I was walking around Pattaya Thailand Tuesday and if you see a guy wearing a soccer shirt there's a 99% change they're not from the USA. And there were a lot of them.
I was walking around Pattaya Thailand Tuesday and if you see a guy wearing a soccer shirt there's a 99% change they're not from the USA. And there were a lot of them.
So you can look like a dork?
Fugeddeaboudditt.
I dress like 1990s Dilbert, minus the tie (usually). Is that American geek or universal geek? (I am not really a geek, I just look the part.)
You can never loose by being too dressy.
My Boston hat sometimes gives me away.
In 1970 or 71 the Philippines was having an off-year election. If we went on liberty in Olongapo, we had to wear a uniform. I remember being told only 250 were murdered.
If you’re a tourist. you’re a tourist, just the way you speak is a dead giveaway.
1) Protect your wallet and ID etc
2) Don’t put yourself in harm’s way
3) Don’t fall for likely tourist scams
4) If possible, have a native or a native guide that is trustworthy.
I don’t get the obsession with wearing logo apparel. People actually pay more to become walking billboards!
Nah, my favorite is Dockers style khakis with those old boat style shoes popular in the 90s. I still see boomers wearing that crap.
There used to be an old saying, ‘go abroad, come back a broad’.
Ha! Now you stay here and become a broad, no thanks to the libs.
Yet in Europe you’ll see NY Yankees hats and endless parades of print tops with ‘Imagined American’ themes everywhere.
“Below, stylists from around the world share the styles that make Americans stand out”
1) Wearing a MAGA hat
2) wearing a shirt with a US flag pattern
3) Wearing a Biden/Walz t shirt
4) wearing a shirt that says “USA rules, the rest of the world drools”
Anyway, here I am just after landing in Paris.
I don’t worry about it. The second I say something, they will know I’m American.
When we travelled with friends we were waiting for the train somewhere ibm. Southeast Germany Hub dressed in wool blazer, Italian f
Driving cap, good shoes. Our friend wore sneakers, a hoodie under a lands end rain jacket, a camera around his neck, beanie cap He looked at us then said, “I don’t look like a tourist” which was a joke
We always had a nice visit. Spoke whatever language of the country we were in as best as we could
Our friend lamented while in Normandy we had to go to a restaurant with fresh fish and white wine. He wanted Burger King
Crazy. But lots of fun.
I don't care if they know I'm American, because, well, America Rocks!
I avoid the problem entirely by not travelling. Works extremely well. ;)
Back in 1975, I was working in Chile and met a nice young woman on a train. She invited me to visit her at her folk’s place in Zermatt, Switzerland. When I visited them later in the year, I wore a nice, dressy green polyester shirt with a gorgeous paisley design. I thought I looked great.
She disabused me of that notion. She basically said I stood out like a sore thumb in Europe.
She also didn’t like the way I cut my lettuce in the salad up to bite-sized pieces, either. You are supposed to fold and shove the entire large lettuce leaf into your mouth. Cutting it up is very gauche.
And, of course, you don’t hold the fork in your left hand and use your right hand to hold the knife to cut food up. Nope, the fork ALWAYS stays in the right hand — no switching knife and fork back and forth right hand to left hand.
I was in my mid 20s. How was I to know about proper European dress and eating habits?
That Miss Manners dinner was the last time I saw her.