An American Abroad

I wonder if it is a uniquely American (or is it just a Jewish thing?) to put the responsibility of your entire nation on the behavior of just one or two individuals. For example, when Tony Blair does something stupid, do Brits feel ashamed to be British? Not sure. But you can bet that George Bush embarrasses the hell out of me! And when a Brit is traveling in another country and a nearby tourist is also British and making an ass of themselves, does the first British person feel ashamed and as if they want to shout to the world, "We really are not all like that?" I don't know for sure. But I know that when I was at the Hungarian Parliament yesterday waiting in line for the English language tour, I had two experiences that made me consider that perhaps there should be a qualifying behavioral visa for Americans before they are allowed to leave the country.

The first incident was when an older, large (not Texas large, but large enough) American man who was part of a tour group stepped in some sort of puddle and, given his weight, it splashed all over my foot and leg. He looked at the damage on my leg, looked me in the eyes, looked at my leg again and kept on walking. No apology, no nothing. Asshole, right? So I said to one of his traveling companions (because he was too far away to hear me by that time), "No wonder Americans have such a bad reputation abroad." Pretty weak, I admit. But it was all I could come up with! And by the way, whatever the puddle was, it wasn't just water and mud. It smelled like puke of some kind and I had to wear it for the next two hours because the Parliament doesn't have public bathrooms!

Experience number two was both less and more disturbing to me. Less because the people involved didn't actually do anything to physically impact me (in other words, no vomit puddles on me). But they were Jewish (as evidenced by the Hebrew nameplate/necklace the daughter was wearing) and for some reason, I had the double-whammy of not wanting to be associated with Americans like that and then worrying that they would make all Jews look bad. That Jew thing is unique to my people, I think. Like, if you read the name of a criminal in the paper and he's Jewish you are afraid people will think all Jews are like that. But no Christian worries about the PR effects of Timothy McVeigh on their people (do they?). Anyway, this family of OBNOXIOUS New York Jews (triple whammy!!!) were like caricatures of obnoxious New York Jews. So loud. So crass. Overbearing women (mom and especially daughter). Wimpy men (dad and son). I wanted to make them go away. I wanted to wear a sign that said, "they are not us."

Then I chastised myself for being so judgmental and for caring at all what other people think of Americans, Jews, New Yorkers. I suppose that with my own behavior I can offer a different picture. Peter often says that I am not your typical American (or Jew). But I actually think I am.