Comment on International travel
blarghly@lemmy.world 6 months agoYeah. Also, like, I’ve never met locals who are like that. I’m American. I travel pretty frequently. It is obvious from my accent, and also from the fact that I tell people I’m American when they ask. I’ve never run into anyone who openly hates Americans visiting their country.
The only time that I experienced genuine dislike for my nationality was when I told a Serbian person at a training that I was giving that I’m American. I think that feelings run deeper when your home has been bombed or invaded or similar by another country.
My father in law has no time for Germans, which I kind of get since he is a Dutch Jew and half of his family was killed during the German occupation of the Netherlands.
It really depends though. If you are an openminded american who respects the locals and doesn’t have any issues talking a stand against the shitty politics and the mess the USA calls an economic situation, then you will likely not have an issue.
If you are an obnoxious asshole who thinks the USA is the greatest place ever and that any other place is beneath you, you might experience some substantial blowback.
Most people are clever enough to differentiate those two groups.
If the US starts a war against the country you travel to that might change though.
That’s kinda my point. People aren’t judging me based on my nationality, because they can just notice that I’m not a dick.
Yes. Being American gives you an unique way to be a dick, but you don’t have to take it.
Same experience here, and when I traveled as an immigrant, everyone was always very cordial and welcoming to me (which is more than I can say for the immigrant experience in America). I was in Brazil during Bolsonaro and found many lefties who appreciated the acknowledgement that they were still there working hard despite their country’s leadership (one of them got murdered by his father over politics). I was in Chile during the student riots under Pinera too and was welcomed by the leftists in the street throwing bottle bombs and the cops in riot gear with water cannons. The average person everywhere is involved in a continuous global struggle for human rights, education, economic equity, etc, and they recognize your empathy no matter what flavor of billionaire is currently running the country.
EvenOdds@lemmy.zip 6 months ago
Do you tell people your from America, or from a random state or town and not even mention the country. I’ve had never, ever had someone from America tell me they’re from America or USA when I’ve asked where they are from. And I’ve never, ever had anyone from any other country do the same. Which subconsciously reinforces biases, as much as I hate to admit it.