One major aspect of U.S. culture is the notion that everyone should accommodate to our specific needs. In most countries it is common to learn English beginning at a very young age, so most people can speak at least two languages. In the United States most children learn Spanish from a young age, but the teaching is not as rigorous, or communication based compared to how children in other countries learn English. This translates poorly when Americans travel outside of the U.S. and cannot even have a basic conversation in another language and expect others to speak English or understand them. Also, knowing that almost everyone around the world can speak some English leads to Americans not even trying to fit in to other cultures.
This part of American culture can also translate to the expectation that other places around the world will have the exact same things that we have in the U.S. such as the same customs, attitudes, and even foods. In the U.S. people freely express themselves however they want, and the rest of society is meant to accept them no matter what. That is not the case in many other countries, and people may not be very kind about some forms of expression, but Americans will get offended because it is normal back home.
I think that this way of thinking is very ignorant and closed-minded and is a major reason as to why foreigners do not like American tourists. When we travel to other countries, we should try our best to assimilate to new cultural norms and accept a different culture as it is without expecting them to change for us. It is uncomfortable at times to be in a new place with different customs, but it is wrong to assume that people will change their ways to accommodate your needs. When we travel outside of the United States, we should be excited to immerse ourselves in a new culture and embrace all the cultural differences we face along our travels.
Someone outside the U.S. would probably find this mindset very rude and might take offense by this aspect of American culture. When people travel to the U.S., they make an honest effort to speak the language and appreciate the differences that come with travelling to new places. It is sort of like going to someone’s house for dinner and not eating what they prepared for you or making rude comments about the way that family lives. When you travel to a new place you are a guest in that country, and you should be polite and try new things even if it is not something you would normally enjoy.
Writing this blog post has made me think more about how I should react to different things I come across during my semester abroad. Even though I do not speak French I am going to try and use the phrases I do know to communicate with locals. I also am going to make a conscious effort to assimilate to the lifestyle in the South of France which is much more relaxed than what I am used to. Overall, this writing exercise has helped me prepare myself to adjust my lifestyle to better fit in to a new culture.