Some students seem to forget they are guests in a foreign country - supposedly there to immerse themselves in a different culture they paid good money to explore. By clinging exclusively to their own traditions and cultural assumptions, these students are not only leaving a damaging impression, but also shortchanging their own experience.
Broad Abroad: Maintaining Pride Amidst some "Ugly Americans"
The Brown and White Student Newspaper since 1894 Lehigh University By Gwen Purdom April 1, 2008
In terms of favorite holidays, the Fourth of July has always scored top marks with me. Somewhere between my eighth slice of watermelon and the junior-high marching band's triumphant rendition of "You're a Grand Old Flag," I'm flooded by a warm, gooey sensation of national pride.
"Living in Europe will take a lot of adjusting," everyone warned. "You may set up your lawn chair for the Fourth of July parade three days in advance," they said, "but over there Americans are not very popular."
After bracing myself to be pelted with Italian meatballs, however, such pessimistic warnings seemed entirely unfounded. The old woman running the sandwich shop waited patiently as I stumbled over the Italian word for artichoke. The delivery men cheerfully realigned my bicycle chain after watching me struggle to do it myself. My eight-year-old host sister illustrated Italian vocabulary words on napkins at the dinner table.
Almost every Italian I meet is approachable, friendly and helpful, despite my blonde hair, pathetic attempts at Italian and Vera Bradley wristlet. If Italians dislike Americans, they certainly aren't showing it.
Unfortunately, the elusive concept of "ugly Americans" became mortifyingly clear in the course of a single evening and I needed no Italian perspectives to see why. I[I heard ]
"I can't believe they don't have the menu written in English."
"I hate how they never bring you butter here, I have to ask for it at every restaurant I go to."
After waiting weeks to experience the ristorante many called Florence's finest, the complaints that floated toward us from the adjacent table of fellow American college students induced a cringe with every word.
"Excuse me, last time I was here we sat at that table, could we move?"
"I've been here for like two months but my Italian class is a joke, my teacher only speaks in Italian so I never pay attention ? pomodoro is like cheese, right?"
"Scoo-zee, I asked for my steak medium-rare and this looks medium, can you have them re-do it?"
The server was polite and helpful, with a nearly genuine smile, using the little English she knew, while my cheeks seared red in shame at the thought of being associated with these students.
Those 20 minutes of obnoxious dinner conversation embodied the kind of demanding, superior attitude and ignorance of other cultures that fuels negative stereotypes of American travelers, student or otherwise, and I had the unique experience of witnessing it from a semi-foreigner's perspective. And let's just say they were lucky I didn't have access to my own Italian meatballs to chuck.
Some students seem to forget they are guests in a foreign country - supposedly here to immerse themselves in a different culture they paid good money to explore. By clinging exclusively to their own traditions and cultural assumptions, these students are not only leaving a damaging impression, but also shortchanging their own experience.
It's the differences we're here for - if you're looking for English menus and table butter, they are readily available back home.
This overheard interlude reminded me that words and actions, in some small way, reflect on all of us, even if you really would prefer butter to olive oil.
But as I promise to look at that evening's embarrassment as a lesson in foreign relations, I will also hold another Florence evening as a lesson in American pride.
When a Super Bowl party began (game time: 12:30 a.m.) the national anthem cut through the din of the bar like a blazing Fourth of July fireworks display. The room was crowded with American study abroad students eager to get a taste of something familiar after spending weeks in an unfamiliar world.
And as we followed Jordin Sparks' lead on the big screen, belting out those ingrained words until the room reverberated with "The Star-Spangled Banner," I realized that even while discovering and embracing the traditions of a foreign culture, it is always important to honor your own traditions as well.
And you can't get much warmer and gooier than that.
"Living in Europe will take a lot of adjusting," everyone warned. "You may set up your lawn chair for the Fourth of July parade three days in advance," they said, "but over there Americans are not very popular."
After bracing myself to be pelted with Italian meatballs, however, such pessimistic warnings seemed entirely unfounded. The old woman running the sandwich shop waited patiently as I stumbled over the Italian word for artichoke. The delivery men cheerfully realigned my bicycle chain after watching me struggle to do it myself. My eight-year-old host sister illustrated Italian vocabulary words on napkins at the dinner table.
Almost every Italian I meet is approachable, friendly and helpful, despite my blonde hair, pathetic attempts at Italian and Vera Bradley wristlet. If Italians dislike Americans, they certainly aren't showing it.
Unfortunately, the elusive concept of "ugly Americans" became mortifyingly clear in the course of a single evening and I needed no Italian perspectives to see why. I[I heard ]
"I can't believe they don't have the menu written in English."
"I hate how they never bring you butter here, I have to ask for it at every restaurant I go to."
After waiting weeks to experience the ristorante many called Florence's finest, the complaints that floated toward us from the adjacent table of fellow American college students induced a cringe with every word.
"Excuse me, last time I was here we sat at that table, could we move?"
"I've been here for like two months but my Italian class is a joke, my teacher only speaks in Italian so I never pay attention ? pomodoro is like cheese, right?"
"Scoo-zee, I asked for my steak medium-rare and this looks medium, can you have them re-do it?"
The server was polite and helpful, with a nearly genuine smile, using the little English she knew, while my cheeks seared red in shame at the thought of being associated with these students.
Those 20 minutes of obnoxious dinner conversation embodied the kind of demanding, superior attitude and ignorance of other cultures that fuels negative stereotypes of American travelers, student or otherwise, and I had the unique experience of witnessing it from a semi-foreigner's perspective. And let's just say they were lucky I didn't have access to my own Italian meatballs to chuck.
Some students seem to forget they are guests in a foreign country - supposedly here to immerse themselves in a different culture they paid good money to explore. By clinging exclusively to their own traditions and cultural assumptions, these students are not only leaving a damaging impression, but also shortchanging their own experience.
It's the differences we're here for - if you're looking for English menus and table butter, they are readily available back home.
This overheard interlude reminded me that words and actions, in some small way, reflect on all of us, even if you really would prefer butter to olive oil.
But as I promise to look at that evening's embarrassment as a lesson in foreign relations, I will also hold another Florence evening as a lesson in American pride.
When a Super Bowl party began (game time: 12:30 a.m.) the national anthem cut through the din of the bar like a blazing Fourth of July fireworks display. The room was crowded with American study abroad students eager to get a taste of something familiar after spending weeks in an unfamiliar world.
And as we followed Jordin Sparks' lead on the big screen, belting out those ingrained words until the room reverberated with "The Star-Spangled Banner," I realized that even while discovering and embracing the traditions of a foreign culture, it is always important to honor your own traditions as well.
And you can't get much warmer and gooier than that.
2 comments:
I couldn't agree with this article more. I think that it is a disgrace that American college students would travel to Italy and treat the landscapes as though it were their backyard - but let's not forgot, we are talking about college students here.
I myself am Japanese American and have been surprised at how positively the Japanese have been perceived here, as respectful, polite, courteous, striving their best to adapt as much as possible to the local culture. Though I can say with equal weight that their lack of self-expression within this foreign country (as I am myself in Reggio di Calabria right now) helps perpetuates the seemingly solid exterior that the Japanese are selfless, lacking in affect, and unconditionally polite. In short, I agree with the article that a careful balance between awareness and self-expression is essential.
Both of these articles romanticize Italy. I have taught for three years in Milan and have been surprised by the lack of interest in English and modernization in general in this premier city, the general anger and selfishness of the population, as well as the arrogance. There are some wonderful exceptions and true examples of Italians who love others and life too. Americans romanticize Italy terribly, but modern Italy has many flaws and is certainly not first world. It is nice at times to delight in its slower pace, but when you need something done well, right and immediately...forget it. Think about more serious moments when this is true, such as when you need a hospital, taxi, etc. Italy is still very quaint and backwards in many ways.
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