The American Tourist in Europe: Still the "Ugly American"?

By Angie Picardo

The ‘ugly American’ stereotype is something that every American is aware of when they travel overseas. Given this self-awareness, is it still true that we are seen that way by the international community? There is some good news for American travelers; we may not be the worst tourists out there. Actually other nations might even see us more favorably than we see ourselves. According to a recent Living Social, poll the harshest critics of American tourists were actually other Americans. I was personally very aware of the ugly American stereotype when I travelled abroad for the first time, and in my conversations with Europeans I found to my surprise that most people were very curious to learn more about me. I have to admit that I was a little surprised by how interested Europeans were in getting to know a little bit more about Americans.

I went to Berlin to study abroad, and I was not interested in spending time with my American classmates. Not that I thought they were ‘ugly Americans’ who would embarrass me, but because I wanted to meet Germans. Nothing scares off Germans like a large group of Americans! So, when I went out it was with a small group. Upon hearing us speak English many people were intrigued. Germans would want to talk to us to practice their English. I never received any open hostility. I found the Germans very driven by the desire to understand one another’s culture. I travelled to a few other countries while I was in Europe and I had really great experiences getting to know new and interesting people. Not one person treated me differently because I was an American, nor did they ever give me the impression that I was being judged as rude or inconsiderate. I got an opportunity to meet people from all over the world and I hope that by meeting me I left a good impression on them as to how Americans are.

There is no definitive way to gauge who the most obnoxious tourists are. The Chinese seem to be at the top of some of these lists, yet others will claim that the English are the most annoying. So it seems that the answer to who the worst tourists are is very subjective. Upon discussing the ugly American stereotype with some people, it turned out that many Europeans weren’t even aware of it.

So, are Americans still thought of as brash and arrogant? Not really. If you go around in your “USA #1” t-shirt you will probably invite some criticism. But if you are just another tourist you’ll probably blend in with the crowd.

During my travels, I encountered far more people who wanted to engage in a cultural discussion. The ‘ugly American’ stereotype is, in the end, a stereotype which is perpetuated by us rather than other nations. Are there obnoxious Americans? Sure, but there are jerks everywhere. My advice to Americans traveling to Europe or anywhere is to listen to others, be aware of the customs, and just be considerate. In the end, it boils down to whether or not you’re a good person who takes the time to consider that not everyone has the same worldview as you. In opening your mind and engaging others in discussion, you’ll learn a lot about other cultures, and you’ll probably change a few minds while you’re at it. leave comment here

Angie Picardo is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance and travel site dedicated to helping people master the art of money management, from planning a budget for your next vacation abroad to developing a good investment strategy.