European Travel Tips

While in Europe, don't be the Ugly American!

It's not a matter of pride

In general, the Ugly American begins with ego-centric individuals holding a culture-centric attitude. It is an American who travels to a foreign destination expecting everything to be the same as it is back home, and complains of stupidity when things are different.

When you travel to experience another culture you look forward to the fact that things will not be like they are at home. Every region in Europe has something special and different to offer a traveler, rooted in hundreds of years of history and tradition. While traveling, seek these differences out and celebrate them and look for common links to your own culture. Remind yourself that there are Europeans who resent how the American way of life is slowly creeping into their lifestyle through the media.

Below are some tips to keep in mind while you travel.

Even if you do not know a foreign language, learn a few basics words. You should know the most basic greetings, questions and numbers.
When packing, bring clothes that will make you look more European and less like a tourist.
Carry local currency and use it.
Dine when the locals dine and order from the menu, don’t ask for American substitutions. To make your experience more enjoyable, skip restaurants that offer a tourist menu.
Never criticize a culture, tradition or language because it is different.
Stop complaining about what you miss at home, you'll be back soon enough. Instead, find something unique that you can enjoy while you are away.

A cautionary tale

One of my favorite Ugly American stories happened on the Isle of Capri, in Italy. Two women and two children sat down (keep in mind that you pay more to sit and dine than to order take out) at an outdoor terrace café with a million dollar view. They ordered one pizza (pizzas are meant to be ordered per person) and four Coca Colas. In Italy and much of Europe soda is served refrigerated, but without ice. Well, they wanted ice and made no small point of it complaining to one another and the wait staff. When they quickly finished, they asked for the bill. The waiter gave them the total in Lire (before the Euro was adopted, after all they’re in Italy, right?), and they proceeded to ask “how much is that in American?” Their waiter quickly converted it to $16.00. They were flabbergasted that it cost so much and challenged the waiter. Finally they came up with a U.S. twenty dollar bill, and then got even more upset that he couldn’t offer change in US dollars. They left upset and mad, complaining and muttering to themselves. Now I agree it was expensive, but they could have sat at that table all day enjoying the view or saved themselves needless aggravation if they had taken the trouble to learn more about the country they were visiting. Two words describe them – Ugly Americans!

Travels with Friends: Learn more about other European destinations and tips for traveling within Europe. www.TravelsWithFriends.com

Private Guides: See Europe and learn about its history with your own private guide. www.PrivateGuidesInEurope.com