Recently I was enjoying an excellent, locally owned Scranchester Tours walking history tour of Manchester, England, with a Canadian woman from Montreal I had just encountered. Then she told me, “Canadians have always been America’s allies, but not anymore. We honestly don’t want to have anything to do with any of you.”
She was not kidding, just being brutally honest — harsh words from someone I had just met.
It was a sentiment I had never heard before in all my years of traveling the globe as a proud American and professional travel writer; it gave me pause.
It’s a brave new world out there beyond the borders of the United States in 2025. As a seasoned travel journalist who has visited 70 countries and been covering the travel beat for more than 25 years, the change in the world’s perceptions of America is obvious, thus forcing me and any other globetrotting American to ask the question: How do I travel internationally as an American in a world of shifting alliances and conflict?
Truth be told, the stereotype of “The Ugly American” has been around since authors William Lederer and Eugene Burdick’s bestselling political novel of the same name was released in 1958, then reinforced by the 1963 film of the same name starring Marlon Brando. Depicting Americans as arrogant, loud, boorish and demeaning of other cultures, the term has stuck and is still mentioned 60-plus years later.
So, for starters, as you grab your passport and head onto the plane, cruise ship, behind the wheel of your car for a cross-borders road trip, be determined not to become the ugly American as you travel.
The ways to do this are actually simple, but they require an open mind to a key fact: The rest of the world is very different from the United States, and the way other cultures live is to be respected.
Plan ahead
Doing some research about the country you are visiting before departing helps you understand some basic cultural points. Check the currency accepted where you are headed, look at the exchange rate (how much a U.S. dollar is worth against the country’s local currency) by using the Xe currency convertor app for an idea of what your money will be worth on the trip, and plan to get some local cash from an ATM upon arrival unless you’re able to take care of it through your bank at home.
Be aware that it is more cost-effective to get cash from an ATM than changing dollars at a local bank or currency broker; and know to always choose the local currency price when using a credit card to pay, not the U.S. dollar price. You will always get a better exchange rate from the card company when they complete the transaction in the local currency. Having cash is still necessary in many countries for taxis, tipping, and at street markets, bazaars and other small businesses. And know that trying to give someone USD is usually not acceptable, as they often cannot change the currency.
Americans are used to tipping, but it is not the norm in most other countries, so research what is expected before you go. Many other countries pay waiters, hotel staff and other service workers good wages, so tipping is not part of the culture. Cruises and organized tours usually indicate if tipping is expected (or included in the price).
Americans often assume that English is spoken everywhere, which is not true. So being polite and at least trying to learn some basic phrases in the language spoken is a beginning, like how to say “hello,” “thank you” and “good morning.” The Google Translate app is very helpful for conversation that goes beyond basic phrases, so it’s helpful if you have connectivity with your phone while traveling. And always ask if the person you encounter speaks English; never assume it.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T other cultures
Visiting other countries is an adventure, but some Americans seem to expect everywhere to be just like home. The reality is, most places are nothing like the United States, especially when it comes to cultural norms, language, religions and laws. Sometimes those differences are easy to see, like driving on the opposite side of the road, while others, such as expecting the police and judicial system to work like it does here, are much more complicated and lead Americans to make wrong assumptions.
For example, bringing chewing gum into Singapore is illegal, as is chewing the gum; the same is true for nicotine vapes. China does not guarantee due process if you are accused of a crime, and Saudi Arabia can arrest and detain visitors without a trial. In other words, knowing something about the country you visit is key to understanding what the traditional rules and current laws are.
The U.S. government gives information about visa requirements and other valuable advice for citizens traveling to other countries at usa.gov/visas-citizens-traveling-abroad and sets travel advisories at usa.gov/travel-advisory, so be advised to check before you travel.
For instance, a visit to the United Kingdom now requires an application — and payment of a little less than $22 — through its electronic travel authorization system. It’s quick and easy if you do it ahead of time. Similar systems are scheduled to be put in place for the European Union, starting late in 2025 and expanding in late 2026.
Respect for religious differences is fundamental, especially when visiting a place that is predominantly Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, etc., because there are specific ways you are expected to behave in those places. Think scarf head coverings for women in Catholic churches, shoe removal for all to enter a mosque, yarmulkes required for men in synagogues, but also pay attention to the cultural norms away from houses of worship and behave accordingly to avoid being considered a rude American.
Many countries are not as casual about clothing as the U.S., so follow their traditional customs out of respect for their culture. Let’s say you’re heading to the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in December. If you are female, showing skin is not acceptable there, so plan to cover your legs, shoulders, arms and (especially) your décolletage, despite the heat. Male? Wearing female clothes or makeup there can get you arrested.
When visiting Uganda, perhaps on a journey to see the Silverback gorillas, women are expected to cover their legs, at least to below the knees. And wearing pants is not the custom in the country; it’s skirts only. Going to the tropical paradise of the Maldives? That is a very conservative Muslim country. So, on the capital (and home of the international airport), Male Island, women are expected to be modest and cover their shoulders, arms and legs. While at island resorts, Western clothing styles are accepted. And remember that in most Muslim countries, alcohol is prohibited, with exceptions made in international hotels or resorts only.
Get out of your comfort zone
The whole idea of travel is to try new things, meet new people, see sights that you never would have seen, eat foods you’ve never heard of, and get out of the comfortable bubble that we exist in as Americans. Food is a particularly polarizing thing for some Americans abroad, but it doesn’t have to be.
Instead of searching for the seemingly omnipresent McDonald’s or Pizza Hut fast food stops that have infiltrated many (too many?) countries, surprise yourself and try the tapas, satay skewers, dumplings, tacos, poi, herring or whatever else the people eat where you’re visiting. You’ll likely find local favorites that relate to the environment around you, traditional comfort foods, newly developed modern delicacies and much more. And there’s certain to be something that reminds you of food you’ve eaten at home, if you are willing to forgo a cheeseburger and fries to discover new things.
Try the local wines, drink the beer that’s been brewed down the road, sip the artisanal mezcal or the gin distilled in someone’s garage, have a sip of cider, a special tea or coffee grown in the area. It’s all part of the experience of being far from home. And if you don’t like something, try a different local taste next. Trust me, your favorite thing is one bite or sip away. Take the plunge; new food is part of being far from home.
Avoid boorish behavior
People from many different cultures don’t seem to know how to travel, but Americans in particular have a reputation across the globe for being pushy and loud people. I have found it isn’t that difficult to shift the paradigm to be the less-aggro American by simply considering how you (and your family/sports buddies/galpals) are behaving.
The basics: Always use headphones when listening to electronic devices, speak in low tones when on the telephone or having a conversation in a crowded space, and do not allow your children to run totally out of control. Getting drunk and rowdy, leaving your garbage behind for someone else to deal with, cutting in line, and acting privileged at any point are the hallmarks of that Ugly American (and of some other cultures, too). Acting that way keeps the stereotype alive.
Finally, Americans traveling at this time in our history need to be hyperaware that the shift in American policies in both domestic and international positions have complicated views about our government specifically and often of Americans in general. Being loud about your politics, whatever they are, won’t improve your experience while touring most other countries today.
We can and certainly will still travel, but do it with a heightened awareness of the sentiments of those we encounter.