I've traveled and lived abroad quite a bit, and whenever meeting people of course one of the first things they ask is where you're from. Which is fine, I'd do the same in the States if I ever ran into anybody from somewhere else- which I don't. But I have stereotypes of what peoples stereotypes are about where I'm from, and there's some pretty strong stereotyes about where I'm from in particular. And there's this very subtle nagging impetus that I'm supposed to somehow behave "American" in some way, in how I act and talk, when abroad. I feel like I'm expected to "project my nationality" or something. It's almost like it's strange I dont in the situation. But I would have no idea on how to go about doing that even if I wanted to. I'm particularly out of luck because I'm for the most part unforgivingly polite and tend to be very mellow and aloof at first. So I don't exactly give out a strong 'personality', which makes making any impression difficult at times. Like if I'm being conscious of it, in situations when people will say something I'm supposed to respond to, particularly controversial subjects, like there's set parameters to the response I'm supposed to give. Or rather, what they expect me to give- in order to fulfill their preconception of me, and if I shouln't, there will be some degree of disappointment, even if only subconscious and overwhelmingly outweighed by relief. Like I'm 'representing' the stereotype they hold in their mind, representing my country even maybe, which is silly. And every time I stray from that stereotype, or dont fulfill it, it seems there's some type of "mental strain or friction" from their facial reactions, like they doubt that Im not like they suspect. For instance, one time I was in Canada discussing the differences between America and Canada at a greyhound bus station with this Canadian girl, and all these people overheard our discussion and started listening in on me knowing I was American, and I could feel static tension in the air from the overhead stereotypes of the conversational circumstance that should have been dictating me to say other things than I was saying. It was like they were hearing what they didn't want to hear and they were resisting it. Lol sorry, just a rambling. Anybody know what Im talking about? Or have shared similar experiences.
Thanks
Post edited at 11:14 pm on Aug. 25, 2008 by Anonymous
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