Say No to Stereotypes

When my German teacher announced that that night's class would be dedicated to food I felt the weight of worry lift off my sholders. I can do food. Learning to maneuver German menus and grocery shops was something I set out to do early on in Hamburg and I'm proud to say my hardwork paid off. As we worked through the food section of our course book I was happy to be able to answer questions with certainty. I was so ecstatic about my wealth of eating knowledge that I didn't even mind when my teacher said, "You must eat a LOT."

The announcement of our second task brought even more joy. We were instructed to share with the class classic foods from our homeland. Because I was surrounded with people from awesome food spots such as Italy, Brazil, and Mexico my peers immediately had my full attention. After wiping the drool from the table after listening to the scrumptious food stories, it was my turn. You can get any kind of food in Michigan and there is a wide variety of favorite foods among the people I know. Folks in Detroit eat a lot of burgers, fries, coneys, and chicken wings. Convenience foods are popular. (Notice I left out green smoothies.) Although my answer was not exciting I felt it was pretty close to the truth. My teacher did not so she asked the class to report their perceptions of food in the US. Suddenly, as if the starting bell had rung at the Kentucky Derby, the names of all the fastfood joints I'd ever heard of were instantly flying out of the mouths of all my classmates and around the classroom.  The names of every grease joint I have ever seen in the US were flying around us. Sonic, Chick-Filet, and Rally's were even mentioned. You got me there.

Fast food exists in Hamburg but is not nearly as common as it is in the US. So, the fact that TV and movies depict North Americans devouring McD's and Taco Bell unstoppably sticks out like a sore thumb. Even though the class' contributions were spot on, I had mixed emotions about where the discussion was going. I had predicted that my Italian classmate would mention pasta and seafood as classic food from his home and I was right (lucky guy). I expected that beans are rice would be mentioned from my South American peers and I was spot on. My classmates predicted ALL Americans consumed a disgusting amount of fast food and they were wrong. Fast food is VERY popular, but not ALL Americans eat a lot of fast food, I say. What?! Not all? (I'm faced with looks of disbelief.) We have American TV, you know--we see what goes on, they tell me. It's like a vegetarian in Germany, I say, it happens.  So you never eat fast food? They ask with eyes as big as soccer balls, Sometimes, I say, but not usually. BUT WE THOUGHT...

Ah, stereotypes. Though I was not completely surprised to learn that non-North Americans assume that all North Americans consume truckloads of fastfood by the hour, I instantly became curious to know what ELSE they assumed of us. So, when eating dinner with our friends from Australia I began my mission to find out. The US is just like the movies, she said. It's larger than life and glamorous. There are Wal-Marts everywhere, which  is a perfect thing to do as a couple: the couple walks in, the man goes one way, and the woman goes the other. Okay, I replied, but did you intentionally connect fabulous and Wal-Mart?

I got a good hold on stereotypes about the US when in Brazil. I traveled with two Canadians and one other Michigander. The two Canadians were repeatedly told, "I'd love to go to Canada," while us two Michiganders didn't hear much about wanting to visit the US. We heard a lot about Cali, Disney, and burgers, but not much about a desire to visit our homeland. It's too hurried, the Brazilians would say, and dangerous, and rude, and unhealthy. Sheesh. But I'm not too hurried, I'd say, or dangerous, rude, and unhealthy. (Breaking these stereoypes was of course the number one goal of our visit to Brazil). Maybe not, but its still true. We get American TV, you know.

By the end of the trip we had taken down many walls simply by being our nice, grateful, selves. At the airport I spoke with one Brazilian that shared, I always thought all people from the US were rude, but everyone I've ever met from there has been so nice. I'm sorry? I said. I don't think I follow.

Certainly, culture plays a major role in our behavior. However, we must always be subjective when considering people because, well, people are all different. Sure, it is common to eat a LOT of sausage and bread in Germany but of course not all Germans take part in that habit. Of course fast food is big in the US but we all know folks that rarely eat it. As for those who stick to their not-in-the-know guns and assume all Americans are too practical and inconsiderate, all Brazilians are partiers, or all Germans are stand-offish rule followers I say: Say no to stereotypes. Otherwise, you'll miss out on discovering some incredible people.