"The problem is that we know little about other cultures, and rather than decent knowledge we are likely to make do with easy and false stereotypes. This is what Herodotus understood all too well. Better still, he knew that only mutual knowledge of each other makes understanding and connecting possible, as the only way to...

"I am not sure I believe in national characters. I think it is nonsense to talk about the French being like this or the Italians like that. I agree that one of the flaws of the travel book is this assumption that there is a national stereotype. What I do like in the English travel...

The Atlantic had an article titled Welcome to America, Please Be On Time: What Guide Books Tell Foreign Visitors to the U.S. It was a little disorienting to read about your own country from the perspective of a foreigner. When you live in a place where you grow up, it doesn't occur to you to...

"Travelers continue, in ever larger numbers, to make trips to exotic, non-Western lands, which seem to answer to some of the old stereotypes: that simpler society, where faith is pure, nature pristine, discontent (and its civilization) unknown. But paradise is always being lost. One of the recurrent themes of modern travel narratives is the depredations...

One of the time-honored traditions of expat life in Asia is bashing other foreigners. Familiarity can breed contempt, and it is amazing how you run into the same kinds of people over and over again. Sarah Grooms playfully took aim at these expat stereotypes in The Faster Times : The 11 foreigners you meet in...

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Life, today more than ever before, often involves the navigation of cultural stereotypes. It's a tricky business, as world leaders, soldiers, missionaries, and Kentucky Fried Chicken will tell you. Stereotypes aren't necessarily negative. Like stories, they help us frame and understand the world. They give us a starting point from which to...

Whether we want the responsibility or not, we represent our countries when we're on the road. Have you ever cringed at the bad behavior of another traveler from your home country? Matador Abroad had an article titled, Do you represent your country when you travel? I'd say the answer is a definite yes. You become...

It's an ironic practice: criticizing other travelers. We're all foreigners to the place we're visiting, but we can't help but try to differentiate ourselves from the standard tourists. This MSNBC.com article discusses the 5 types of travelers that are killing tourism . As an American, I couldn't help but feel a bit stung at the...