I hate Americans

….is not what we want others overseas to think as soon as we leave their presence, is it? (rhetorical) So, I’m going to tell you how to avoid that, well actually, Erin Richards from BudgetTravelOnline is. Frommers’ Budgettravelonline.com has a great piece on Americans and their tendencies in cultural ettiquete. The article is titled Are you an Ugly American?

It’s a great read that ties in well with my previous post on How to Travel. Now, I’m going to give you my commentary on a few of my favorite parts.

Don’t overtip

Monica Francois Marcel… says nobody tips as much as Americans (and that isn’t always commendable)… “A taxi driver could easily interpret your tip as flaunting your wealth.” Marcel recommends asking a concierge to explain local expectations…

This tip really kind of caught me off guard. I always assumed that foreigners would be expecting a larger tip because of the inconvenience Americans may have cause (like making them speak English, or being impolite accidentl) But without doubt, it’s still better to overtip than undertip.

Speak the language
You don’t have to be fluent, or even close; you just have to make an effort.

Pretty obvious. One of the few times I’ll agree with the “Effort is all that counts” cliche.

Find the local rhythm

Americans have a hard time adjusting to a pace of life that isn’t as fast as their own…they’re sometimes labeled as rude and pushy. “In Germany, dinner can take three hours or more,”…

Great tip. This really deals with having an open mind, and being flexible while traveling. One of the main points of travelling should be to experience another’s culture, and finding this “ryhytm” that is mentioned will make the trip more enjoyable.

So that’s my commentary on my favorite three tips mentioned. It’s a good idea to check out the rest if you’re an American traveling abroad. (Or British for that matter, I hear they have a bad reputation in Europe also ;))