Americans are rude and arrogant

Of course, I know better. Not all Americans are rude and arrogant, right? Americans get a bad rap overseas as being arrogant, ignorant of other cultures, and frankly just plain rude.

Or do we? Is some of this stereotyping and prejudice actually more close to an accurate perception than a farce?

The other day I went to one of my favorite places to eat in Taichung. It’s near my gym and my branch and they serve healthy American style food. For example, I always order the chicken sub sandwich on wheat. However, I always point to it on the menu and make a point to say “Wo yao zhe ge” or “Ji ro”. The first being, “I want this one” and the second being “Chicken”.

The point is that I’m making an effort to learn Chinese. Although the young Taiwanese man behind the counter might very well understand me if I spoke in English, I find it someone presumptive to force my language on him. It wasn’t very difficult for me to learn a few simple phrases in Chinese so why not use them?

I sat down waited for my “ji ro” when I couldn’t help but notice a very loud and obviously American man sitting next to me.

The sight was somewhat disruptive. He was sitting with a Taiwanese girl and yelling at her in English. Although, to him, he was simply talking.

“Ugh, this song is TERRIBLE! Just horrible. Hey, KILL THE MUSIC! KILL THE MUSIC!”, he screams to the Taiwanese man behind the counter.

The man working behind the counter looks puzzled but eventually changes the station.

“Oh, god that song is awful. It’s a Chinese version of a Linda Ronstadt song from the 1970’s. She sung it with Chris Christopherson. Horrible song and even worse in Chinese”

The waiter then brings him his drink and he says, “Thanks!”… However, when greeted with a blank stare he continues to say, “Thanks!” over and over until the poor waiter finally says “Xie Xie” or thanks in Chinese.

I’m sitting there wondering if I should have gotten my “ji ro” sandwich to go. I really enjoy my quiet times in this restaurant. I watch the news in Chinese and try to pick up some words that I know. I listen to whatever they play on the radio and I make sure to say “Xie xie” when I leave.

I exit and proceed to work where I begin a conversation with a fellow teacher about how he find Americans to be very arrogant, rude, and ignorant to other cultures. I defend America and say that “Well, not everyone is like that… I mean, sure, some are but…”

I find myself thinking about my recent experience with the American at the nearby restaurant and I actually change my opinion mid-conversation.

After relaying my story to my British friend, he replies, “Well, that’s exactly what I’m talking about”.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. I make a special point to try my best to use the language of the country that I’m in. I don’t know many words but I will try to utilize the ones that I do and I attempt to learn new ones all the time. It is true that many Taiwanese people can understand and speak some English but honestly, why should they be expected to? The pressure should remain on the foreigner to try to adapt to their current living environment. I hold an American passport and to that I will hold true. However, when does being proud to be an American end? When does it simply become blind arrogance? I’m not sure but I hope that I can change some Taiwanese people’s minds about foreigners and Americans. I know I can’t destroy a stereotype on my own but maybe if I try hard enough then I can change just one person’s mind.

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