#1
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#3
This was disappointing.
Stereotypes—whether negative or positive—can do a lot of damage. “When you characterize a whole group of people based on certain perceived traits, you aren’t acknowledging the diversity of individuals, and these types of judgments can be harmful,” BetterHelp explains.
Obviously, the gossip you hear and the media portrayals you see are very different from what’s actually true. Stereotypes are superficial and false. Real life is far more complex and nuanced. Every culture and country on Earth is stereotyped by others, at least to some extent. And the United States of America is no different.
#4
I remember years ago visiting NYC and chatting with locals (as I do) I got the imprecation they didn't really care about the rest of the country.
Had a AAA tow driver in Virginia refuse to jump my Toyota because it wasn't American but in Washington state I didn't know anyone and everyone was super friendly and accommodating.
I find it difficult to generalize the US after traveling all over it.
#5
#6
I expected Americans like in the movies. Everyone is fighting for his right. To be honest, I never felt a big difference between Germans and most of the New Yorkers I met here.
The only difference is, they are so open hearted, love small talks. I love it.
According to eduPASS, some of the most common stereotypes of Americans include the perceptions that they might be boastful, arrogant, disrespectful of authority, extravagant, wasteful, ignorant of other cultures, informal, loud, wealthy, rude, snobbish, and think that every country should imitate the US.
Meanwhile, Stump & Associates notes that some common myths about life in the US include the beliefs that you can’t get emergency medical care without health insurance, that all Americans are rich, and that everyone is a gun owner.
#7
I was so very wrong. America is crazy for their Christmas lights.
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Other common myths include the idea that American food is supposedly fast food, that people living in the US are rude, and that everyone living in the southern states is supposedly a cowboy. Moreover, many people also have the misconception that Americans work too much and don’t go on vacation.
Not all stereotypes found in television, art, literature, and public opinion are so negative. Some positive stereotypical traits often attributed to Americans include generosity, optimism, hard work, and friendliness. However, it’s important to remember that even positive stereotypes are damaging because it’s still labeling an entire group of people while ignoring what makes them diverse.
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Enter late 20-something dumb white girl.
I had misjudged my layover in Chicago (13 hours quickly became 4, without sleep) and desperately needed to get from Soldier Field to something that would get me to the airport. I desperately plead with the driver to drop me off at (I think?) the red line (this was sooo long ago) and he just glared and told me to get to the back. I tried counting the streets as the bus rolled on, since my phone had run out of roaming and I was going off the map in my backpack. I’d go off whenever it felt close enough…I knew I had f****d up. I’d dawdled my time away just strolling through random neighbourhood a to look at orthodox churches. Now, I was going to miss my flight. I shouldn’t have stupidly believed that anyone in the US would ever help another person. The terrible thoughts about myself and Americans rolled through my head and…
Suddenly, the bus screeches to a halt.
“To the passenger who needs the red line, get off now!”
I scrambled off the bus after yelling a tearful thank you. Made my flight and made it home.
People are people. We are all the same wherever we are. It just blew my mind that the driver actually stopped in the middle of his route to let me off, even if it was something that happened in both of the countries that I lived.
#12
Bored Panda wanted to understand the inspiration behind such an intriguing question about travel, culture, and misconceptions. The author shed some light on this.
"I have seen several TikToks of Europeans having poor views of the US, and I wanted to ask this on Reddit," the redditor said, asking to keep their identity anonymous.
We were also interested in getting their perspective as to why the topic resonated with so many people, urging them to comment with their personal experiences.
"I guess it’s due to the fact that they had these misconceptions due to movies, their governments, and/or the news," the internet user mused.
#13
I thought that americans were crazy and extremely patriotic and also a bit dense. When I took the job there some of my friends told me "wtf are you serious ? You're gonna be surrounded by morons". Mind you, the only vision I had of americans was through social media and political news.
Americans (and I'm not saying that because as a foreigner in this country I am scared to get deported to el salvador) are extremely nice and very very normal. I never had a bad interactions with a US citizen, everyone was very welcoming and super nice. My first day at work a guy I barely knew took me out for dinner and drinks wirh some of his friends.
And americans are (in my experience) not crazy patriotics zealots. They are extremely normal and pretty dumbfounded by what the hell is happening in this country.
And they are not stupid....they just sometimes have this preconceived notion that everything in the world works the same way as in the USA. When I told people I didnt have a driver licencr and would use public transports in my home country (because they were very good), most americans I told were surprised and sometimes SHOCKED. Which I get, if I was born in this country I would have probably gotten a driver licence asap.
#14
I also discovered sweet potatoes there and I eat it all the time now.
#15
I turned it on and they were aghast.
Bored Panda asked the author of the thread the advice that they'd give anyone who's planning to go to the United States for the very first time, to help them get the most out of their trip.
"I would suggest learning from the locals about their way of life. There is a lot to learn," they said.
"They would be able to learn more about a country they may have poor views of," the author shared their opinion.
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They added that, from their perspective, racism "is a huge issue internationally."
What are some misconceptions that you’ve had about the United States or any other country that you completely changed your mind about after you went on a trip there, dear Pandas?
What do you do to stay open-minded during your travels? What advice would you give anyone who’s going on their first trip to the US? Let us know in the comments below!
#19
#20
It was a very strange experience to see exactly that in real life.