why do Americans who travel,not like people to know they are from the states?

Answer 1

It's all to do with Geography. When they are in the States, they don't know where any other part of the world is. When they are somewhere else, they don't know where they are and are afraid to ask anyone how to get back. So, they just keep quiet and pretend that they know where they are. Eventually someone will say to them "Why don't you just F**K off back to the States. only then do they realise where they come from!

Answer 2

As you can tell from many of the answers here, Americans have the "ugly American" stigma working against us. When I was studying with a small group of students in Belgium and the Netherlands three years ago, our (American) teacher told us to tell people we were from Canada when anyone asked. American culture has fewer steadfast rules about public behavior than other countries in many cases, and we almost always tried be informed about the little differences in manners from place to place (things like making the occasional necessary hand gesture with the back of our hand facing out rather than our palm). Most people understand that a particular American citizen isn't the embodied representative of what's wrong with the U.S government's policies at any particular moment in time, but for some who don't, Americans can be an attractive target for anger or even abuse. No traveller wants that. Once on a train outside of Amsterdam when a group of teenage girls asked us where we were from and we said Canada, they exclaimed "oh, America!" It was pretty funny.

Answer 3

I think the only country I've been warned about regarding this is France. We here in the States aren't educated as well in other languages as other countries' people are and, unfortuantely, we expect everyone else to know English and understand us, when we should be more concerned about learning at least a bit of the language of the country we are visiting. I gather, from friends who have hit some of the larger cities in France, that we are seen as very backwards because of the language problem. I am told in the smaller villages (as long as one doesn't act like a snob!) you can enjoy the people (and learn some conversational French, too), learn the various types of foods/wines, etc., and have an educational and enjoyable visit.

Personally, I don't even think of not letting anyone know I from the States. Hadn't crossed my mind.

Answer 4

Because many Americans are loud, opinionated and rude. It is not their fault, they believe they are the saviours of the World. I am Australian born in England and when I travel I have a BIG Kangaroo badge so people know I am an Aussie. Trouble is now our Prime minister is so far up Bush's ***. People are beginning to hate Aussies too. By the way I am not racist there are good and bad in every nation just hate the way some people behave.

Answer 5

In a world that dislikes US political & military policy (on the whole), the savvy traveller may still be loud, obnoxious & rude.....why set yourself up for a hard time.....they ain't THAT dumb...

...and the ones that are seriously stoooopid stay at home in the 'fatherland' spouting supremist rhetoric that nobody else on the planet believes.

Answer 6

Because people don't like Americans. If you claim to be an American you might be setting yourself up for hostility from the locals, depending on where you go. Whereas if you claim to be Canadian...who cares? Nobody really has strong feelings for Canadians. (Except Canadians, I suppose.)

Answer 7

All the Americans I have met in London have been perfectly happy to let people know where they come from. They are very proud of their country.

Answer 8

Probably because they are ashamed of what their President is inflicting to the Middle East .

Answer 9

because there are a lot of people who hate americans.

Answer 10

That would be like going to texas and waving a Gay Pride flag around.