I’m going to take a bold moral stance here and say that lying is usually wrong. I’m not Kant on this one – I don’t object to people lying to protect themselves and others from danger, or to minor white lies meant to spare others from unnecessary embarrassment – but unless you’re in a region where Americans are likely to be kidnapped or something then I find it hard to think of a good moral justification for lying about your nationality while abroad.
When I lived in Japan I was often mistaken for a Candian by both the Japanese and other foreigners. I’m not sure what it is about me that came across as Canadian, but even actual Canadians assumed I was Canadian. After correcting this assumption, I was told by one Canadian woman that she’d specifically thought I was a Nova Scotian. I’ve never been to Canada and know very little about Nova Scotia, so I’m not sure whether I should have taken this as a compliment, an insult, or a totally neutral remark.*
*I’ve shared this anecdote with Canadians a couple of times, and without exception have been told that Nova Scotia isn’t bad and that this is where their grandparents are from. I’ve formed a vague impression that Nova Scotia is Canada’s leading producer of grandparents.
Never? Really? “Where are you from?” is one of the most common things to come up in chit-chatty conversations, especially if you are traveling overseas and it’s clear from your accent or language that you are not a local. I’ve been asked it by front desk clerks, waiters, people in restaurants, bars, on trains, in hostels…
(Now, if you’re making a fine distinction between where one lives/is from and where they are a citizen, I will grant you that.)
You’re on holiday, spending money, chatting with other travelers or locals and where you’re from is just like asking if you’re having a good day, enjoying the weather blah blah blah. It isn’t really important, unless the person you’re speaking to is a dick. I suppose if they are it’s best to find out sooner rather than later, but telling a little white lie, for whatever reason, hardly constitutes an ethical quagmire. That’s like saying “Yes dear, your arse does look fat in that dress” which may be the truth but you’re unlikely to ever say it.
I usually tell people where I’m from, and usually am truthful, but telling a small fib is hardly a big deal. Once in Egypt, two friends and I were riding in a taxi, one (Irish) friend introduced himself as Paul Hogan, I said my name was Chanandler Bong and the other friend said her name was Marie Curie. It was on the spur of the moment, no planning, and all we could do to stifle tears of laughter. And you know what? The taxi driver wouldn’t have remembered our names, or nationalities, as soon as he picked up the next fare. No harm done.
Never got any problem after being recognized as an American except once, on a train in West Australia. Some woman from New Zealand was bitching (yes, correct word for what she was doing) at all of us US Sailors in uniform on the train car. Why were we in uniform? No choice; it was a “uniform on liberty port”. The Australians on the train car told her that she was being rude. Mostly we Sailors just ignored her.
Other places I’ve been around the world, I’ve been asked if I’m American and when I say yes and tell the questioner what state I lived in last, I then get a lot of questions about both the US as a whole and the state in particular.
Now, I have seen anti-US protests in both Japan and South Korea, but those weren’t directed at me and the crowd around them didn’t turn on me or any other American in the vicinity.
The only times I have pretended to not be Australian is when accosted by other Australians while overseas. I just laugh it off and tell them that everyone says I sound like an Aussie when I’m drunk but I’m from London. Luckily a lot of them have paraphenalia that gives them away so that they can be avoided without conversation.
My first wife was an Australian. She used to make fun of people from Sydney for their “pretty little Sydney accent” and for wishing they were English. If we were still in touch, I would forward her your post. It would give her a laugh.
Incidentally, in other countries, when I tell people I’m from Austin, Texas, I’ve gotten some surprising (and sometimes delightful) responses. In Ireland, kids will ask me about some Austin rock band I’ve barely heard of (“Ah, yer from Austin? DO you know Johnny & The Snotrags? Ah, they’re fookin’ brilliant!”)!
I’ve met lot of people who were CURIOUS about Texas, none who were eager to pick a fight about it.
I crack jokes all the time on here. The same types of jokes that people get on Facebook, but, for some reason no one gets them here.
But no, I wasn’t. I don’t get it. If someone asked me where I was from, and I had been living in some other country, I would say I’m from that other country. “Where are you from” means “where do you currently live.”
I was born in another city from where I live now. Do I say I’m from that city?
Okay, we’ll give you points for Superman, Drew Carey, Paul Newman, Halle Berry, Tim Conway, Fred Willard, Bill Watterson, Harvey Pekar, and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. But you lose points for Anne Heche, Phil Donahue, Don King, George Steinbrenner, and Dr Oz.
Same here. Never been an issue for me and I spent about six years or so living and traveling abroad, mostly throughout Europe. Nationality has never been an issue for me. If someone asked, I told them. But I don’t think there’s anything “wrong” about fudging it. I’d lie about my nationality if I ever thought there was a safety reason to do so (I could always fall back on being “Polish” if I needed to, which is where my parents are from. I wouldn’t go the Canadian route myself.)
When I visited Iran in 2004, my Iranian buddy often did the exact opposite of that: He’d introduce us as Americans, even though we weren’t (and still aren’t)!
He did it to prove that most Iranians are totally cool with Westerners (not that we doubted him on that point), and indeed we had no problems whatsoever. Sometimes he’d even present us as Israelis. No problems there, either.
I only marginally consider myself American. I was never very patriotic - I happen to have born in the US but after living overseas for 12 years certainly some Americanness wore off - I cringe with all the USA! USA! USA! crap in the US. I identify more with Nevada than I do with the USA… I’d fly a Nevada state flag at my home before the US flag and the only flag I have currently at my home is a UAE one.
I once got kicked out of an internet cafe in Rotarua, New Zealand for being American… that never happened in Iran, Yemen or Sudan.
