I found that many people in New Zealand viewed Americans, and particularly Floridians, through a stereotypical lens. Several times, when asked where I was from, people would respond by talking about ‘Florida man’, beaches, and uneducated people. Someone also called me ‘swamptrash’ because I was from Florida. I was also asked by a few people if it was true that Americans didn’t know where New Zealand was because it isn’t on our maps. These experiences made me feel very frustrated and sad because it felt like I was being subjected to all of the negative stereotypes. In many instances I didn’t know how to respond, so I just generally agreed. I understand where they are coming from because the news about the United States and Florida that reaches them is probably the most outrageous and embarrassing, which doesn’t reflect well on our country. In addition, being a very liberal place overall, I imagine that they view the US as somewhat uneducated and backwards compared to them. While I didn’t enjoy being stereotyped as a dumb American, I think it was useful to understand how Americans are perceived abroad, so that next time I am traveling I am aware of it and can better prepare how to respond.
