The World's View on Americans

Mikaela's Minute:

Beating Stereotypes

 

We have all heard it before, to most of the world Americans are "stupid", "ignorant", and "loud". We are extremely ethnocentric - meaning that we think that our culture and language is the best and only way to survive - and we refuse to take anyone else's position. Americans have been stereotyped and, as a student planning to travel abroad, these stereotypes will affect you when you travel to your host country. Stereotypes are mental shortcuts that people create to categorize groups of people easily within their minds. For example, if a European meets an American for the first time and finds them to be rude they will assume that all other Americans they meet will be rude. The problem with stereotypes is that 9 times out of 10 they are not true at all, but people think that they are. Americans have been stigmatized by the rest of the world because a few of us decided to be loud, rude, and ignorant. So, what can we do as students looking to go abroad? How do we beat these stereotypes?

 

Well, we have our work cut out for us. According to the study "What Does the World Think of Us?" conducted by PBS (public broadcasting services) in 2006 we are beginning to loose favor with the rest of the world. In most western countries we had fairly positive favor in the year 2000, around 80% in most countries, but by the year 2006 we lost favor, dropping into the 50% range. In the Middle East our numbers were initially low in 2000, around 50%, and dropped even lower, around 5-15% and sometimes less, by 2006. Why did this happen? Because most of the world feels that we are overly patriotic and ethnocentric. Americans also tend to be ignorant about world issues as well as their own domestic issues.

 

So what can we do in order to put our best foot forward in our host countries to show that we are not "Ugly Americans"? Here are my thoughts:

1. Educate yourself: learn about not only the history of the country that you will be living in, but also the current issues that the nation is facing. There is nothing worse than not being able to carry out small talk with your peers. Don't try and cram every fact that you think you should know about the country, instead learn about the things that are common knowledge. You will learn the little things through conversation and experience.
2. Be respectful: Yes, sometimes we Americans can be loud and that's ok. But there is a time and a place to be loud and social. To the people of your host country you may actually be being very rude or disrespectful. My tip is to learn from your environment; emulate what the native people do. If it's culturally appropriate to be loud then by all means be loud, but if not be respectful; you are a guest after all. 
3. Openness: Be open to having conversations with the people of your host country about what it means to be American. Try and dispel some of the negative stereotypes that they may think are true. We know that not all of us are loud, rude, or stupid so it is our job to spread the word. You can take pride in yourself and your culture, but be mindful not to let it go to your head when you are interacting with new people in new places.    

If you would like to see the full study conducted by PBS then check out www.pbs.org/now/shows/314/opinions-of-us.html . Also, if you would like some actual examples of American stereotypes, how we got them, and some more advice on what to do search for the following videos on YouTube (some of them are very entertaining):

 

1. "Dylan Moran on Americans"
2. "Why People Think Americas are Stupid"
3. "Bill Maher- America IS a Stupid Country and Now There's Proof"
4. "Is America This Stupid?"
5. "Stereotypes of Americans on Study Abroad"



 



Don't Get SHOCKED!

Mikaela's Minute:

Getting Past Your Culture Shock

 



If your reading our Blog chances are your looking to study abroad some place interesting and fun. Maybe your going some where exotic, like The Gambia, or some where a little more like home, like England or Australia. Regardless of where you are going for your next (or first ever) adventure abroad your are going to have a lot of fun, but your also going to hit a solid, but permeable, wall known as culture shock.

 

 If you are scratching your head and have to as the question, "what is culture shock?" that's alright. Many travelers fail to learn about culture shock and it ends up hitting them like a ton of bricks. Don't worry, this won't happen to you (well I mean it will, but you'll bounce back quicker than most) because I am going to tell you all about it.

 

Culture shock is a reaction to entering a new culture which is slightly or significantly different from your own. As you venture into the culture of the country of your choice you will begin to notice things really are different from what you are used to. This causes your mind to react - usually in a negative manner - to your new surroundings. Now, don't get me wrong, you will experience emotion, but it will come in phases.

PHASE 1: Exhilaration Stage  

The Exhilaration Phase generally occurs right before you leave to go to your destination and continues a few days/weeks into your arrival. You just feel so excited about ACTUALLY being where you've wanted to go and you are open to the new culture. You'll feel like a kid in a candy shop; you want to do everything and see everything that's out there.

 

PHASE 2: Disenchantment Stage

The Disenchantment Phase is what you are going to have to push through. This is, essentially, when reality sets in. You begin to realize how much you don't understand the language or cultural innuendo and you get a little depressed. You might feel like you just want to go home and you close yourself off from the culture. Don't leave though, it gets better!

 

PHASE 3: Adjustment Stage

The Adjustment Phase is when you gradually begin to understand the culture and the language of your host country. You now know how to make changes to your situation that will help you to have a better experience. You will begin to de-stress and life becomes more and more predictable.

 

PHASE 4: Effective Functioning Stage 

When you reach the final stage of culture shock, called the Effective Functioning Phase, you are essentially one with the culture of your host country. You can speak the language, understand the nuances of the culture, and function in a manner like you would in your home environment.   

 

Culture shock really isn't that bad if you know that it is coming. Just knowing about it in general helps you to overcome it. I do have a couple tips for beating culture shock that should help you.

1. Learn the language, or at least a few key phrases, of the country you are going to. Language will help you get around, socialize, and take care of your needs.
2. Be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. I can almost guarantee that no culture will be exactly like your own and if you think that only your way of life is the best, you will run into problems. Practice being objective (look at the opposing point of view in a logical manner, don't discount it, and leave your own personal opinions aside).    
3. Learn about the country that you are going to. Knowing a little bit of history, how to be culturally sensitive, and not talking about taboos will get you a long way.
4. Keep in mind that you have your own culture, language, and way of thought. Going to a new country doesn't mean that you have to give these things up to survive.

Thanks for reading. If you would like to learn more about culture shock and techniques for adjustment check out the 8th Edition of Communication between cultures by Larry A. Samovar and constituents or visit www.worldwide.edu/travel_planner/culture_shock.html .

Thinking about going to The Gambia?!

Situated on the Atlantic coast in westernmost Africa and surrounded on three sides by Senegal, Gambia is twice the size of Delaware. The Gambia River flows for 200 miles through Gambia on its way to the Atlantic. The country, the smallest on the continent, averages only 20 miles in width. Despite its small size, The Gambia is a  diverse multi-cultural society with many ethnic groups. These races/ ethnicities  make up these percentages; African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%. Indeed it is not uncommon to find people being able to speak 3 to 4 local languages. But their languages, in The Gambia are , English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous languages. It is perfect for studying abroad because their language is mostly English, so it would be easy to communicate! You are probably thinking now what to wear when you get there. The dress code for Gambia is very important so you should at least take some tips below regarding acceptable types of clothing particularly when out in public. Take along lightweight woolen jumpers or a jacket for the cool evenings during the months of November to March. Although dress in the beach hotels is very informal, ladies should avoid wearing bikinis or going out topless outside the grounds of the hotels or beaches. A modest dress code is advised in all public places and you should preferably at least wear a sarong or other wrap that comes down to your knees and cover your top half at least up to the elbows though there is no need to cover you head. In the hotels' resorts and beaches you can wear a bikini as this is acceptable but not out and about in public. Gambia is predominantly a Muslim country. In this country you will be enjoying some delicious foods. Food is a very important part of their culture just like ours. Traditional Gambian dishes Joll of Rice, Benachin cooked in homes are mostly rice, the staple food, with a covering of various spicy sauces as on the right. However, steamed millet, couscous, cassava is also eaten.

The defining ingredients for these various dishes are either peanut butter paste (Domoda), ladies fingers (Okra), palm oil (chew deu terr) or edible leaves such as spinach or cassava leaves. Very popular among poor families is Mbahal which is rice mixed with grated peanuts, dried fish such as bonga. Many of these dishes are also common to Senegalese cooking as both countries have common cultural ties. Many cultures have differences, but in every culture communication is the same. Communications include; Telephones - main lines in use: 48,800; mobile cellular: 1.478 million (2010). Even with technology always expanding, and evolving, there are still cultures striving to integrate it in to society.  Lastly, every culture struggles with social issues because they can consume a society into a hidden world of violence and corruption. The major social problems are poverty, disease, and lack of economic development. The Gambia is one of the world's poorest nations and relies heavily on foreign aid. Even though Gambia is a third world country, it doesn’t mean the whole country is poor; there are some parts that are higher class.