Illustrations by Holly Randall

Last week I visited Germany for the first time. I was taking a tour with my fellow students from Copenhagen, Denmark, where we have been studying for the past three weeks. I arrived in the northern German city of Lubeck on a Friday night, and went in to the city to explore and have some drinks. As we walked from the youth hostel where our group was staying towards the city center, young Germans who were hanging out in the streets stared at us like we had the word "American" tattooed on our foreheads. It was as if we were taking the walk of shame. I felt like I was bearing the responsibility of my entire society on my shoulders. Just because I looked like an American, I felt forced to represent all that Germans dislike about American culture and politics.

This reminded me of a story my good friend once told me about a month he spent traveling in Venezuela. While there, he was constantly harassed and called a "fucking gringo." At one point during his trip, he was held at gunpoint for reasons he suspects are entirely based on his appearance as an American.

It's true that Americans wear their culture on their sleeves. We are loud, abrasive, and irritating, and demand that everything be written and spoken in English. Our style and fashion sense is markedly different. We don't handle our alcohol as well as many Europeans do and in bars and clubs it's not hard to spot the wasted Americans. There is no doubt that we Americans play up to the myriad stereotypes that Europeans harbor about us. We stick out like sore thumbs when traveling abroad.

Dan Post Columnist

Because we are so easily identifiable, it is then easy to associate us with the American style of black and white politics and the abrasive nature of George W. Bush. Bush is sorely disliked here in Denmark, even though Denmark is participating in the war in Iraq.He looks completely totalitarian in Denmark. He is perceived as a president who just makes decisions based on a whim or a friendship, without any consideration for the good of the world. Danes cringe at the thought of being governed in a system like the one that George Bush is offering. Denmark is a country where the highest tax bracket is over 60 percent and there is a 25 percent value-added tax. Everyone's health care is completely covered, including prescription drugs, and social services are a primary focus of the government. A visit to Denmark by Bush and Condoleezza Rice was announced a couple of weeks ago, and the local paper called Bush a monster.

I have spoken to numerous Danes about George Bush. Last Friday night in a bar, I got into a conversation with some Danes about politics, and it is at times like these that I have learned that Europeans' opinions about Americans are actually a lot more nuanced than the stereotyping that is found on the surface. I might get a few stares on the street and in bars, but in conversation I have found that Danish people think that living in Denmark is kind of boring and they find the U.S. to be fascinating. They are interested in hearing about American politics from an American's perspective, and they also appreciate Americans who also dislike George Bush.

I have slowly learned in my time here that Europeans actually like more about our country than I had previously suspected. The Danes are extremely nationalistic, but they also strive for the quality of existence that Americans hold. Danish people who have been to the United States report that they loved it and a lot of Danes I have talked to want to visit or live in the States. Despite all the stares I got on the street the first night I was in Germany, my experience there turned out to be rewarding in a similar way. Once I got talking to some German people, I learned they also are fascinated with American culture, people, and politics, and their stereotypes and glares stop once you meet them.

I arrived in Europe three weeks ago, and the stereotypes about Americans and the stares I got made me hope that I could leave my Americanism behind and see the world from a totally different perspective. What I have found is that if I am sensitive to the little things that Americans do that irritate people around the world, then I can get past the generalizations and appreciate the many good things about American life.

Dan Post is an ecology and anthropology senior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.