Italy

The phrase, “Ugly American”, adapted from a novel written in 1958, became a popular term used to describe the stereotypical outlandish behavior of Americans when abroad. Although this phrase was coined in the 1950’s, the legacy of the loud, ostentatious, American traveler developed long before the book was penned and exhibits little evidence of fading anytime soon. So if you are a student planning to study or travel abroad, what does this have to do with you? Everything!

In fact, as short term study abroad programs have grown increasingly popular, so has a unique brand of Ugly American syndrome. Picture students who journey abroad to see the world and experience new cultures, and end up spending more time focused on the groups they came with, livin’ it up at pubs and bars instead. American students suffer as a result–whether they deprive themselves of rich experience or expose themselves to serious harm, while host communities across the globe take notice of the ethnocentric behavior they see and are unimpressed.

In an article for NPR, Sylvia Poggioli reported the scene American Study Abroad students are creating before the local population of Florence, Italy. In her report, Paggioli discovers from the locals that a segment of American students, 80% of whom are female, tend to frequent pubs every night, as if on perma-spring break, oblivious to the needs and concerns of the local population. The constant noise, trash, and obscene behavior that results has drawn much resentment from locals who are less than amused by raucous American girls in miniskirts vomiting on the sidewalk. Of course, there are some in the community such as pub owners and pub crawl organizers who make the most of the situation, aka, the most money off of the students. After all tourism and the foreign college student can mean big business.

One factor that contributes to the behavior of American college students abroad is the lower drinking age in countries around the world. Younger students see this as an opportunity to try new things and test their limits. Unfortunately, other cultures around the world are left to deal with the consequences that sometimes arise from the experimentation mentality.

The question is: what is the cause of this behavior? And if the “ugly American” concept has been around for at least 50 years, why do so many students continue to traverse the globe sans respect for communities they visit, indifferent to the negative impressions they leave? Many people have studied student responses to study abroad and attempted to answer such questions in varying degrees. James J. Dowd, in his report Consuming Travel: American Students Abroad, surveyed students on their way to study abroad. Ninety percent considered cultural familiarization to be important or very important goals. However, less than 20 percent of those surveyed indicated that making friends in this new culture was a “very important” goal. This response highlights the perception students have that learning about a culture is not necessarily related to engaging its inhabitants.

In 2001, Jeannie Bonner, a study abroad advisor at Virginia Tech, looked at risk taking behavior, both positive and negative, among study abroad students. Bonner’s survey found that students were more likely to increase risky behavior, such as becoming intoxicated, while studying abroad (I know, you’re shocked). The disturbing aspect of this find is that students recognized disapproval from locals, and undeterred, chose to take behavioral cues from peers rather than the host community.

Dowd asserts that some of this ethnocentric behavior can be traced to an ideology of American domination in the world. He writes, “College students today, and other Americans who travel abroad, embark on their trips knowing that the world must accommodate them by speaking their language, catering to their expectations…” It seems students without realizing it, may be going abroad seeking people, places, and things that are familiar, only doing so in a different local.

So let’s review some of the unfortunate finds: study abroad students lost in public intoxication, who aren’t really interested in getting to know new people and take their behavioral cues from one another, rather than the host community. In essence, many American college students display a variety of behaviors that we all say we hate, and yet research tends to show that we are prone to exhibit while traveling abroad. So what are some things we can do to avoid this behavior?

1. Learn the language.
If you will be studying in an area where the language is not English, use this opportunity to engage the culture through language learning. Whenever you have the opportunity to take a language class abroad, even if you don’t plan to take classes when you return, go for it. One explanation for the increased separation of study abroad programs and their host cultures is the absence of language learning. As program length shortens, students spend less focused time on language study. If you are going to be in an English speaking locale, such as the United Kingdom or Australia, find other ways to engage culturally and develop relationships within the community.

2. Make a friend.
Wherever you choose to study, find as many ways as possible to engage the culture and develop relationships within the community. Go to festivals, attend a church service, join a volunteer group, become an English tutor. Use whatever means you can to identify with the inhabitants of the culture you came to study.

3. Take more cues from your host culture.
It can be fun to explore the nightlife of the city you visit. But be sure to do so maintaining awareness of what’s going on outside of your personal bubble of American friends. This will come much easier if you have developed friendships with other non-Americans who can help guide you.

4. Release your consumerist mentality!
One of the most outstanding features of the ugly American perception is consumerism. In some ways, travel also can become a form of consumerism, taking in as much as possible, rather than pausing to enjoy the quiet moments. Be sure to take time to sit back, relax, and observe.

Obviously, many of us will study abroad and have a wonderful experience and leave our hosts with a shining impression of who we are. But it is important to be aware of the pitfalls that ensnare many students and annoy members of the cultures we visit. Whether we’re talking about ethnocentrism or consumerism, these critiques of American travelers are, in essence, a fancy way to describe selfishness. When you make your travel experiences all about you, you lose. Be sure to engage the culture, learn about the people around you, and let go of your self focus once in awhile.