[Gocamino] New to the list

[Richard Ferguson]

I never felt discriminated against being from the 
USA.  Occasionally people wanted to talk 
politics, but they were polite.  I speak pretty 
good Spanish, and I have lots of experience 
traveling outside the USA, so I had those 
advantages.

I would say that if you avoid carrying a chip on 
your shoulder, don't have too many expectations, 
and are polite, you will not have special 
problems as a US citizen.  The real problem, if 
you have one, is in your own mind.  If you carry 
the idea that everything that is different than 
the USA is wrong, that is the ultimate  ugly 
American attitude, and then you might have some 
problems.

It is obvious to me that Machi has a serious 
anti-American attitude, so he sees the world 
through an anti-American filter.  Most likely, he 
projects his own anti-American world view and 
attitude onto others, who may or may not share 
it.  Some people, especially leftists, seem to 
think that America is inferior to other 
countries, is a danger to the planet, etc, and 
have deeply anti-American views.  Some Americans 
also share those views.  But even people who 
oppose the US government don't necessarily assume 
that all Americans are bad folks.   Anyway, don't 
let him scare you into pretending to be Canadian. 
;-)  I am sure others will tell you that being an 
American on the camino is not a problem.

If you have not traveled abroad, it is an 
adjustment.  It would be an adjustment if you 
were from Canada or any other country.  Be 
flexible.  Expect that things will be different. 
Ask questions.  Do what the locals do.  Be polite.

You should consider some kind of crash Spanish 
course, at least enough to ask directions and say 
hello.  I read that Spain has the lowest 
percentage of people who speak foreign languages 
in Europe, so don't expect everyone to speak 
English.  I even ran into a few Spaniards who 
answered my questions in regional languages, such 
as Gallego, not Spanish!  My assumption was that 
they were not comfortable speaking Spanish, using 
Gallego for their daily life.  Sometimes I could 
even figure out what they said.  ;-)

Richard



>
>	c) As USAlander that have never traveled abroad: My dear Lori, I 
>think this is the most tricky dimension of your situation. Why?
>Because USAlanders that have never looked outside their borders have
>a very peculiar idea about the world, and specially about the US
>Goverment and corporation's deeds. USAlanders tend to believe that 
>the rest of the world is a somewhat imperfect extension of US way of 
>life, and that your country can only be seen as a lighthouse of 
>democracy and freedom, as the model everybody would conform with, and 
>this is not the case. Many USAlanders have the bitter experience to
>learn that his people is seen as uncultivated and ignorant, and his
>goverment's foreign politics as a menace to world's peace. All the
>nationality-related negative attitude I witnessed along the camino, 
>were against USAlanders; at Cebreiro I even had to intercede in 
>favour of a group from Michigan that had been rejected from the 
>albergue, and then I had to make a colect of matresses for them, 
>because they were not given beds!
>	Perhaps it would be wise to say you are canadian.
>
>
>
>	Machi
>
>El 07/02/2007, a las 20:03, Lori Volding escribió:
>
>>  Hi there,
>>  Two weeks ago I decided to walk the Camino and I am very excited yet
>>  overwhelmed. I would like to learn more about traveling solo and to 
>>  learn
>>  what precautions I may need to take as a woman. I have never 
>>  traveled abroad
>>  and need to absorb as much knowledge that I can prior to my planned 
>>  trip in
>>  mid June. Any thoughts or suggestions for starters?
>>  Lori
>
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