Berkley Center

During my two months in Chile, I’ve noticed a recurring trend: whenever I leave my group of gringos—the friends I’ve made through my study abroad program—to explore or study alone, I’m frequently asked if I’m French. Now, as a Buffalonian with a pretty thick Buffalo-Canada accent, I’m very positive that I have yet to acquire an accent that could pass as Chilean…that being the case, however, I’m also very certain that I don’t sound French.

While eating lunch one day and being asked, yet again, “Eres Francesa?” I asked my waiter why I seem French. The man immediately seemed surprised that I was American and replied that since I’m small and talk quietly, I appear French…which is to say that Americans are perceived as large and loud.

Since this conversation, I have thought a lot about the American stereotype in Latin America. Other conversations have brought to light other negative stereotypes as well. For example, while working on a group project, my Chilean partners described to me how cuicos, or wealthy and stuck-up, Chileans think that being American is bácan, or cool, but that regular Chileans tend to associate Americans with negative characteristics. During family lunches, my host sister described that she has met American exchange students in the past who have avoided saying that they’re American and try to stick to a less stereotyped “North American.”

The perception of the United States has made me think a lot about perceptions of gringos in Latin America. Should I shy away from talking about differences between cultures to avoid any possibility of sounding too pro-United States? Is it even appropriate to refer to people from the United States as "Americans" when technically anyone from North or South America is an American?

As a country, the United States can very obviously be controversial; from a historical perspective alone our role in the 1973 Chilean coup will generally come with either distaste or appreciation. Likewise, most people I have met almost always have some opinion about US politics.Obviously foreign policy is of more interest than domestic, but in a very conservative and Catholic country, even the most conservative are quick to comment on their love of President Obama and dislike of President Bush. Considering that liberal-conservative divide in the United States, it immediately struck me how foreign policy gives different opinions of party lines.

Overall, being from the United States in Chile provides an interesting perspective. As a student, I’m immediately placed within different categories; in one university I have professors offering to let me write my exams in English and in others I have professors telling me that it’s too difficult for them to speak slower so I need to listen faster. Regardless of the stereotype, being American brings automatic responses (even calling myself American has negative associations to many people); as I’m nearing my halfway point of my study abroad, I can only hope that I’ll break down those stereotypes until people see me for more than my country.