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I think nationality, it was funny in UK that people told me I am from at least 5 different countries.
When I was in the UK, until I opened my mouth, people assumed I was English. After I would start talking, most realized I was American or Canadian, and some thought that I was Swedish because I look very Scandinavian and many Swedes speak English fluently with a more "American" accent than English.
A lot of Poles, Germans, and Russians that I encountered assumed that I was one of them and would start speaking to me in their language.
To answer the OP, you are treated as an American. My grandma immigrated to United States and when she goes back to Brasil she is still treated as an American tourist.
They don't care where your distant relatives came from or if you're 1/8 Swedish. You're an American.
It is a matter of ethnicity I think, people belonging to whatever country and who travelled to another one are always going to be judged on their appearances first that’s why there are people who are still amazed when they see African Americans , they take them as Blacks from Africa.
Yeah culture shock lol. Yeah I was travelling with some Italian Americans in Italy and yeah, they were in the same boat as the rest of us.
I spent a few months travelling all over Italy a few years back and bumped into a lot of Australians with an Italian background, I think all making their first trip to the old country. It was funny to see a really clear 50:50 split between "Wow, this place is so foreign, my granddad must have found it hard to adapt to Australia!" and "Wow, I can just see such and such an ancestor fitting in with that group over there, this place just feels so normal!"
I think most people in the world who are educated about the USA should obviously know Americans can be of any ancestry.
Plus, American accents are pretty distinct in the world (besides Canadian accents, there isn't much that it could be mistaken for).
I'm an english speaking Canadian and have encountered people in Europe who when they hear me speaking english have been unable to tell if my accent is British, American, Australian or any other english speaker. I usually get asked if I'm German before I open my mouth. LOL.
Sort of like how some can't tell the difference ( which is obvious to any franco-phone ) between someone from Quebec or France.
Interesting. I've heard stories of how African Americans aren't seen as 'real' Blacks in Africa due to them being American.
Depends. I'm a (black) Californian and I travel extensively. I was surprised how many people asked if I was from Brazil while overseas. My skin tone is not very dark nor very light, it's a medium-tan like color. I've had Brazilians throughout Europe (many of whom were living abroad, some tourists) walk up to me directly and ask me if I was a "Carioca" (native of Rio de Janeiro) or some other Brazilian. I told them, "no, I'm American" (both of my parents are black Americans).
Once I got to Brazil, I disappeared entirely into the society, which was fascinating. Everyone spoke Portuguese to me first without hesitation, when they discovered I was American they were even more friendly. I think if many black Americans went to Brazil they'd be surprised how well they'd blend.
I met a black South African (who was backpacking in Brazil, like me) who said that in South Africa I would be considered either "Cape Coloured" or "black" (black South Africans know who other "black South Africans" are it's a certain culture, "Cape Coloureds" are a certain culture, etc.) but my blackness isn't "less" or not "real", it's different. I've met native peoples from Niger, Nigeria, and sub-Saharan Africa, who were ultimately very warm and friendly to me, my "blackness" wasn't less to them I was still a black person, not their black but still black, because we understand we're not monoliths. Who is "real" is arbitrary.
Last edited by stcml; 01-02-2014 at 06:02 PM..
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