You’re Right: People From the US Aren’t The Only Terrible Tourists & Entitled Expats

It’s often been noted, in response to my writing, that people from the US are not the only ones responsible for being terrible tourists and gentrifying “expats.”

Until now, I haven’t really addressed this head-on, as my work with prospective emigrants is limited to those leaving the US.

A few incidents and news stories of late have convinced me it’s time to speak to this directly.

Savor this moment, readers. As my husband will testify, it doesn’t happen often that these words come off my lips or my fingers: “You are correct.”

As a person born and raised in the US who lived in the country in four different states along the East Coast and traveled along the entire east and gulf coasts of the US for work over the course of many years, I feel comfortable scrutinizing fellow US nationals and our collective culture (to the degree there is one). I understand the mainstream culture and several subcultures of which I’ve been a part, as well as, to a lesser extent, some of the regional cultures that I’ve witnessed (in the US South, specifically, after living there for 8 years).

Conversely, my understanding of the cultures of people from Europe, Canada, East Asia, and the Middle East is that of an outsider with only academic and second-hand knowledge (besides visits to Ireland, Spain, and Qatar). In particular, mine is the perspective of an outsider experiencing tourists and “expats” from these regions — likely to be among the wealthier citizens from the places they originate. I am also experiencing them in the context of a location that is tourism-dependent in Mexico.

And let me tell you, Americans aren’t the only ones who can show up “ugly.”

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