OPSEC / The Ignorant Americans Operational Security On Vacation

Guy In Upper Left Corner in all seriousness it is a masterpiece. Intuitive and helpful on a very real subject and done in a way to be anything but negative. Some may be put off by it and I understand why. Unless you meant otherwise I see it as just one part of a larger tool kit not an overwhelming warning or inducement to fear. Thanks. But, I still had to have a little fun. Sorry.

Don’t let me get started with Japan or Korea. We’re kind of obvious
there.

Unless we are Asian American?

University of Michigan sweatshirt
Wearing European brands like Jack Wolfskin or Fjällräven will help
blend in better

Pink and white Yankie caps and UCLA apparel for some reason are very popular among Europeans, but somehow they still look different sitting on a European body. But how many Americans did you see that you did not recognize as Americans? And I dont think it matters. Maybe in some environments looking like a tourist is an issue, but thats independent of being an American.

Go by your gut instincts.

Nothing is more true.

Most importantly, have a wingman.

I prefer a wingwoman, but that would require marriage. I think I will risk it alone for now … or sometimes I hire out to fill the role for the trip.

We’re Americans so It’s quite fine that we be Americans. In my
experience lots of nations welcome us.

And even though Americans tend to be self-denigrating to the extreme, I don’t think the rest of the world sees us that bad. Actually no worse than an American would see any other nationality on the street of the US.

On this post I’ll address not looking like an American so as not to
become a target.

What makes you assume that "looking like an American" will turn you in to a target? Maybe the advise people need is to just relax. You are not travelling to a war zone.

I can spot an American among a large crowd on the streets of
Düsseldorf or Amsterdam easy.

One of my favourite games on the trains here in Switzerland is trying to guess where someone is from. I usually can spot the Dutch and the Germans, the Italians and the Spanish quite easily... And yes Americans. But it is rarely because of clothes.

Nobody cares that you do not look like the locals, that you may stand out.

Indeed, why would looking like an American make you a target? And a target to do what to?
If you yourself feel better to not look like an American that’s fine, but I can’t help but feel that this post is an exaggeration and may cause (first) visitors to Europe to become needlessly scared and anxious.

My advice after decades of travel...relax, be yourself, and wear things that are respectful of the local customs.

As soon as you open your mouth they are going to know you're not a local.

Perhaps in Kabul you may not want to look like an American. But you'll be fine in Paris.

People in Europe don't worry about looking and acting like Europeans in the US when they visit and neither should Americans. It' hilarious to see advice about changing clothing when most Europeans wear the same outfits we do. And lots of people travel solo and have no wingman-like myself and somehow still manage without being pickpocketed.

Just apply the rules as you would if you were traveling to NYC. Be aware of your surroundings, don't carry a lot of cash and keep all pockets, purses and backpacks zipped. Don't leave your phone on a table while you eat. Don't sign or stop for anyone trying to sell you trinkets or sign petitions. Act confident when you walk even if you are lost.

People are going to know you're tourists when you go to a museum at 10am on a weekday. Or basically when you open your mouth or gawk at buildings. Dressing like a European is the biggest myth. Reminds me of when I was told on forums not to wear tennis shoes and jeans in Paris to look less American. And then we went and on the weekends, most Parisians under 45 wore jeans and tennis shoes.

Locals get targeted all the time. The Spanish wife of an acquaintance who lives in Madrid got out of her taxi and immediately got her purse stolen. Usually it's opportunity not nationality.

But only in Spain.

Guy In Upper Left Corner; I guess that in light of some other recent threads that have questioned attitude on the forum, if I had wanted to bring your comments into question, I would have prompted a discussion by asking why you think it’s best not to look American while in Europe. You might have some valid thought behind the message in that one part of your post.

I would suspect you might have been thinking about an American traveling alone in Bucharest. The local pickpocket having a choice between an American with potentially some substantial amont of cash and credit cards might choose that target over a local guy scraping to get by? Americans also have the bad tendency to carry wallets in their back pockets ... worth following to check out I guess. That would have been something for legitimate discussion if it had been drawn out in a discussion.

You made a few other points, like traveling together (and there are places where I am more comfortable with a guide, even an amateur guide), gut feelings about environments (how many times have I said to myself, "Mr E, you knew better than to do that, but you did it anyway and now look at the fine mess you are in) that received no comment so I guess no one took great exception to them. Oddly enough you got pushback on one point you never made. Not sure the reason for that.

Anyway, thank you for your thoughts. Not necessary we all agree to make hearing every point of view valuable.

Interesting that Guy in Upper Left Corner doesn't think that his subject has not been beat to death in the past. Or that he has special insight. Pretty standard information that has been preached here for years. Actually I prefer to have a couple of Univ of Mich., or Harvard sweatshirts near me to serve as distractions. Has allow us to travel for 50+ years with no interactions with pickpockets. There are not many "ignorant Americans" on the Steves' web site. Always can use a reminder -- I guess.

Until RS changes the rules to require pre-screening of questions and comments, I am going to try and be constructive (or tell a joke) or move on to something else.

Now why in the world would you even suggest Ignorant American. It is my lowly opinion questions like this only cause arguments.

@ Mr É (economy, confused)

Thanks for sharing.
Some folks tend to have blinders on when sound advice is presented. It’s sad that they use a massive magnifying glass on just one small portion of the message and have a total disregard for the common theme that is the linchpin to what was being said.

...be cognizant of your surroundings...Know the places you’re walking...observe people in general...Go by your gut instincts... If a situation tells you to not enter a certain establishment or walk down a seedy road or even get into a taxi then don’t do it...need to be well aware of others...

The items quoted above apply everwhere -- not just Europe. We practice those things in the U.S. which is probably not as safe as Europe.

With regard to dressing to blend in, it might or might not help. People will know you are an american as soon as you speak, even if you are using their language. But broad generalizations really don't hold that much water, as there are always exceptions to every rule.

Pickpocketing is a crime of opportunity. If a pickpocketer spots someone with a wallet in their back pocket, that person will be their target. Regardless of whether that person is dressed like a local or an American.
You could walk the streets of Paris or Barcelona dressed up like the Statue of Liberty or Uncle Sam, if your valuables are safely stored away, no pickpocketer is going to try stealing stuff from your money belt.

The typical American can't help but "look American" despite efforts to do otherwise. It is not just dress, it is how you eat, how you walk, according to the CIA, the way you stand or "lean". The issue is not "looking American", the issue is looking like a ripe tourist for the picking (literally), regardless of your nationality.

If you carry lots of cash, have a thick billfold hanging out, phones casually laying about, a backpack full of goodies, often distracted seeing the sights, a bit confused on metros, then you fit the profile.

The old joke about two guys in the woods comes to mind, one asks the other if they encounter a bear, does he think he could outrun it, the other guy says that doesn't matter, the first is taken aback and asks what he means, the second then says. I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.

You do not need to accomplish not looking like a tourist, just less a prime pick than the other tourists.

Nice writing, feels like a Tom Clancy novel lol!

Having bitten my tongue the whole time while reading the OPs magnum opus, I can only fall on my knees and thank God I'm Canadian and not an American. Otherwise I might never have travelled unscathed, walking alone through the streets of all those European towns and cities for the last 40 years. Although, come to think of it, I seem to remember untold numbers of previous threads about personal safety for tourists (although not limited to only American tourists who apparently have never visited any large city before) on this and other travel forums. Perhaps the OP has a good reason for believing that American tourists are more of a target for ne'er do wells and are more ignorant of their personal security than any other visitor to Europe (or anywhere else).

Could be because he was addressing an American audiance (or so he assumed).

I am not proud to be with this group right now.

On the other hand,

I am always greeted in German when approaching a hotel check-in, restaurant, ticket window, store clerk, etc when in Germany. I've been told "you can't be American - you look so German."

Scandinavia - Denmark - told to move to the EU line at the airport. Again, "you look so European".

Norway - it was carefully explained to me that many employees at hotels or stations or etc wait until "people that look like you" speak before a greeting is given. "You look Norwegian, like many Americans do. The Norwegians get upset if greeted in English and the English speakers can become intimidated if greeted in Norwegian."

Spain - I definitely don't appear Spanish. However, I was greeted in French multiple times at various places last month.

So much for Americans looking like a stereotype.

I have surprised a few taxi drivers and others in Hong Kong with my Cantonese.........

Guy In Upper Left Corner, pleasure to meet you sir. I have a son stationed in Germany that writes that sort of thing for NATO types. So I sort of recognized it.

On the not looking American. Tell you what, there are cities in Western Europe where the petty crime rate is such that if I were to turn up the wrong street I would prefer it if I looked local or at least poor. In Eastern Europe where I go most often I make a little extra effort to look like i havent got a thin dime. Never seen a group of begger children run past an American to hit on a local person. The reverse? Often. So, in context, not bad advice. I am currently a resident of a European city, one with a ridiciously low crime rate. So after years of getting to know the place I feel comfortalbe in my silver beaver and Luccheses. So context again.

Situational awareness? Well, if you are operating at the same level you would in your own home town you are ignnoring the context of the location. You havent got a support group in Tirana or in Paris for that matter. You dont know lay of the land and you dont know the types of criminal activity that are most common and again, you dont have a support group if something does happen. So, again, good advice.

For the wingman, well at least then you do have a limited support group and another set of eyes that or a second gut feeling to help keep on the straight and narrow. I found a group that provides ameature guides that I use for that. They know a lot more than I do and its come in handy a few times to avoid less than ideal situations. Nothing would have probably happened, but for 12 euro an hour, why not the belt and suspenders.

On "Ignorant Americans", according to Cambridge: not enough knowledge, understanding, or information about something. Works for me.

Just barely on topic, but interesting: https://www.thetravel.com/european-countries-that-like-american-tourists/ I can attest to one of the 7, maybe not its exact ranking, but in the general gist of it.

I have never bought the argument that you cannot blend in or, at least, not stand out. There is a difference. Now the pickpocket can spot a tourist but he is not absolutely certain who is an American, English, German, etc. About half of our clothing, foot wear, etc. have been bought in Europe so when he sees us I want to raise some doubt as to who we might be just long enough to shift his glace to another target that might be more promising. But I have two other advantages. I am 6-2 so I can survey the crowd better because I am taller than most Europeans and in an earlier life I was trained on how to move through a crowd, how to maintain a low profile, and to recognize certain individuals. For example, you will never find me in the knot of people standing around the metro track and looking in the direction of the arriving train. Instead I will standing in back, preferably with my back against the subway wall and observing the crowd for who else is not paying attention to the arriving train. That is who I want to watch. The result is that we have never had problem with pickpockets. We believe we have been stocked a few times but no attempts. Even if an attempt was made the chances of getting anything is slim as I only have a credit card in one secured shirt pocket and some cash in the other one. Everything else is bury in a money belt. I do carry a shoulder bag with a small camera and some misc items. I am concerned that we are getting older and slower.

Sorry, still a bit off topic.

Just barely on topic, but interesting:
https://www.thetravel.com/european-countries-that-like-american-tourists/
I can attest to one of the 7, maybe not its exact ranking, but in the
general gist of it.

If you are going to put any faith in an internet article, always try and go to the source. In this case the source does not support the article. Disgusting.

I’ve been to 31 countries and lived in four, and have never felt unwelcome in any of them.
No one knows what nationality I am until I tell them or present my passport, and frankly I don’t think other nations care all that much.
What does matter is that you are unfailingly polite to everyone you meet while traveling, keep a low profile , and be aware of your surroundings.
I’ve been mistaken for an Italian…twice, while in Italy, …a Belgian…once in France, and an English person …once.
I dress like every other N. American person traveling.

This whole thread is a little weird.

Not anything that I would disagree with, it is funny to read the same advice and instructions that I would hear my dad give his sailors.

One thing that I have learned after nearly 30 years working in museums on the periphery of the tourism industry is that everyone has mannerisms, quirks, tells, accents and colloquialisms, and on every level of interactions everyone drops clues about themselves and where they are from. Try as you might you're not going to shed your regional Americanness.

Fashion brands are not usually an indicator of where the wearer is from, they're all pretty international brands now. Arc‘Teryx is a Canadian brand popular with outdoor enthusiasts. Logos are often more telling. NY Yankees, NY Mets, or Chicago Bulls are going to be international brands and someone wearing those team logos are not necessarily going to stand out as American. On the other hand local AAA baseball swag is a bit more telling. Are you wearing Rocket City Trash Pandas' gear? Wearing college logos may stand out as American. When I see a Trinity College t-shirt, its not that the wearer is Irish and attended Trinity, they're American, they visited Ireland and bought a souvenir. Going further down, wearing college logos may say American, wearing Virginia Tech is not going to places you anywhere beyond being American. But wearing UT Vols is going to scream "we are from east Tennessee!".

Are you doing tourist things in a tourist manner? No matter what you are going to stand out as a visitor. The best thing that I think anyone can do for themselves is just be situationally aware. Be aware of your surroundings and what is going on around you. Do not be oblivious, don't get lost in your maps, etc. It's being a visitor or tourist that is a target, rather than nationality.

What I gather from all these recent threads on Americanism appearances is that Europe is a dangerous place for Americans. Maybe too dangerous to go if you read about it here. Do Europeans have an equivalent?
It is quite unnerving to read all these precautions lest we be victims. Then again it is quite funny that so much emphasis is on this American appearance thing. This seems to be an offshoot of the beloved living like a local attempt.

Okay, content of this post aside, I'm a little confused about why you felt like pontificating on this subject? It feels like the travel equivalent of mansplaining. Tone-deaf mansplaining at that.

treemoss2, as I understand it, travelers to the US are warned about potential gun violence by many countries.

kayla p, I recognize it as the pretty standard security briefing given to military and government personnel traveling abroad. They have a bit more reason to be concerned about standing out. The language is similar, just the context is different.

Did we civilians on this forum really need a military-style security briefing, as if travel needs to be approached as a defensive maneuver and we lucky 'Mericans should be on guard at all times? There's a lot in this screed that is just....huh? Really, wingmen? "Battle buddy"?? We stand out like sore thumbs? I wonder if the OP has actually traveled in Europe, because American brands are everywhere. Fashion is and has been truly global for a while now. Likewise, I'm not worried that my yoga pants are going to be spotted by "bad guys" from "a mile away" and make me a target. Maybe OP was trying to be humorous or ironic? In that case, I apologize for misunderstanding, and LOL!

I can only fall on my knees and thank God I'm Canadian and not an American. Otherwise I might never have travelled unscathed, walking alone through the streets of all those European towns and cities for the last 40 years.

Good point! I will start wearing the baseball cap I bought on Bowen Island so the shady characters of Europe will mistake me for a Canadian and leave me alone.

Although I've been living in Europe permanently for several years, and before that going back and forth between the States and France for 50 years, I can't for the life of me tell who is American and who is European. We have a lot of international students and tourists where I live, but nobody sticks out in a stereotypical manner.

So this is copied from a military publication for American soldiers stationed in Europe? Does that explain the fearful tone, defensiveness and aggression. The fear, defensiveness, and aggression are not usual in European life. We tend to be generally open, relaxed, and cooperative.

OP has a perspective but not the answer and I know OP does not represent the military in its entirety regarding assignments overseas. BETS seems to have the most thoughtful response from the perspective of “being here”. Beyond that “keep on travelin” and let’s eventually give this thread an end…

EDIT: I am going to treat your suggestions with the respect that the time you spent to make them deserves. Thank you for making me think, even if I am not in total agreement. But we arent far apart if my suspicion of the context of the suggestions is correct. Anything taken out of context can be belittled.

I can spot an American among a large crowd on the streets

I would have agreed at one point in history. But due to how small the world is getting, changes in values and a sort of collective attitude about style, not so much true any longer except maybe in the most minute details or in a very large context. Such, put 100 Americans in a group and 100 French in a group and I suspect most of us could guess which is the French group. But one on one, not so easy without a lot of study.

EDIT: I thought some more about this. I live in a tourist are of a European city. I am US so you would think I might be more tuned to seeing the differences. But for those under 35, they all look alike. If there is a distinction it might be that the tourist girls wear less than the locals, but not excessively. But moving out of the tourist zone, I can spot a local over 55 from a tourist over 55 most of the time. Tourist, not American, but I presume you said American because that was the audience for the thread. So, I agree with that distinction.

A bad guy will also spot you a mile away.

Sure, true everywhere. Maybe a tad more important when traveling as you don’t have a support group if something does go wrong. Not bad to think about, but none of this should be an over riding cause for changing your travel.

EDIT: Again, if you talk about older tourists that like to get off the beaten path. There is some validity in the statement.

if you’re fluent in the host nation language then more power to you.

Absolutely

Go by your gut instincts. If a situation tells you to not enter a
certain establishment or walk down a seedy road or even get into a
taxi then don’t do it. Stop and find a safer alternative.

Since you aren’t resident in the culture, you probably don’t know the signs of trouble as they exist in that culture. So a little extra care wouldn’t hurt. Again, you don’t have a support network to assist if something were to happen. Not bad to think about, but none of this should be an overriding cause for changing your travel.

EDIT: the best of your advice. Tourists just don’t know the norms in a land they don’t know. If you don’t know the norms, best to err on the side of caution.

Most importantly, have a wingman.

Most travel with a spouse or a friend or in a group. So yes, its good. Those that don’t might want to do a little advance planning on who to call if things should go wrong. Law enforcement can be your wing man if you know the number.

I’m not saying don’t be you - the American from Bozeman Montana or
Summersville West Virginia or Fancy Pants California. We’re Americans
so It’s quite fine that we be Americans. In my experience lots of
nations welcome us. They truly enjoy Americans and appreciate our
business and to some degree our friendship. We just need to be well
aware of others and be proactive about where we go and what we can do
once we get there. Always keep a discerning mind and always with no
reservations enjoy your travels.

Well said

Another idiosyncratic signpost: anybody in Britain who is wearing anything branded "University of Oxford" or "University of Cambridge" is a foreign tourist wearing a souvenir. Anybody who actually went to either of those universities and wanted to wear something as a badge of origin would wear something pertaining to a specific college or other organisation, and anybody British who went to a different university wouldn't want to wear them anyway.

I can tell an American by their body language. There is also a German and French body language I noticed when hiking the Samaria Gorge.

No doubt at all that the bad guy can spot me a mile away. Then , so what? I know I have tourist written all over me. So what, again. I'm not going to change that, probably can't anyway. I have been approached a couple times, usually panhandling, most often I walk away. If "they" approach me talking English, I absolutely look the other way and walk away.

I wear the waist belt under the belt, true quite obvious but easier for me. I don't wear European brands, only US ones along with my NIke white sneakers. I don't wear US university T-Shirts, too old for that sort of thing,

I don't operate on a buddy system...generally.

True, I can be the target for a scam , but "they" would have to rely on my stupidity for them to get anything. I see especially after these last 2 post-pandemic trips of 2023 and this year the issue of pickpocketing is overexaggerated, basically, not interested in that or becoming a target, be in front of Metro ticket machine getting the paper tickets, wading through the crowded Paris train stations, especially, de Lyon and Montparnasse. Bottom line : my being a target is not going to happen.

Very true about spotting out Americans by their body language and generally the way they walk. I know I stick out in a crowd as a traveler/tourist/visitor in numerous ways . I am not interested in that.

Perhaps unaware would have been a better choice than ignorant in the title.of the post.