[thechat] surfacing

Alan McCoy a.r.mccoy at larc.nasa.gov
Tue Jun 1 11:37:23 CDT 2004



=> [Ron painfully remembers strolling over to Notre Dame Cathedral ... 
=> seeing the doors open on a tour bus across the way ... and watching 
=> the first 'ugly' American exit the bus ... overweight ... stogie in 
=> mouth ... and clad in plaid bermuda shorts, black socks, 
=> sandals, and 
=> a replica NFL jersey for the quarterback in Ron's home town ... [1] => 
=> ... I'm afraid I took it rather personally and had to walk away in 
=> anger and disgust.]
=> 
=> 
=> Fortunately *I* managed to 'pass' for a British student on holiday!

My wife and I had that same thing happen while in Ireland. While staying at
a B&B in Blarney, we became very good friends with our host family, such
good friends in fact, that by the third morning we were there, we were
helping them in the kitchen and serving breakfast to the rest of the guests.
We had already been in country for about a week and had begun to
subconsiously pick up the local dialect to such an extent that people were
asking us what part of Ireland we were from. Anyway, while serving
breakfast, it was very interesting to notice the difference in behavior
between the "Ugly Americans" and the other guests from the Isles. Especially
when the American guests didn't know that we, too, were American, thus, none
of the "what part of Virginia are you guys from? Really? I have a cousin in
Virginia Beach. You guys like NASCAR racing? We just looooove Ricky Rudd!"

Now, of course this isn't to say that all American tourists fit the "Ugly
American" stereotype. But we *did* see many who fit it quite well. (while
eating lunch outside the Blarney Castle, watching the tourist coaches unload
"hen parties" (nice one, Drew) and other tourist types, eager to shell out
the 10 or so pounds to kiss the stone)

Alan

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