How do you visibly identify your nationality when travelling overseas?

[here2go]

We put NT Flags on some of our bags for a recent trip to Europe. Most people don't recognise it, including Australians, so it is a nice little identifier, a bit like tying pink ribbon. However, Aussies travelling OS who aren't trying are still easy to spot.

There are generally easy identifiers. Kathmandu / Mountain designs clothing (seeing a whole family wearing the same thing wandering around Salzburg with gear from the June sales is a dead giveaway).
For me, the baby backpack with my 15 month old daughter automatically identified me as a tourist - why hide it? Germans and Austrians thought we were crazy, as that is not the proper way.

Even on the slopes in Austria I was a giveaway non-local. I didn't wear "proper" ski gear. I wore a short-sleeve shirt on an an unusually warm 9 degree day on Christmas Eve while skiing - it was like skiing Selwyn. "Ver are your short-pants?" was the retort I got from amused Germans in my group. I thought they were crazy - skiing while decked out in blizzard gear is awful.

We are often easy to spot. We have our ways, so even we are not trying, we are obviously Skippy. There is being obnoxious bogan, and there is being reserved while different. As the band "Area 7" says, "Nobody likes a Bogan" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA8gJoT5yl4

 

[samh004]

A couple of times in Germany people would start talking to me in German, sometimes I would say sorry don't speak German or "Ich spreche kein Deutsch Ich bin Australian". Then you get the usual ahh Australian!

My sister often has a similar issue in Asia, being adopted from Hong Kong, but only knowing English

 

[straitman]

I simply can't think of any good reason to advertise I'm an Aussie. Is there one? Are you somehow safer? Cooler? Am I missing something?

No reason to hide it either.

Depending where you are there can be a distinct advantage in advertising yourself as an Aussie.

 

[jetlagger]

No reason to hide it either.

Depending where you are there can be a distinct advantage in advertising yourself as an Aussie.

Sure.. At times!
I was in Israel some years back, when some kids were throwing rocks at us from the top of a stone walled city.
Whilst they were yelling profanities about Americans.. I yelled - No No.. we are Australians.
They stopped hurling the rocks & ran off very quickly. :shock:

 

[dajop]

No reason to hide it either..

Except when dealing with touts etc! When travelling in Asia it is common to be asked by touts "Where you from", and although its reasonably obvious from my race, that I am probably not from Singapore originally, I these days reply "Singapore" instead of Australia, which really throws them and 9 times out of 10 they leave me alone, or I get a response "you been here many times" ... "yes" ... (as opposed to I'm from "Australia" .... which often invokes a "gday mate" or "Aussie Aussie Aussie" in their very best Australian accent and lots of hounding!.

 

[jetlagger]

Except when dealing with touts etc! When travelling in Asia it is common to be asked by touts "Where you from", and although its reasonably obvious from my race, that I am probably not from Singapore originally, I these days reply "Singapore" instead of Australia, which really throws them and 9 times out of 10 they leave me alone, or I get a response "you been here many times" ... "yes" ...

I usually get the same questions asked every time I arrive &/or travelling through Philippines.
sometimes I say yes, sometimes I say No..
But in some cases, I certainly glad I'm no 'greenhorn" after hearing the chattering in Tagalog.
After my recollection, this will inspire me to start a new thread on certain Scams.

 

[fairhsa]

Once in the USA I was mistaken for a Yank in a poor, black area which had seemed rather threatening until I pointed out that I was not actually American......

Ditto - catching a taxi in Mexico, they tried to charge a huge price. My response was "I'm not one of those stupid American tourists, please give me the real price" at which point it went down to about a 1/3 of the original offer.....

 

[Sprucegoose]

The Qantas pins were a nice way when they were around.

you can get those cheap looking Roos one now....

 

[here2go]

The Qantas pins were a nice way when they were around.

Tubes of Koalas also come in handy.

 

[Katie]

Particularly for trips to Turkey and France for Anzac day services, I've had an Aussie flag pin on my coat. Mostly because I don't want to be mistaken for an insensitive foreigner from another English-speaking country.

In Istanbul, it was really interesting, as we were there for about 5 days. As it got closer to the weekend, I noticed in the spice markets/grand bazaar more people would speak to me in German, or at least try German first, then English. I'm not sure how many German tourists they might get on weekends?
Mr Katie spent some time walking around Istanbul without me, and felt he blended in much more easily without his 6' tall blonde wife. I haven't noticed it, but I apparently got stared at in Japan and Turkey. (I am so used to the staring, dahhhhling. *rolling eyes*)

Hmm, thinking about it, I must check if he noticed people staring at me/us in Thailand ... can't imagine there are that many more tall blonde western tourists there than Japan or Turkey??

 

[Pushka]

Being identified as Australian in France is really significant.

 

[here2go]

Wearing a University of Queensland jersey in Quebec confuses the heck out of the Quebecois. WTF? Another place starting with Q?????? At least you've got an in as you aren't English or American

 

[whatmeworry]

In Istanbul, it was really interesting, as we were there for about 5 days. As it got closer to the weekend, I noticed in the spice markets/grand bazaar more people would speak to me in German, or at least try German first, then English. I'm not sure how many German tourists they might get on weekends?
Mr Katie spent some time walking around Istanbul without me, and felt he blended in much more easily without his 6' tall blonde wife. I haven't noticed it, but I apparently got stared at in Japan and Turkey. (I am so used to the staring, dahhhhling. *rolling eyes*)

Germans love to travel all around Europe and the globe. For Germans, Turkey is a favourite destination. Considering your height and hair colour Turks would probably assume your German.

I am assuming Mr Katie is a lucky bloke.

 

[flyingfan]

Apart from subtly using Australian travel gear, I don't go out of my way to identify my nationality. I believe on a trip it's about the journey and the destination, less so about me or where I've come from

 

[Sprucegoose]

No not visibly.

 

[Paddy55]

I was based in New Jersey in the 80s, and flew Intl out of JFK a lot - found wearing a sweatshirt with a Kangaroo on it distinguished me from the Americans v nicely. Was invariably treated better everywhere once it was realised that I was from Oz

 

[parsonstrish]

I have dual nationality, yank and aussie. I say I speak 3 languages, yank, aussie and swiming pool talk (when comunicating with the pool shop).

I am very proud to be an aussie, my accents sometimes confuse others as to nationality, I always say I'm an aussie. I generally receive a better response as well. I've been thought of as Canadian, English, Irish, Yank, Welsh when travelling o/seas.

I too prefer to blend in with the locals when travelling, just the accent gives it away.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

For added effect, I scream out "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" and my mates call out "oi, oi, oi" in response (its also my mating call).

How successful is it?

(for the record I'm dual UK and Australian passport, don't use any obvious identifier other than whatever behaviour/mannerisms and accent mark me out as whatever nationality the observer assumes I am).

 

[TheRealTMA]

I say I speak 3 languages, yank, aussie and swiming pool talk (when comunicating with the pool shop).

I think we need a new thread here. Having just come back from the pool shop, I need a master class and further instruction as to where my money went...

 

[harvyk]

Depending where you are there can be a distinct advantage in advertising yourself as an Aussie.

When I'm in the US I'll identify myself as Aussie (although that's thanks to my accent, not because I've draped an aussie flag over my shoulders. Let's just say, that's gotten me more than a couple of free beers.
I find the locals are genuinely interested in hearing about our country (I've been asked many a question).