Fake Canadians

[wa senior]

Seattle Times Friday, September 24, 2004
Travel essay: Fake Canadians roaming Europe
By Joseph Cohen
Special to The Seattle Times

It was my third day in Cinque Terre, a five-town tourist destination on Italy's northwest coast.

Made popular by postcard views, homemade pesto and travel-industry guru Rick Steves, the Cinque Terre in July is very busy and very American. The cozy 10-bed hostel I was staying in was home to backpackers ages 20 to 23. There were six young men from the United States, two young women from England, and a brother and sister from Canada.

I decided to get to know the Canadian siblings who had been sleeping four feet away from me. All I knew about them was that they were proud Canadians, since they had Canadian flags patched on their otherwise unmarked black backpacks.

My icebreaker question: "So I saw the flag on your backpacks; whereabouts in Canada are you guys from?"

"Oh, we're actually from Oregon," they replied. "The flag on our packs is to confuse people."

These 20-somethings were so scared of being American during their travels in France, Germany and Italy that they decided to put Canadian flags on their backpacks. That they were really Americans in disguise didn't surprise me; I could have held a full (and very poorly played) hockey game with all the fake Canadians I ran into while traveling in Western Europe.

The plethora of Canadian flags on American backpacks this summer obviously has roots in current events dealing with Iraq and President George W. Bush. Yet Europeans do not translate their dislike of our president into animosity toward American travelers. You have a better chance of being pick-pocketed in Switzerland than accosted for being an American anywhere in Western Europe.

I last traveled in Europe during the summer of 2001 for 10 weeks, and the only thing that has changed since then is that more Americans fear (at least initially) that everybody dislikes them.

Too many Americans mistake the European dislike of our current government as hatred of American people. But most Europeans separate their opinions about America's government from what they think of Americans themselves. In fact, a lot of American things are still in vogue. T-shirts with U.S. flags are commonly seen on European youths; American singers and rappers are as popular as they have ever been; and American movies still draw the largest crowds.

If you are considering the fake-Canadian approach to Europe, please stop. All you are going to do is draw disgusted looks from other Americans who find out your secret. After all, how adept are you at speaking Canadian, anyway? Not very good, eh?

Joseph Cohen lives in Bellevue.

 

[Kev]

I wonder how many Canadians fake being an American?

My motto is "Citizens of a country should not pass judgement on citizens of another country based on decisions made by their goverment."

Some of the nicest people i have ever met were American. --- Kev

 

[wa senior]

Kev

When I read this article in my paper, I wasn't too thrilled that some of my fellow countrymen were so ashamed to be thought of as Americans that they had to try and pass themselves off as coming from another country. I don’t agree with everything my government says or does, but when I travel, I try to keep a low profile and not make an ass of myself. So far, it’s worked.



Remember, if the girls don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy. Red Green

 

[crustyclown]

This is not a new practice, have heard about it for many years.

 

[Morrigan]

I agree that one shouldn't judge based on their country of origin. However, people do judge and since America isn't exactly everyone's favorite country on the world stage right now, I too have heard of Yanks posing as Canucks in order to avoid discrimination, both subtle and obvious. It sucks, but the way I see it is if they are so unhappy to be Americans, why don't they move to Canada? But I don't know much about politics... its all too convoluted for my tastes.

 

[wa senior]

Hi Morrigan,

If they're not happy as Yanks, what makes you think they'd be happier as Canucks?

Politics and most politicians suck! Just once I'd like to be able to vote for a politician I like, rather than vote for the lessor of two evils. But I have to vote. People that don't/won't vote have no right to complain about what they get.

 

[Kev]

In my travels i have personally met quite a few Americans who haved passed themselves of as Canadian. American diplomacy towards the world has been screwed up for along time. However one thing i have noticed Americans in there own country are far more patriotic than ever before. --- Kev

 

[OTR2]

This is not a new practice, have heard about it for many years.

I lived in Europe, and Crusty's right, it's been like this for years, politics of the US aside, lots of European motorists are more likely to pick up a Canadian hitchiker.

 

[Buntoss]

I don't think its all about politics, I think many non-Americans view Americans as being narrow-minded, they only see things their own way.

For example, I recall reading an article where one US lady touring in Belgium saw a bunch of signs giving directions in multiple languages, a flag represented each language, eg. French, Italian, English, etc. She was quite upset that the English instructions were represented by an English flag!! Where was the American Flag she asked!

Another person had asked me do they sell American Cheese in Canada? Umm what sort, the stuff that comes in a jar?

Overall though, I would say most Americans I have met have been alot nicer than alot of Canadians that I've met. They just don't know much outside of their borders.

 

[BushPilot]

In the Low Countries of western Europe, it was the Canadian army that liberated them from the Nazis after Normandy. That is why Canadians are treated with such reverence in those countries. I met a Dutchman who told me that they are all taught in high school that it was the Canadians who first came through to chase the Nazis out. I think that the Canadian flag on the backpack started out as a way to capitalize on these feelings. They say that in the sixties, if you were travelling in Belgium or Holland, they'd take you home for dinner when they found out you were Canadian. That kind of thing doesn't happen so much anymore, but the flags are still on many backpacks. I would suspect that Americans have been doing what the letter talks about for as long as Canadians have been wearing the flags. Hey, wouldn't you do such a simple thing if it'd potentially get you a free meal while backpacking?

 

[2pacalypse]

americans seem friendlier, confident, and easier to befriend...i think canadians can be very insecure, angry, and substitute politeness for friendliness, at least in bc..

 

[zlmmm]

I wasn't too thrilled that some of my fellow countrymen were so ashamed to be thought of as Americans that they had to try and pass themselves off as coming from another country. I don’t agree with everything my government says or does, but when I travel, I try to keep a low profile and not make an ass of myself. So far, it’s worked.

I'm with you there, WA Sr.

I have traveled far and wide and have never nor will I ever hide my American nationality (not even during Sept/Oct 2001 with 10 International flights), nor will I be afraid to openly discuss and disclose it. I treat others I encounter with respect and also avoid discussions on US government policy (mostly arguments waiting to happen for opinions which I mostly share anyway). I have seen mabye 6-8 Americans w/ Canadian flags in 14 years of travel and I will voice my disappointment but try to support their choice to do so.

 

[VanIslandGuy]

Ironic.

I remember backpacking in Europe a few years ago with my maple leaf displayed on my backpack. Not so much for security ... it was a good "ice-breaker" for meeting fellow travellers.(hmmmm - those Aussie girls in Barcelona )

While waiting for a train in Switzerland, a loud american college kid travelling with his mommy&daddy starts verbally abusing me about it. things like : "You are not better than us", "You travel the same places, eat the same food" - it was too funny and stereotypical.

BTW - isn't American cheese the stuff that you spray from an aeresol can ? (isn't that a pleasant thought)