| I am sure this will not win me many friends among | | | | the existing culture, the foods, the customs, etc. He |
| my fellow Americans, but it needs to be put out | | | | is here to live amongst his peers who can all build and |
| there for some serious soul searching. L. Robert Kohls | | | | have the luxuries they could not afford back home. |
| in 2001 wrote "The Survival Kit for Overseas Living". | | | | When I asked my worker this morning his impression |
| In the fourth edition, the most commonly held | | | | of "extranjeros", his first descriptive word was he |
| stereotypes of U. S. Americans encountered in other | | | | observed them taking advantage of the situation. |
| countries were the following: | | | | They were opportunistic. He said he had worked for |
| Optimistic | | | | nice people so it did not apply to the ones he was |
| Outgoing, friendly | | | | working for, but he saw it in others. This is |
| Informal | | | | interesting as the "extranjeros" are always saying, |
| Loud, rude, boastful, immature | | | | "watch out for the "Ticos"; they will take advantage |
| Naïve | | | | of you if they can get away with it". Same story, |
| Hardworking | | | | but I don't see the Gringo seeing it that way. I do |
| Aggressive | | | | believe the "Tico" knows he is taking advantage |
| Judgmental, moralistic | | | | though. I guess what goes around comes back |
| Superficial | | | | around. |
| Extravagant, wasteful | | | | I am sure each of the above points could be |
| Confident they have all the answers | | | | separate essays. More important is how we can learn |
| Politically naive and or uninformed | | | | to live abroad and be a good ambassador of our |
| Ignorant of other countries | | | | country. How can we live in a different culture? The |
| Disrespectful of authority | | | | place to start is to build a relationship with the people |
| Wealthy | | | | from the new culture. Here are some suggestions. |
| Materialistic | | | | Put yourself in situations where you will meet |
| Generous | | | | people of the new culture. In Costa Rica, wave at |
| Always in a hurry | | | | people, smile and you will see them smiling back, pick |
| In 1984 I went to Majorca, Spain for a two week | | | | them up if you know them and give them a ride, go |
| vacation. At one point I met up with an English gent | | | | to town with them and talk, ask questions, be |
| who acknowledged that, "Yes, Majorca was the | | | | interested in them as people, as a family, an entity, |
| Hawaii of Europe". He proceeded to describe for me | | | | and ask, ask, ask. I married into a family that thought |
| the European or his English interpretation of the most | | | | it was impolite to ask questions and it implied prying. |
| frequent populations visiting Majorca. He said, | | | | My feeling is that asking questions shows interest in |
| The Germans were angry | | | | another. |
| The French were nasty | | | | Examine your biases about people from other |
| The Spanish and Italians were loud and | | | | cultures. Check yourself out in the following areas: |
| argumentative | | | | clothes, females and male stereotypes, food |
| The English were boring and | | | | prejudices, art, creativity, ingenuity, size, abodes, |
| The Americans were stupid. | | | | transportation, etc. The list is really endless. |
| I laughed and thought, you know, he might not be | | | | Listen to people tell their stories. Share your own |
| too far off. Different country personalities do shine | | | | as well. Friendship is a two way street. |
| based on their culture and beliefs. | | | | Read about other people's culture and histories. |
| I have lived in two foreign 2nd or 3rd world countries | | | | Ask questions about their cultures, customs and |
| many years, as a youngster growing up in Indonesia | | | | views. |
| and as a retiree in my 60's. I never really did | | | | Make a conscious effort to establish friendships |
| re-assimilate into to the American way in the | | | | with people from other cultures. |
| between years. | | | | Take a risk and learn from your mistakes. |
| There are so many factors entering into these | | | | Be an ally and stand up for them. |
| descriptors of people world-wide. | | | | Show appreciation for appreciation's sake and |
| In my opinion and from my observations, the typical | | | | not through money. Show humility. |
| American generally comes down to Costa Rica for | | | | Don't: |
| mainly one reason....he can live here more cheaply. He | | | | Think you are superior. You are not, just luckier |
| is not moving out of country to get to know a | | | | (your perspective). |
| different culture, to mingle with the people, to really | | | | Give them money unless appropriate or pay |
| become integrated. Instead, he does not immerse | | | | more than the going pay scale. |
| himself in the language, never really attempts to learn | | | | Isolate yourself from having any real connection. |
| the culture, the idioms of the language, the history of | | | | |