The Ugly Ameicans

I'm tired of feling emarrassed about being American. If a situation feels awkward when someone asks where I'm from, I'll usually say "Canada, eh." The other day someone called me on it and said "Oh yeah? Whats the capitol there?" Brain freeze-up and panic! OK, I've travelled a lot and am not a geographical moron but the question was so out of the blue, especially since I just threw out that remark to get the guy off my back, that I couldn't, for anything, remember Toronto. It wasn't coming and I had to act quickly or look like a liar or something. "Quebec", and I managed to say it without the inflection rising at the end of the word. Fortunately he only asked because he had a scam going and didn't listen or also didn't know that Quebec is not the capitol of Canada. But the story illustrates a frustration I'm having over being an American travelling in Malaysia...especially since it's an Islamic country. It's not only that George Bush is so universally disliked and disrespected by everyone I've come across (and I'm not exagerating here) . No, that's a given and a common ground that I can actually bond with everyone I meet. Mr. Bush has actually helped ease my getting to know people of other cultures. He has greased the wheels and lubricated the awkward silence after you actually decide to be honest and tell someone that you are an American. Bush is the best ice-breaker going! He is something we can all agree on. Just so you know, there's a general concensus, across cultural boundaries, that the leader of the most powerful nation has the intelligence of a monkey.
But there is another stereotype that I'm fighting that is even more insidious. The Ugly American. I'll give you some examples of the ones I've seen on this trip. Just today on a crowded ferry I met a couple, Paul and Kelly, from New Mexico who now live in Chiang Mai and are building a tour business for Americans to go to India. (Check out their website www.northstarjourneys.com) There were no seats on the crowded boat and an Islamic couple was leaning uncomfortably against the luggage area. The woman in full black chador with slits for the eyes was standing next to a group of young Europeans all in T-shirts and shorts (my dress code as well). As I was talking to Kelly about their business, and yoga, and travel in general, Paul (her husband) got up and tapped the husband of the chador-wearer on the shoulder. I watched as the man developed a warm smile and Paul pointed to his open seat. They gratefully sat down and we all squeezed together. Paul and the man then struck up a conversation and I was impressed by the warmth of that gesture. Another example of the ugly American abroad comes from my first few days in Singapore. A couple whom I had never met, Sharon and Steve Morris, (of the San Juan Island Morrises I'll have you know) are aquaintances of my sister Samantha. They offered to let me sleep at their place in Singapore when they heard I was coming. Not only did they let me stay for two nights in their beautiful home but they took me to dinner both nights and I practically had to extricate myself from their house as they were so gracious...giving me tips on where to stay, what to avoid, and how to behave properly in Malaysia. They even gave me their cell phone number and told me to call them if I had any problems as they were the closest people I had in the area (the area being Asia).
Every other American I've met on this trip has been stellar (OK, one scuba diving couple in Tioman Island was horrid, but hey they were from L.A. so...). There HAS been a lot of negative whining about Cambodians being aggressive or about the Thai being horrible or about being ripped off here and scammed there. But not from the American travellers. The Brits and the Aussies and I hate to say it but the Canadians were the ones doing the complaining. And loudly so that everyone around could hear (like maybe the Thai's). As the stories grew worse and the scams more obnoxious, people were talking over one another trying to outdo each with how bad this city or that temple was. It was sad that they were so into sharing the horrors of other cultures (while travelling in them) with so much glee. It was after that, and then again today on the ferry, that I began to think that the stereotype of the Ugly American Traveller needs to go away. As much as everyone likes to hate us, Americans are some of the nicest, most caring and most culturally sensitive travellers I've seen. And believe me...I can't believe I'm writing this! I've always thought it so chic to be the American that thinks Americans are pigs. Another realization of the truth that stereotypes are rediculous and for the lazy. Don't worry though, I still think Bush is an idiot, and I feel kind of chic saying it too!