Start With Some Personal PR, Then Go International
I am currently studying in Salamanca, Spain for the month of July, and there have been several times when I felt that a little dose of PR would help anyone traveling abroad.
Americans have a little bit of pressure I think when they go over seas. While everyone I have encountered over here has been very nice, there are a select few who I can tell are expecting all the Americans they encounter to fall into a particular stereotype.
For instance some students, while here, have been asked how many hamburgers and french fries we eat every week, because many people think that is all that Americans eat. I have also heard that many people think Americans are very loud. So knowing that there is a certain percentage of the population around the world that feel this way is what makes me think that, when abroad, every American should think as a PR professional would.
PR is about good communication, right? Well, a handbook that the program gave me before I came gave the group a few tips on better communicating with the people in the different countries by trying to not clash with the culture we are immersing ourselves in.
But what were they really doing? I think they were giving us a little crash course on personal PR.
To me, being in a foreign country where locals can clearly pick you out of hundreds of people as the one American in the crowd, is like a major company which is constantly in the public eye. For us, when traveling, it almost feels like every move has to be as strategic as decisions a major company would make in their communication with their publics.
However, I have been around several people on the trip who clearly don’t take the appearance of their actions into much consideration while abroad, and I have seen the eyes rolling afterward. (To me, I think knowing a little bit about the culture you are entering is VITAL, and if you can’t know anything, at least be humble, apologetic and overly thankful.)
But my real point, as it relates to PR, is that it is everywhere - and it has even followed me to another country. It seems personal brand management is just communicating effectively and strategically with those around you, and as Americans abroad, it is more necessary that ever to be aware of how we appear to those who may have a certain idea of what we are about.
My advice? If you can’t manage your own brand here, don’t go international.
Note: the picture is from la plaza mayor of Salamanca where I am staying. ¿Qué preciosa, no?
What does being in another country teach you about the US?
Comment by john cass — July 12, 2006 @ 9:02 pm
Yeah, no kidding. My trip to Australia certainly made me more aware of the same issues you’ve mentioned, Ashley.
I could laugh along at remarks about Americans being “fat, lazy and obnoxious” … but I was truly mortified. Like you, I just tried my best to be respectful.
Of course, there are enough cultural similarities between Australia and the US that it probably wasn’t as big a deal as you’re encountering. Oh … and there’s the language thing.
As Americans, we do have a lot to be proud of. But we’re certainly FAR from perfect, and as a society I think we could benefit from a healthy sense of humility and being open to the lessons of other cultures.
Comment by Erin Caldwell — July 12, 2006 @ 9:29 pm
Scratch that. I think as human beings, a healthy sense of humility and genuine openness to new perspectives is beneficial.
Comment by Erin Caldwell — July 12, 2006 @ 9:33 pm
I would say the thing that I am understanding most about the US by being in another country is just other cultures’ perceptions of us, honestly. Other than that, the whole point of being in another country is to learn about its own culture, and so I am trying to do my best to understand more about Spain.
Comment by Ashley Imsand — July 12, 2006 @ 10:29 pm
This is a little off-topic, but the discussion here reminds me of an encounter I had with some US tourists on the loose in Hong Kong.
I was walking through the airport, excited about embarking on an expedition in Asian culture. As I tried to soak up my surroundings in my first few moments in the country, I was interrupted by a loud, nasal American accent:
“Hey John!” shrieked a small American child
“There’s McDonalds at the airport!”
“Oh Wow, someone get John!”
There you go Ashley - these kids enforced both of the stereotypes you said you’ve been dealing with over there
.
Australian’s aren’t immune to this though. Put an Aussie overseas and they’ll almost always turn the accent up a few clicks and start saying mate after every second word.
Great point in comment 3 Erin.
Comment by Paull Young — July 13, 2006 @ 1:12 am
It’s just jealousy.
Comment by Jeremy Pepper — July 13, 2006 @ 2:23 am
Well all us Brits are hooligans in europe don’t you know? Goes with the territory.
Comment by Richard Millington — July 13, 2006 @ 2:36 am
Here, here Ashley. I too studied abroad, and backpacked through many countries for a few weeks. Unfortunately, most of the stereotypes out there exist for a reason. I spoke to many friends who all they ate while abroad were McDonald’s when they were surrounded by other awesome food options in France and Italy. I was lucky enough to be with a group of people who appreciated their surroundings. The other group of student backpackers were loud, drunk and obnoxious. Needless to say they had some not so nice experiences with the French locals. My group however, even in Paris, had good positive interaction and had a lovely time. It’s all about using common sense, something we tap into all the time with PR. When you go abroad you really are spokespersons for your country and people need to think about that. If you act in an intelligent, mature, humble manner you are more likely to be able to discuss topics with locals and set the record straight. For example, I have a good friend in Canada. I sat down with her parents, both educated, politically aware people, for dinner and they were under the impression (this was a few years ago) that all of us down here in the US were Bush lovers. I assured them that was not the case, and that our country includes many many different views and ideas. I think these interactions are important. It gives all of us a better understanding of the world.
Comment by Vanessa — July 13, 2006 @ 9:38 am
All I really want to know is how many hamburgers and french fries do you Americans eat every week? I mean, isn’t that all that matters here?
It’s just funny that so many Americans can be completely ignorant of virtually every ohter country’s cultures, and then a few kids go backpacking (many of them ignorant themselves) and get upset because other countries have stereotypes about Americans!
Besides, I thought America invented the stereotype.
Comment by Chris Clarke — July 13, 2006 @ 2:31 pm
Sevilla may be more fun, but Salamanca has to be the most beaufiful city in Spain. It’s like Oxford, but better…
Now to your theme. It’s understandable that Americans can be insular: yours is a large, wealthy continent, and most of your families turned their back on Europe in past generations.
But isn’t that one approach to (re)integrating? Find the family connection. Imsand: Scandinavian I’d guess. But what about your mother’s side?
Comment by Richard Bailey — July 13, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
Or, adding to what Chris just said, get upset when they don’t find the comforts of home (fast food places, stores and so on). I guess it could also be the expectation of some, if not many, that every other country should be Americanized.
Comment by Jenn — July 13, 2006 @ 2:54 pm
[…] You want ignorant? How about American kids complaining about other countries having negative stereotypes about Americans? That’s precious. Thanks, Forward! […]
Pingback by Tasty Links - 2006/07/13 at Student PR Blog: Chris Clarke’s Perspective on Public Relations and Online Communications — July 13, 2006 @ 3:50 pm
I just came back from Mexico and this is how I approached my case of culture shock.
Shows like Cops and Jerry Springer might be doing a lot of the damage overseas regarding the view on America. They are strangely enough immensely popular and every time I go back to the Netherlands I get questioned about them (and that fountain from Married with Children, as I live in Chicago); just like I get questioned in the US about tulips, windmills, clogs, the red light district and pot.
Stereotyping is the easy way out. I’d say, try the hard way. I definitely like the idea of personal brand management; a change in mindset begins of course with yourself.
Comment by Marc — July 13, 2006 @ 5:52 pm
Hey, hey. There’s no reason to attack Ashley.
First, I just came from a speech last night by John Rendon of the Rendon Group (I’m writing on it for O’Dywers, but will also write up something here).
One of the issues that came up was the continued erosion of US’s repuation worldwide, and it was noted that it’s not this administration, but has been a continual downward spiral for decades.
The one thing that I notice when I have been to Europe - and, I’ve been more places in Europe and worldwide than I have in the US - is that there has always been a holier than thou attitude … by the Europeans. Is it jealousy? Is it embarassment (re WWI and WWII)?
Yes, Americans tend to only speak English, but even when I speak other languages, the attitude comes out.
And, what was really reprenhensible was how my parents were treated post 9-11, when they were stuck in Spain.
This year, it will be South America for me. Since I speak no Portuguese, it should be interesting, but I’ll let you know if there’s a bit of anti-Americanism there as well.
Comment by Jeremy Pepper — July 15, 2006 @ 3:28 pm
Thanks for all of the comments everyone.
Sorry I couldn’t comment earlier, but I have been without internet for the past four days because I went on a wonderful excursion to the southern region of Spain.
I’m really not sure this was completely the direction I wanted the discussion to go.
I was hoping all of us could look at it in less than black and white terms because, afterall, I think true ignorance is thinking things are black and white, and I think stereotypes are a result of that.
One point to consider for the Europeans and everywhere is that yes, there are loud obnoxious Americans that travel abroad and I can certainly see how it is annoying.
One point to consider for us though is, that to treat someone a certain way before they have even opened their mouth to tell you they are here to learn more about the culture is worse to me. And I have experienced that attitude more than you would think in the 2 weeks I have been here.
Let’s think about it… I am pursuing a second degree in their language and have made an effort to study in Mexico and Spain to learn the language better. I have been studying Spanish since the third grade and I always make an effort to speak in Spanish, and I think I speak it relatively well. Does it make sense to judge me then? I would hope not.
One last thought. Since I have noticed there is always a line at the local Burger King and McDonald’s in Salamanca, and that my friends and I notice as we walk to the local restaurant to eat tortilla española that the line at the fast food restaurants ISN’T full of Americans, I would think it is safe to say we are not the only culture eating hamburgers and french fries.
I think a little perspective on everyone’s part would really help this discussion, and furthermore these sometimes troubling relations between countries in general.
Let’s face it, there are loud jerks in the U.S. and there are some not great people around other parts of the world too.
So the point of this discussion was to address that hasty labels and not opening your perspective is not making any situation better, for the Europeans, the Americans or any one.
And also, I know this comment is VERY long, but I had a good bit to work with
.
I struck up a conversation with a woman natively from Mexico who is married to a man from Spain, and their family lives in Houston. She had nothing but wonderful things to say about the U.S. and she thinks that many people just have an uneducated perception of our country.
Also, I struck up a conversation with a native Pakistani who lives in Spain currently and he labeled the bad attitude to be not just toward Americans, but anyone different.
My point? The whole world has work to do.
And Richard, Salamanca is a GREAT place! The buildings are all beautiful, but we have seen so many great sites in different cities here that it is hard to pick a favorite city. I am actually almost over-stimulated by the beautiful history around me. There’s just too much to see all at once. But I am loving all of it.
Also, Imsand is German and Swedish. My mother’s maiden name was Fields and I think it has English roots.
I think one positive way to look at the United States is also that we get, albeit a small, but nonetheless taste of many cultures because there are so many roots from around the world here.
Comment by Ashley Imsand — July 16, 2006 @ 12:55 pm
Well said, Ashley. Nobody is perfect, especially us Canadians.
Whatever our culture is, it’s has issues. If we slow down on the beer drinking and the bacon eating, next thing you know we’re the 51st state! (That rings kinda familiar, doesn’t it eh?)
Comment by Chris Clarke — July 16, 2006 @ 9:43 pm
[…] Lee and Allan think living and working abroad are really good, although we cannot point to any specific career advantages that we have enjoyed. We pick up on Ashley Imsand’s recent post and waver, with determination, forward. PR people need to be aware of cultural differences. We then turn to Lee’s recent post about having a PR Pinup Calendar. Allan: “That didn’t go over all that well, did it?” Lee: “Uhm…. no”. Allan wonders what ole B.L. Ochman actually said. Lee explains the 18 1/2 minute gap on his tapes. […]
Pingback by CommsCafe.com » Chat #13 Lee and Allan go all cultural on you — July 19, 2006 @ 1:11 pm
[…] Allan and I think living and working abroad are really good, although we cannot point to any specific career advantages that we have enjoyed. We pick up on Ashley Imsand’s recent post and waver, with determination, forward. PR people need to be aware of cultural differences. […]
Pingback by Better Communication Results — July 19, 2006 @ 4:52 pm
Growing up in the UK I used to listen to Alistair Cooke and his radio broadcast, “letter from America,” the radio articles were helpful in teaching me something about the US, but also something about the UK. In that vein, Ashley, what’s would be your letter from Spain this week?
Comment by John Cass — July 20, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
[…] Ashley Imsand’s postcard from Spain sparked a lively discussion about attitudes to the United States and US citizens abroad. It’s an important question; it also relates very directly to public relations. Let’s unpick some of the themes. […]
Pingback by Forward Blog » Blog Archive » History lessons — July 20, 2006 @ 4:55 pm
When I was in my first three years as an undergraduate at an institution different from the one I graduated at this past May, I met many of the international students who were either passing through for the traditional four years of study, or just wanted to spend a year or two in the States.
I actually had a Japanese roommate after I parted ways with my initial roommate during first year. She was one of the sweetest, kindest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I actually met many of the girls she became friends with and many of the Intl. students in general.
Things were different for them and they learned to get through it all by sticking together. They marveled at the food choices, our customs and rituals and how their economic status had shifted in the American system.
Unfortunately, I heard of the disdain that you mention, Ashley (i.e. treating others a certain way before they even open their mouths), as some students would “talk about” certain Intl. students without probably even spending one minute in their company. Yet, collectively, they still never had a bad thing to say about anyone or anything.
They are all still, in my humble opinion, some of the most wonderful human beings I have ever met.
I can’t say that all of their experiences were positive and happy, but if anything, I think I’ve learned that even if one person or experience may fail you in your perception of, well, something, you have to remember that you learn, you grow and you move on and wait for the next. Not one little part will dominate the greater whole. That’s key, especially when you’re conducting ethnographic research as you are doing now.
And I have no idea what the heck I’m rambling about now.
Comment by Jenn — July 20, 2006 @ 5:30 pm
haha. Jen, I think you’re making a valid point and that is that Americans are certainly not infallible themselves. Honestly, I think I have begun to see in general ways in which the whole world should try to view the rest of the world, and that is with simple respect.
Shucks, this feels like a beauty pageant and all I want is world peace, right? but there’s something to be said for the respect and toleration thing.
Anyway, John…. great question!
Right now in Salamanca, well first of all it’s 1 in the morning (ha).
We’re wrapping up our classes here, and we’re going to take our finals this coming tuesday. In particular, one of the most interesting things I am having to do is an independent study in Advanced Syntax where all I do is complete worksheets on grammar exercises to better understand some of the nuances of the language.
The cool thing about this is that my teacher teaches English to kids here in Spain, but doesn’t know all of our figurative language, and clearly I may not understand the figurative phrases in Spanish either. So trying to talk around words and concepts that either one of us do not know is amazing to me. It obviously takes twice the time to try to describe to her for instance, what putting one’s foot in one’s mouth means in English to see if that is the same as the idiomatic phrase in Spanish that she is trying to teach me so that I understand what verb tense or preposition to use… to make a long story short the communication for me is clearly just the most amazing aspect of this trip, and with this independent study I have to do a lot of it.
(Side note: for anyone who is taking or has taken a certain elementary level of spanish and is thinking about continuing, just know that you will
never stop studying ser and estar, preterite and imperfect and por y para because those are just concepts that we don’t have in English that take literally more than 10 years of studying the language to figure out. But I am also learning that prepositions like among and between in English are pretty frustrating to them, as well as our less-than-organized way of conjugating verbs.)
But, touristically, this past weekend I just went to Andalucia for four days to visit Granada, Cordoba and Sevilla and I saw a flamenco dancing show, and all of the most beautiful ancient arabic architecture you could ever want to see. It’s almost way too much to take in.
And today for me since it’s already 1 am, but friday for you folks, I am leaving after class to go to the beach in Portugal all day saturday and then to a small town called Candelario in Spain to see a bull fight and a small festival. Portugal should be even more humbling yet since I know NOTHING about Portuguese…
And wednesday of this coming week, we leave Salamnca for good (sniff sniff) for Paris for a few days en route back to the US!
Sorry John. You opened up the flood gate. You better watch out because this was the brief version of what I could have told everyone. I could talk someone’s ear off about all the cool things I have seen and people I have met.
PS…. I saw in el Alhambra in Granada the room in which Christopher Columbus asked permission from Ferdinand and Isabella to sail the ocean blue! And I saw his remains in another beautiful Gothic cathedral in Sevilla. It was all just too cool. I geeked out a little bit over some of this stuff, ha. So there you go.
Comment by Ashley Imsand — July 20, 2006 @ 6:23 pm
Ashley, agreed, respect is key. And just like Grace Hart/Gracie Lou Freebush, I really do want world peace too! OK, bad movie reference, haha.
I was wondering how many years you’ve been studying Spanish and how often you’ve found yourself using it outside of your studies.
I studied for four years in HS and a semester in college. I’ve only used Spanish in one incidence outside of my studies which is pretty disappointing. I pray it all comes flooding back if I ever find myself in a role that will require knowledge of the language.
Comment by Jenn — July 20, 2006 @ 9:00 pm
hey jen, you guys better watch asking me such good questions because I will talk about it all way too much!
well I went to a small private college prep school which started us with spanish in third and fourth grade. Then we took french in 5th and 6th, then chose which of the two we would take for middle school until sophomore year in high school. I chose spanish, and then after a really great honors spanish 3 class sophomore year, decided to take AP spanish Language my junior year and AP Spanish Lit my senior year. I did pretty well on both of those exams and got a generous amount of college credit for them so now I am double majoring in Spanish and PR. So…. arghh I guess I have been studying it for quite a while?
But, there aren’t THAT many chances to use it in Huntsville or Auburn, Alabama. I did study for 2 weeks in Cuernavaca, Mexico my senior year of high school (one week was my senior year spring break…. I think I was one of the only kids in Mexico for spring break that never once saw the beach, sad.)
But that experience helped me trememndously because I stayed with a family. Imagine waking up and HAVING to speak spanish over cereal. It was kind of cool.
I was getting a bit discouraged as time went by for a while though, because if you don’t use it you will forget it. But since I started blogging, I have been reading posts by Octavio Rojas in Spanish and trying to keep it up that way, and I use it in class too. But if you want to keep up with it…. GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY SPEAK IT!
Plus, I think the opportunities will come more and more in the future. Shops, Doctors offices? I’ve only had once or twice when I happened to see a person struggling to communicate between the languages in public where I offered to step in and help, though. Other than that I think it will just be to help you in your travels or in the business world.
Comment by Ashley Imsand — July 21, 2006 @ 2:22 am
Ditto on that.
I can read Spanish still. Speaking it is questionable. Writing? Forget it. It’s been too long.
One day, I’ll remember. I hope. =)
Comment by Jenn — July 24, 2006 @ 5:26 pm