American tourists should learn foriegn social customs

Summer is here and many of us may be traveling to different countries.

More often than not, you will find that people in many foreign countries love Americans and are very friendly toward military families. Other times, of course, locals may be more reluctant to open up to tourists, and American’s in particular.

 But whether fitting in and making friends is easy or a struggle, you are always smart to avoid offending your hosts. There is nothing worse than being the ugly American overseas.

To be fair, there are many more good American tourists than “ugly” ones, but it’s the bad apples that leave the strongest impression.  And with only a little work, you can ensure any impression you leave speaks well for you and your country. 

First and more important, find out the basics about the country you’re going to. A simple Internet search can give you a great start, from formal websites (the CIA’s public country database is a great source) to casual advice of fellow travelers.

 Base libraries, or any public library, and of course bookstores, are easy sources for books and guides about different countries and cultures. 
Of course, if you can find someone who knows the country well, that’s often the best source.

It’s surprisingly easy to get down the basic notions about being polite and about the usual good manners – how to say please and thank you, or whether a “thumbs up” means “up yours,” and so on.

Sometimes, though it’s not the specifics that get you into trouble, but the basics that would apply anywhere.  I can tell you from personal experience that whenever I go home to Rome, Italy, to visit my parents and we go near Trevi fountain, I inevitably find several groups of American tourists yelling on top of their lungs about trying to take pictures or commenting how short Italians look.

They don’t mean badly, but they’ve forgotten to take basics of politeness (don’t be too noisy, don’t comment about others, etc.) on vacation with them.

Which brings me to another bad habit — many, many people around the world speak English today — don’t assume the “locals” won’t understand you! Sarah Cooper, a military spouse who was stationed with her husband in England, recalls that when she visited Italy her English-speaking taxi driver didn’t take too well to her comments that all the cars were very small, like toys. 

So always err on the side of caution; if you are not sure something will offend, don’t say it. That’s good advice anywhere.

You don’t have to pretend you know everything. It’s perfectly okay to profess your ignorance or confusion, especially if you are generous with a smile.  Most people you’ll meet won’t expect you to be instant experts in their language and culture, they just want to see respect.
Military families have the chance to represent the best that American families can be.

With a bit of patience, adaptability and a good attitude, you can leave behind the impression of what Americans really are — kind, respectful and interested in the world around them.

Anita Doberman is a freelance writer, mother of five and wife of an Air Force pilot stationed at Hurlburt AFB in Florida.