He Told His Traveling Partner He Was Acting Like a “Stereotypical American Tourist”—Until the Trip Turned Hostile
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Traveling with family can be a lot of fun, but only if everyone is on their best behavior.
What would you do if you were traveling with someone who was constantly being loud, obnoxious, and embarrassing everywhere you went, but then they wondered why people were staring?
That is the situation that the guy in this story was in, so he told his family that he was living up to the annoying American tourist stereotype, and that really upset him. So, he wonders if he should have just kept his mouth shut.
Sometimes, people need to hear the truth, even if it hurts. Check out the full story below.
AITAH for telling a family member people weren’t staring because they were American, but because they were being obnoxious?
AITAH for telling a family member they were being the stereotypical “loud, obnoxious American” while traveling abroad?
If multiple people are looking at you funny, it is likely your own fault.
First, I’ve changed a few details because I really don’t want this getting back to anyone in my family.
Recently, I was traveling internationally with a family member. While we were in a store, they started very loudly talking about how “weird” everything was and complaining that people kept looking at them funny.
This stereotype didn’t come out of nowhere.
Eventually, I told them, “They’re probably looking at you because you’re living up to the loud, obnoxious, American stereotype.”
I also admitted that I was honestly embarrassed to be associated with them while they were acting that way.
This wasn’t an isolated incident.
How embarrassing.
This family member seems convinced that because we’re in another country, nobody around them understands English. They’ll loudly talk to friends, people nearby, or someone on the phone about how ugly they think certain people are, how strange the local customs are, or how “disgusting” they find things that are completely normal in that culture.
Things like different attitudes toward changing clothes or nudity at beaches and swimming areas.
Who would want to travel with this guy?
What really gets me is the contradiction. They complain constantly about things back home, but the moment another country does something differently, suddenly the American way is the only “normal” way to do it.
I tried explaining that when you visit another country, you’re the guest. You don’t have to personally like every custom, but loudly insulting the people, their appearance, or their culture while standing right next to them seems incredibly disrespectful.
And assuming nobody understands English just because you’re abroad seems especially reckless.
The irony of this guy.
They thought I was being rude and judgmental by calling them out, and apparently I embarrassed them by saying it.
So, was I wrong for telling my family member that people weren’t staring because the country was weird, but because they were acting like the exact stereotype of an obnoxious American tourist?
AITA?
No. People need to be called out when they are behaving poorly, or they will never learn. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like this guy is going to learn anyway.
Check out the comments below to see what other people have to say.
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What the heck. How can anyone be this dumb?
It really is this simple.
This would be mortifying.
Self-awareness is not something everyone has. Or so it seems.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about siblings who don’t think they should have to give up their own sports’ seasons to help with their younger siblings.
It was good to call them out on their bad behavior.
Some people seem to have no self-awareness, and in situations like this, telling them to change their behavior makes sense.
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