You're not very American/Russian stereotypes

I am wondering if anybody can relate to this, or if some non US posters can clarify some of this for me. It doesn't matter where you're from or where your family is from.

A few days ago my friends were telling me that they don't think of me as American. They said if I walked into a room, they wouldn't think I was American. It's the way I look, the way I act, the way I carry myself, etc. They consider me to have more of a Russian attitude and look, not American.

My dad is not pure Russian but I know I look like my mom's sister, so I accept that I probably look Russian... but what does everything else mean?

I have lived in the US most of my life. America is my home and culture. I get culture shock when I leave.

What are American stereotypes?

What are Russian stereotypes?

For the posters in other countries, can you look at somebody and tell they are an American? (My friends were trying to describe the stereotypical American girl to me. I am wondering if you will agree.)

Do you generally wear a babushka, crave turnips and smell faintly of vodka?

All I can tell you after a tour of Portugual, Spain, France, and England, as shaporone with a high school group, as soon we got on the subways people could tell we were Americans without even opening our mouths. The wife who is a foreign language teacher, said there were subtle ways we dress differently, but I think it is more than that. There must be different body language or something. ???

That said, I have a gift for recognizing faces -- even those I haven't seen for decades -- and what goes hand in hand with that is a recognition of different facial features of different ethnic and regional groups. I can spot the difference between an eastern european, western, or northern european a mile way. Cheekbones and eyes sizes and lack thereof are a dead give away.

Back to the subways... Perhaps even though we Americans are mix of ethnic groups we look distinctive to others?

EnigmaO01 said:

All I can tell you after a tour of Portugual, Spain, France, and England, as shaporone with a high school group, as soon we got on the subways people could tell we were Americans without even opening our mouths. The wife who is a foreign language teacher, said there were subtle ways we dress, but I think it is more than that. There must be different body language or something. ???

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I know people who say this too. My friend went to France on her honeymoon, and said everybody knew they were Americans. My good friend travels a lot and experiences it everywhere she goes. I have never experienced it. In fact, I once talked to a group of people from France in an East Berlin bar. They asked where I was from, and when I said America they said, "I would not have guessed that." :doh

SheWolf said:

I know people who say this too. My friend went to France on her honeymoon, and said everybody knew they were Americans. My good friend travels a lot and experiences it everywhere she goes. I have never experienced it. In fact, I once talked to a group of people from France in an East Berlin bar. They asked where I was from, and when I said America they said, "I would not have guessed that." :doh

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Maybe you should have been an operative! LOL

SheWolf said:

I know people who say this too. My friend went to France on her honeymoon, and said everybody knew they were Americans. My good friend travels a lot and experiences it everywhere she goes. I have never experienced it. In fact, I once talked to a group of people from France in an East Berlin bar. They asked where I was from, and when I said America they said, "I would not have guessed that." :doh

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Maybe if you put on about 35 lbs. and stay stuff like "Europe is a stupid country" you'd be more easily identifiable.

SheWolf said:

I am wondering if anybody can relate to this, or if some non US posters can clarify some of this for me. It doesn't matter where you're from or where your family is from.

A few days ago my friends were telling me that they don't think of me as American. They said if I walked into a room, they wouldn't think I was American. It's the way I look, the way I act, the way I carry myself, etc. They consider me to have more of a Russian attitude and look, not American.

My dad is not pure Russian but I know I look like my mom's sister, so I accept that I probably look Russian... but what does everything else mean?

I have lived in the US most of my life. America is my home and culture. I get culture shock when I leave.

What are American stereotypes?

What are Russian stereotypes?

For the posters in other countries, can you look at somebody and tell they are an American? (My friends were trying to describe the stereotypical American girl to me. I am wondering if you will agree.)

Click to expand...

I can pick out Americans, sometimes, when I and they are away from North America. I might be able to notice that you don't carry yourself like an American if I met you in America but it'd have to be pretty obvious, Americans being a pretty diverse bunch, and I don't know how a Russian presents.
It's weird. I'm second-generation Canadian and I've been told that I act Scottish. I'd ignore the stereotypes about Americans and play up the Russian, just for the hell of it. Think Natasha in 'Rocky and Bullwinkle'.

When I was in Germany it was easy to tell I was an American. Maybe it was the shaved head, black framed glass, M16, and camouflage uniform. I don't know, maybe it was something else.

SheWolf said:

I am wondering if anybody can relate to this, or if some non US posters can clarify some of this for me. It doesn't matter where you're from or where your family is from.

A few days ago my friends were telling me that they don't think of me as American. They said if I walked into a room, they wouldn't think I was American. It's the way I look, the way I act, the way I carry myself, etc. They consider me to have more of a Russian attitude and look, not American.

My dad is not pure Russian but I know I look like my mom's sister, so I accept that I probably look Russian... but what does everything else mean?

I have lived in the US most of my life. America is my home and culture. I get culture shock when I leave.

What are American stereotypes?

What are Russian stereotypes?

For the posters in other countries, can you look at somebody and tell they are an American? (My friends were trying to describe the stereotypical American girl to me. I am wondering if you will agree.)

Click to expand...

Pffffft! Be good to people and you will always have friends no matter what.

There is a definite appearance and presentation factor at play. For example I notice that americans seem to smile more than most countries, alot of people I have ever seen from europe smile alot less, and tend to have a more serious appearance even when they are not, while asians and especially the japanese tend to avoid it as much as possible.

There are also usually more uniform heights and builds in other countries, america is the melting pot, while european countries tend to share a much more concentrated heritage to their country. For example though not always the case but most of the time i meet a german who is tall, they are from west germany, while most short germans i have met were from east germany. Most swedish I have met were blond etc.

All these countries share a much more concentrated heritage, hence you will stand out like a sore thumb for your build and appearance or your gestures. However I managed to always merge in with the germans, My build almost matches the stereotypical german of tall and goofy. Of course that lasts until they ask me something in german, I reply in a southern accent, and then they be like oh then speak english.

SheWolf said:

I am wondering if anybody can relate to this, or if some non US posters can clarify some of this for me. It doesn't matter where you're from or where your family is from.

A few days ago my friends were telling me that they don't think of me as American. They said if I walked into a room, they wouldn't think I was American. It's the way I look, the way I act, the way I carry myself, etc. They consider me to have more of a Russian attitude and look, not American.

My dad is not pure Russian but I know I look like my mom's sister, so I accept that I probably look Russian... but what does everything else mean?

I have lived in the US most of my life. America is my home and culture. I get culture shock when I leave.

What are American stereotypes?

What are Russian stereotypes?

For the posters in other countries, can you look at somebody and tell they are an American? (My friends were trying to describe the stereotypical American girl to me. I am wondering if you will agree.)

Click to expand...

What I've been told (haven't traveled outside the US), is that Americans tend to wear more loose fitting clothing.
To me that would be the most obvious tell.

My limited experience with Russians and others (both American and European in online games) is that Russians tend to be more prone to criminality (or quasi criminality).
I've met plenty of awesome Russians in online games and some of them invited me to visit and stay with them.
There were a lot of others though that tended to organize around exploiting these games for money.
Nearly universally is that they're "murica" type patriotic, I mean more so than most Americans I've met.

SheWolf said:

I am wondering if anybody can relate to this, or if some non US posters can clarify some of this for me. It doesn't matter where you're from or where your family is from.

A few days ago my friends were telling me that they don't think of me as American. They said if I walked into a room, they wouldn't think I was American. It's the way I look, the way I act, the way I carry myself, etc. They consider me to have more of a Russian attitude and look, not American.

My dad is not pure Russian but I know I look like my mom's sister, so I accept that I probably look Russian... but what does everything else mean?

I have lived in the US most of my life. America is my home and culture. I get culture shock when I leave.

What are American stereotypes?

What are Russian stereotypes?

For the posters in other countries, can you look at somebody and tell they are an American? (My friends were trying to describe the stereotypical American girl to me. I am wondering if you will agree.)

Click to expand...

I think of Russians as blond, stocky build, light eyed. Either pudgy or muscular. Like to drink.