An incident occurred several weeks ago that has happened many times while I've been abroad-not only in Finland, but also in England, Germany and Morocco.
A Finnish man noticed I didn't speak Finnish and asked me where I was from. With renewed confidence and pride, I replied 'the US' and, right on cue, the guy started ranting and raving about his hatred for the US. Yes, he did say he 'hated' the US. I responded 'Well, maybe that will change in the future', inferring that Obama would change things. He ignored the comment and said that Bush had ruined the US's image. He then made an interesting statement, that he 'liked the US.... but hated it'. By this, he meant that he thought the country itself was OK but that he disliked the government .
(For simplicity's sake, I will be referring to the US as 'America'. I do, however, know that America technically includes all of South, Central and North America.)
I don't understand the logic in this stranger's form of communication. Did he want to make me feel bad in hopes that it would change US foreign policy? Did he think I didn't already know that people felt this way (including myself)? And ultimately, by dropping insults without leaving room for dialogue, isn't he acting in a way that is similar to how he perceives the US (by making unfounded assessments of other people and countries and acting on them in a way that is uncompassionate and self-serving)?
I don't disagree with some of his statements. But, it never ceases to amaze me when complete strangers walk up to me and tell me how much they dislike where I am from. Perhaps they don't realize the impact of their statement, but it feels like a personal insult. It also makes me wonder: if a random person thinks this about my country, then does everybody else think this but just has the tact not to say it to me? I've also encountered anti-Americanism in small, jabbing comments from acquaintances. This is once again jarring, considering that these people know very little about me and have already taken liberty to insulting me.
The situation in reverse might go something like this. A Finn is waiting at a subway stop in NYC and an American asks "Where are you from?". When the Finn responds 'Finland', the American says "Hmm. I heard you have a binge-drinking problem there. Most be those cold, dark winters. And wasn't Finland allied with Nazi Germany in World War II? Weird place."
Because this has happened to me a number of times, I have the sensation that it is somehow socially acceptable to go up to an American and openly insult him or her but that behaving that way towards someone of another nationality would be unacceptable.
It may seem that I have developed a victim complex about my encounters with rude strangers. Perhaps I am being too sensitive. But, it is disheartening to go to a new country, a place where I have a genuine interest in getting to know the people and culture, and to then encounter statements that send the message 'I don't like you'. The US needs more of its citizens to visit other countries and have a broader world view. It would be nice to be complimented for living abroad rather than be insulted for where I come from.
Of course, in some ways, these comments are but a small gesture. Perhaps European countries that disagree with US foreign policies could decide to kick out all the American ex-pats or students. Or maybe they could make it more difficult for Americans to obtain work visas (if this hasn't already been done). The logic in all this being that the US has done so much wrong lately (conducting wars that are unjustifiable, torturing people at Guantánamo and elsewhere, bullying other nations to go along with its policies), that a small insult is nothing in comparison.
Regardless, we are all affected by our local media, whether it is Boston-based, Helsinki-based, or Shanghai-based. Yes, Americans are 'brain-washed' with American news reporting, but the same is true for citizens of all countries. News reporting is subjective, no matter how much we try to make it objective.
In addition, I've noticed that people tend to say and think what is popular. Obama's popularity is one example. He is an inspiration and millions of people around the world are in awe of him. This popularity is backed up by valid reasoning, however many of the people who supported him during the campaign didn't actually know that much about him. They didn't know his Senate voting record or the details of his health care policy..... But, they joined the bandwagon and cheered on anyway. I think the opinions that non-Americans have of the US are made in a similar. Of course, the US has obviously done some things that are difficult to agree with. But, I think many people have not delved deeper into understanding what has been going on in the US for the past eight years. They don't know what happened right after 9/11 or what policies the Bush administration put into effect. They simply have a negative view of the US.
I have traveled quite a bit in the US and Europe, and I do so to experience other cultures, encounter people with different ways of viewing the world and even to change my opinion about a few things. I understand that we're all humans and humans everywhere act in ways that are hurtful and stupid, but also logical and wonderful. So, when I encounter someone who is from a country I don't know much about, I try to sit back and see what this person will offer. There may be questions I want to ask about controversial topics or current events in that country, but I try to restrain myself. I've had very little luck getting people to open up when I confront them with prying questions or opinionated comments.
Regardless of whether I like the US or not, I am an American. I cannot escape that fact. My family has lived in the US for many generations. So, I accept my background and embrace it. My time abroad, living in Helsinki and also in Germany during my undergrad, has taught me to appreciate the great things about the US as well as the countries I've been able to live in and visit. The more people I meet, the more I realize that our differences have nothing to do with where we are from. They have to do with our values and how we view the world. And anyway, focusing on our differences is much less productive than focusing on our similarities. If that same stranger had said 'Oh wow, a lot of Finns live in the northern US states. Maybe the climate is similar', we could have had an interesting conversation and learned something about each other. Instead, we both left the situation even more firm in the belief that our opinion was right. This is how wars get started- both sides refuse to communicate constructively and insist that they are right.
I can't change those people who are going to come up to me and insult the US. But, I hope others will keep this experience in mind next time they meet someone new to their country. Sensitivity, open-mindedness and compassion is immensely appreciated and leaves a warm impression that stays with the newcomer for a long time.
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