J and I were hanging out at the lounge area Heathrow Airport the other day, and a younger woman sat down next to us and started a conversation with the Swedish/ British family sitting across from us. Let's call her Sandy for our purposes.
Apparently, Sandy's original flight had been cancelled, and she was now at the airport a bit early in hopes of catching her rescheduled flight. She wasn't quite sure how to figure out which gate her flight boarded at, and the mother of the family kindly informed her that the gate assignment would be posted on the digital board. To which Sandy responded, "Oh, okay. Forget it, I'll just ask someone." Why ask?
Sandy took the opportunity to continue the conversation, and in doing so, embarrassed all Americans everywhere. But I will confess that I inwardly prayed that the Swedish family would mistake her for a Canadian. Hey, it could happen.
The conversation went something like this:
Sandy: So where are you guys going?
Mother: Copenhagen.
Sandy: Oh... I don't know where that is.
Mother: It's in Denmark.
Sandy: Wait, is that Dutchland?
Mother: Um. No. And where are you headed?
Sandy: I'm going to America.
(Last time I checked, America was a continent. Cringe.)
Awkward silence.
Sandy: What language are you talking to your kids in?
Mother: Swedish and English.
Sandy: How do they know which language to use?
Mother: They can usually figure it out.
We didn't want to overhear them talking, but J and I couldn't block out the sound of ignorance betraying itself over and over again as the conversation progressed. It was only the second time I've been embarrassed to be an American. (The first time was when we were standing in the queue for Edinburgh Castle, and a rather large American couple standing behind us complained loudly about the small size of the the ice cream cones and expressed wonder at how the locals were so thin. Hint: It may have something to do with those ice cream cones.)
I don't travel with a cover for my passport, and I don't try to adopt a faux British accent. Like Popeye said, "I yam what I yam." I like being an American, and I don't see any percentage in trying to erase or hide it. But just this once, it sure would've been nice to be a Canadian, eh?
Aww, don't be so harsh on other Americans - some of the are brought up differently (in a sense of lifestyle and education). I'm glad you're a proud American and despite being embarrassed by another American, doesn't it just makes you want to go that extra step in making a difference in the American stereotype? Say, if Americans are known to be rude, then you'll most likely to to be nice.
ReplyDeleteBeing Canadian, I choose to be a nice person, only because I truly believe in Canadians being friendly.. but I do go a distance in letting people know we don't life in igloos.