I don't think there is a "typical" person of any nation (and no, I'm not American either but some of my partners and friends are Americans). However, being a person of any kind of minority group does incur different experiences from those who are (or perceived to be) part of the majority. I'm Canadian, grew up in Canada, educated in Canada, pretty much a regular Canadian, but I'm a member of an Asian minority. When I travel to Europe, I have faced a lot of racism directed right in my face. This is probably worst in The Netherlands where I have a lot of relatives and often visit. I speak English well, and I even speak some Dutch, enough to get around and get by. Doesn't matter. My friends, who are non-minorities, always tell me how wonderful those same places are and how friendly the locals are. I travel some but not a whole lot, but I tend to get "random checks" at the airport or land border, especially when I visit the US, whether I travel alone or not (my travel companions who are Caucasian do not get checked). Sometimes just waving my Canadian passport helps, sometimes not. I even get weird looks and racist comments in some small cities and towns in Canada!!!

That said, I don't like to call that sort of behaviour "typical" of everyone in a particular country or community. I've met more wonderful people everywhere than the few rotten apples. Still, as a minority or "foreigner", your experiences could be quite different in any given community.

Sorry to hear such. I prefer to listen to what people have to say first before jumping to any conclusions.

Perhaps it is just you.

It is sad that you view a nation of people, who are each and every one different from the next, in such an unpleasant way. This holds true for any nation. The only thing I have ever found to be truly typical about any nation is the ideals like this pertaining to them. This is not to say that you haven't met a few if not several bad eggs, but not all of us are as you describe. I can't speak for the people you have come across, but the people I know personally, both in your shoes and mine, can all attest to the error in this post. I come from one of the smallest towns around for miles. When my friends and I sit down for a meal we don't check to see if everyone at the table is american. Some of the best friends I have come from places like Russia and Brazil and Japan and Kenya. Perhaps, if you have come to expect such treatment, it has become something that seems to be everywhere but really isn't what you thought. Maybe a person glaring at you had the sun shining in their eyes. Maybe you just ran in to someone after they had a bad day and they don't really hate you but they are grumpy. Maybe more people are smiling at you than you realize but you are on such high alert for danger that you miss it. Either way, Don t let some jerkwaffles rain on your parade. Keep smiling. Smiles are infectious.

I smile at all people, all colors, all the time. I guess you might be in a big city. Keep looking! There are nice Americans everywhere!

Having read your posts over time, it seems to me that you have had a lot of negative experiences in the U.S., and that is unfortunate. But I don't know how you determine that you know how a "typical" American feels, any more than you could know what a "typical German" or a "typical Egyptian" feels.

You seem to have negative reactions to a lot of things, and I am wondering whether you may be projecting that anger onto others. I think the odds really are against you randomly encountering this many bad people. Since you are the constant in all these situations, perhaps you share part of the responsibility for the quality of the interactions. I can't and won't apologize for the actions of "Americans" in general, because there is no stereotypical American. If things are going badly for you, if you are not achieving your goals, perhaps it is your behavior or assumptions that need to change.

I don't find that to be the case, but then I'm not a black foreigner. Sorry that that's been your experience.

Wow - sorry to hear that's been your experience here !