.

Huh. I've got pretty mixed feelings about this. I think the brochure is kind of cheezy, and the "fun facts" are silly and condescending. On the other hand, I do think some Americans do need a reality check before they leave the country - they really don't know how to behave when elsewhere. They are not alone in that regard, though. I've seen some Australian and Japanese tourists act like grade A jerks, too.

Part of the issue, imho, is that many people from these "offending" countries don't live cheek by jowl with folks from other cultures. They point and gape and judge because they see their way is the only reasonable way to do things and figure that anyone behaving otherwise is part of the Native Floor Show, doing quaint things for their entertainment. They also tend to run rough shod over local customs and practices because they assume everyone dresses, talks and acts the way they do.

The thing that's hard for folks like booties to get their heads around is that they aren't necessarily doing it out of malice, or even insensitivity. They're just totally unprepared and they behave badly because they don't have any other behaviors in their repertoire. I really don't know of a cure for this kind of ignorance other than exposure, but maybe new passports *should* come with a warning that says: When travelling, keep in mind that chances are YOU are the one behaving bizarrely.

Huh. I'm not sure this post makes sense. Oh well, out it goes anyway!

La

quote:

They point and gape and judge because they see their way is the only reasonable way to do things and figure that anyone behaving otherwise is part of the Native Floor Show, doing quaint things for their entertainment.

This made me laugh. Except it's often true... Which is kind of depressing...

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I really don't know of a cure for this kind of ignorance other than exposure, but maybe new passports *should* come with a warning that says: When travelling, keep in mind that chances are YOU are the one behaving bizarrely.

Now this is a brilliant idea!

True story;
Eating in a very nice resturaunt in Lusaka, Zambia. A group of American tourists were being loud obnoxious and very insulting to the staff. They were wondering why there wasn't any real food on the menu and shouting at the staff because they thought they couldn't understand english. English is the official language of the country and all of these people spoke it well. These people embarassed me and several other Americans in the resturaunt. I wish I could say that this was an isolated incident, but it is not. This sceen plays out all over the world every day. From reading the posts on this site I know that this is not true of the the BnA community. But the ugly American in real and causes those of us who are true travellers no end of problems.
The only solution is education of the traveller. I could write a book on what I have seen and the stories I have heard.

quote:

Originally posted by nerokerr:


Zambia : "people in Zambia consider it an honor to have guests in their home"

excuse me while i absent myself from my own family's holiday festivities to impose myself, i mean honor my zambian neighbors with my fat ass at their dinner table on christmas.


all the while i will be smiling...genuinely. hell, somebody should steal tat as thier tagline

In my travels although somewhat limited, I have that the people mostly concerned with speaking about and spreading the "Ugly American" stereotype are European. Attacking America seems to be the current fashionable thing to do. When I have been Europe just like other countries I have by and large found very friendly people but I have also found very rude small minded people as well. People like to attack America because we are a big visible target.

No. Simple politeness goes a long way.

Those that don't wish to be polite won't read the book anyways.