Anonymous wrote:We went to Thailand with my inlaws last year.
Both DH and his sister were born and raised in the US and both speak not-great-Thai.
People generally assumed DH was American, but virtually everyone assumed SIL was Thai. She is beautiful and fashionable, and DH is more suburban-dad-style, so I guess that's what did it. (He wasn't dressed sloppily or anything, just not as fashion-forward as his sister)

Um I assume he’s white and she’s of Asian heritage?

Sorry for bumping this thread but I've been working in London all week and today was the first day to do some touristy stuff, which prompted me to remember this thread.

There are two easily identifiable types of American tourists, among the hugely diverse pool of American travelers.

1) the freshly scrubbed, spotlessly clean, young American family. Mom and Dad are in mid to late 30s with the older kids already hitting 10/11. Family is impeccably behaved, friendly, cheerful, parents have amazing control of kids, dad is clearly involved and hands on, everyone is having a great time. Kids (2-3, sometimes even four) wear casual athletic clothes, parents are usually in linen shirts and shorts. They look like they probably live in a nice house in Western Howard or Loudoun. Might even be Mormon. Too clean to be believed! Eat a lot of ice cream.

2) the Midwestern family proudly wearing baseball jerseys of the hometown team. I find this intriguing. Sometimes it's just one family member, other times it's the entire family wearing Cardinals/Cubs/Tiger baseball jerseys. You get the impression most of their weekends are spent with big gatherings watching baseball in the basement bar/den. Possibly a variant of this family is the one wearing themed t-shirts. Saw a couple today wearing matching blue t-shirts. One said "London is not Boring!" the other said "St. Louis is Boring!"

Everyone I saw seemed to be having a good time. No judgment. Just interesting.

Jeans, baseball cap, cup of coffee

Anonymous wrote:Cargo shorts and Teva sandals. Ugh.

They are on vacation. Limited space to pack nicer clothes and they want to be comfortable while sight seeing. Sheesh.

Anonymous wrote:Cargo shorts and Teva sandals. Ugh.

Ugh. This is such an ugly look.

Cargo shorts and Teva sandals. Ugh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They drag their newborns and infants through the capital cities and have a stroller for their five year olds. They rent a black minibus with driver for the Amalfi-tour.

Are you talking about Italians? Or the French? Or innumerable other Europeans? Because I could swear you were.

-- in Italy right now.

Yeah was just in German-speaking Europe recently and saw a ton of strollers. Like everywhere. This is a weird comment.

Americans typically wear more casual clothes and generally more friendly and chatty.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s all in the countenance and carriage.

You're going to have to say more about this to be convincing.

In general there is a different openness to the faces of Americans, more smiling, more exposed curiosity and we walk more obliviously and confidently and take up more space with our persons. If you know, you can just tell.

When I visit family in India, even if I’m dressed like everyone else and haven’t even opened my mouth (fluent but slight accent), they know I’m American. I think it’s the eye contact and random smiling.

I read that people smile more in heterogeneous communities, to show someone they’re welcoming even if they look different or can’t talk to each other. Makes sense for the US.

When we travel to other countries, we don’t wear US branded items or even school/local gear, try to stay away from big brand names. I don’t hide that we are American, but I don’t want to advertise it. Seems to work fine.

Anonymous wrote:They drag their newborns and infants through the capital cities and have a stroller for their five year olds. They rent a black minibus with driver for the Amalfi-tour.

Are you talking about Italians? Or the French? Or innumerable other Europeans? Because I could swear you were.

-- in Italy right now.

Anonymous wrote:Fat, sloppy, loud, obnoxious, ignorant.

That's just you.

Many of us are know for kindness, cleanliness, and politeness.

Yes, also known to be overly friendly and very confident, which to an insecure person (like you) might be considered loud.

Fat - not the rich that travel. I'm thin so is my whole family.
Sloppy - definitely not on any account
Ignorant - nope. We're well traveled and cosmopolitan as are most of our friends, including all our non-American friends, so maybe this is also your social circle.

We went to Thailand with my inlaws last year.
Both DH and his sister were born and raised in the US and both speak not-great-Thai.
People generally assumed DH was American, but virtually everyone assumed SIL was Thai. She is beautiful and fashionable, and DH is more suburban-dad-style, so I guess that's what did it. (He wasn't dressed sloppily or anything, just not as fashion-forward as his sister)

They drag their newborns and infants through the capital cities and have a stroller for their five year olds. They rent a black minibus with driver for the Amalfi-tour.

Anonymous wrote:It’s all in the countenance and carriage.

You're going to have to say more about this to be convincing.