Travelers as ambassadors
Do you ever spend your time traveling thinking about how you can be an ambassador for your country?
Whether you like it or not, when you travel you provide the most personal and immediate connection to your home country that most of the locals you’re visiting will ever see.
Ask a hostel owner or restaurant owner to characterize a nationality and they’ll seldom hesitate to do so. The answer might be some cultural stereotypes or cliches, but chances are those cliches and stereotypes are result of first-hand observation.
That’s why, regardless of whether it’s your intention or not, when abroad you’re a de-facto example of all Americans, all Germans, all Indians and so on.
I’ve been mulling over a post from the Uncornered Market travel blog for a few days now. Audrey Scott, who has some background in formal diplomacy, talks about how travelers impact locals’ perceptions. “We impact the people who normally fall outside the range of formal diplomacy and intellectual exchanges… Perhaps the interconnectedness of today’s international travelers can help close the gap between formal programs and the hearts and minds of ordinary people.”
The context of post is focusing on how American can go about repairing its somewhat damaged image abroad, but the ideas could easily apply to anyone from any country.
In short, what Scott’s suggesting goes a bit beyond just behaving respectfully and lessening your negative impact on the areas you visit, to include a sort of micro-diplomacy.
As someone who doesn’t particularly care about nationality and isn’t so sure that the nation-state itself has a long future ahead of it, I’m not sure I agree with the underlying logic, but at the same time I think anything that makes us more aware of the effects that ripple around us as we move through the world is a good thing.
But mainly I’m curious to hear what fellow vagablogging reader think. Is Scott right when she suggests that “traditional diplomats and traditional public diplomacy are critical, but maybe it’s time to augment the set of tools in our country’s diplomatic toolbox?” Do you see yourself as a supplement to formal ambassadors abroad? Or are you just happy to travel and do what comes naturally while on the road?
[photo by simon.monk, Flickr]
February 18th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Why would anyone want people to think well of America? The US government is an evil military empire and everyone knows it. I’m not an ambassador for anyone but myself. I think of myself as refugee from the monster, and I usually tell people on the road that they’re absolutely right to be afraid and angry, and that in most cases they’re not scared enough. I’ve seen the viciousness, greed and militarism up close, and I know how dangerous it is.
February 18th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Tim: I think the post is about representing Americans, not the American government.
February 19th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
What’s the difference? I remember businessmen punching me in the street at demonstrations in 2002. The American people totally support the army and the wars so they’re responsible for what happened and all the secret prisons, torture, racism against Muslims and all that stuff. The post is talking about a post about “repairing” America’s damaged image. I’m saying why should American backpackers misrepresent the country? We deserve the bad rep.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
First you criticize racism, then you say it’s okay for people to make blanket statements about all Americans, ie “We deserve the bad rep.” “We” whatever that means are not all the same. At least, I’m assuming the demonstrations you speak of were against the war? You’re not the only one. 🙂
February 19th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
On the blog subject, I personally don’t try to represent all Americans, because that’s impossible. On a functional level I think I give people a good impression because I try *really* hard to learn about host cultures (on their own terms) and languages. People can see that and it resonates. But I don’t do that “for America,” it’s just part of making genuine connections with the people around you. Or representing one’s self, like you say, if those connections are what matter to you.