yankee holiday?

Question

does the average american when on vacation any where in the world find when he or she is asked the question, are you american ? hesitate, in responding ? dont get me wrong out there folks, i am not knocking the old USA, meeting some AMERICANS socially, but having quite a few CANADIAN friends i tend to ask the question.... to what nationality am i speaking to.? i find the AMERICANS very reluctant to state within a second that THEY are AMERICAN... WHY? if it was an irishman , they wouldnt have to ask the question... no matter what IRELAND was accused of right or wrong, she would still be his country , his people, and his nation.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, there is a stereotype of "The Ugly American" in a lot of overseas countries, and when people realize you are American, you often have to answer for every American who has ever done something stupid around the person who is asking. For instance, when I was on the ferry from Wales to Ireland, there was a Texan in the room with me who insisted on explaining about how "those castles are big but we have a lot of big houses in Texas!" Other people on the ferry looked at ME knowing I was an American to ask why HE was being so rude. I never even met the guy.

I have a friend who is Canadian, and when she moved to England and was asked her nationality, she'd say Canadian. And people would respond "oh good, we thought you were American." When you come across attitudes like that, it's understandable that an American might hesitate to answer.

Finally, believe it or not, there are documents from the State Department that encourage Americans to try to blend in as much as possible when in other countries, and to avoid wearing slogan t-shirts, caps, etc. that might easily identify them as Americans. They don't tell you to deny that you are an American, but if you look at the state department web site, it is kind of alarmist in a "better safe than sorry" kind of way. This IS because not all countries are very happy with the US and Americans are not safe everywhere they go.

Answer 2

USAdian is too awkward?!?

True, Canada is also located on the North American continent. And, there are dozens of countries located on the Central American and South American continents. People from all these countries are technically American. (Interesting that you only mention Canadians.)

But, the truth is that the term American is only used for USA citizens and the term America has been the nickname of the USA for hundreds of years. I go back to my earlier snide, yet probably correct, comment that USAdian is too awkward.

Answer 3

They forget that Canadians sound the same. When I travel, people assume that I'm American when they hear me speak, never once haveing been asked if I'm American or Canadian. And also, not knocking on Americans my self, many are very ethnocentric and arrogant about where they are from.

Answer 4

F--cking Bush, he has me claiming I'm Canadian whenever I go anywhere. People will and do judge you (understandable given what a clusterf--k Bush has created all over the globe in the last 6 years) and it is really kind of difficult to explain to Europeans that you are part of the 49% of the country that recognizes what a dangerous idiot he is. I want a T-shirt that says I'm a Yank BUT- I never voted for Bush and I'm against the War in Iraq.

Re a non-political answer: the ugly American thing, it is kind of true but in my experience Germans are actually bigger pigs on vacation abroad than us Yanks

Answer 5

Two reasons - the United States is a big place and an ethnocentric one at that. We just don't think about being "foreign".

2nd reason - The United States is a much hated country in many parts of the world. There have been plenty of times when our citizens have been killed simply because they are US citizens. Wouldn't that make you pause?

Answer 6

What difference does it make what nationality the person is with whom you are speaking? Would you say somethng differently to an American versus a Canadian? If so, what are you lying about? All the Americans I know would pipe right up and say so. Are you in an underground setting or something?

Answer 7

Definetly the ugly American stereotype. Too many spring breakers and animals who get out of our country and make fools of themselves abroad, which makes the rest of us look bad and hesistant to be classified in any way with them!

Answer 8

I can't imagine not standing up immediately for my country. I am most proud to be an American.

Answer 9

Unfortunately, due to stereotypical media representations, political posturing, and "ugly Americans" who travel, it looks bad for the rest of us.