Does being American still give any status boost in Europe?

[Tsar]

Anywhere in Europe? By status boost I mean with girls.

I am Italian and I am American. My nationalities are each worth millions in intangible value. But maybe since the EU is overall better than America and EU citizens can go anywhere in the EU, it doesn't boost my status as much as it would in Russia, Belarus, or Ukraine...and maybe Serbia and North Macedonia, etc.

I moved to Bulgaria mainly for the ideal location, cost of living, and overall aspects of life. Girls would have been a bonus but its still only been 4 days. Summer changes everything.

I will definitely be traveling somewhere this summer too since travel in Europe is inexpensive.

Like I said, 2021 is the year I get my dreamy teen princess GF.

I proved the doubters and haters wrong and I will do it again.

[yick]

The UK and Ireland - would work better if you were African-American (down to historical reasons...) but if you are some dorky mid-western type, it wouldn't matter.

I don't think anyone cares about Americans in most of Europe.

[Tsar]

The UK and Ireland - would work better if you were African-American (down to historical reasons...) but if you are some dorky mid-western type, it wouldn't matter.

I don't think anyone cares about Americans in most of Europe.

I am not dorky or Midwestern. I have always been more refined like typical Europeans all my life compared to the common unrefined common ordinary Americans. One reason I never really felt like I belonged in America.

I am also from the New England region which is probably the most high status region in America along with NYC and LA for regional status purposes.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

Pretty much no in Europe but I could write on the nuances of this topic for an hour. It is more about your percieved social CLASS that gives you the boost. But I have never encountered anyone who was turned off by my being American.

The key is if you come of as a stereotypical American (Overweight, baseball cap, flip flops, khakis, etc), it is definitely a huge negative in Europe. BUT, if you come across as a debonair, well-dressed, Western expat, people will be very intrigued that you are American.

In my case, people often ask if I am French , Brazilian, or Dubai Emirati (who knew?) When I speak Russian especially, it simply never occurs to people that I am American (I practised removing the American accent in Russian) so they are shocked when I disclose that to them.

Sadly, I only rarely tell people that of late. When I would tell people that routinely, I would notice an immediate dip in the quality of the discourse. People are quick to try to use "Americanisms" or slang they glean from Hollywood films when they were previously speaking flawless, intelligent English. Those kind of attempts to establish coolness all fall flat.


On the other hand, I usually tell people I am "international" now. If they press the issue as some do, I'll just mention that I am Swiss or some nationality that gives people a good sense of my mindset. Only when I consider a person in Europe as a friend will I disclose to them my status as an American citizen.

[Tsar]

The key is if you come of as a stereotypical American (Overweight, baseball cap, flip flops, khakis, etc), it is definitely a huge negative in Europe. BUT, if you come across as a debonair, well-dressed, Western expat, people will be very intrigued that you are American.


...

On the other hand, I usually tell people I am "international" now. If they press the issue as some do, I'll just mention that I am Swiss or some nationality that gives people a good sense of my mindset. Only when I consider a person in Europe as a friend will I disclose to them my status as an American citizen.

I dressed the European look in America with skinny or slim fit jeans, etc. When I was in Amsterdam everyone wearing jeans had the skinny or slim fit. Never was into baggy clothes, basebaĺl caps, flip flops, or khakis. I am also thin with tones like abs.

I know Americans do not have the best status now overall which is why I identify as being Italian 1st then American 2nd.

[hypermak]

I have nothing against America and Americans but, let's be honest, the times of someone being the centre of the attention and celebrated in Europe just because they are from the US of A has long gone...

From my experience, nobody attaches any positive or negative label on being an American. It's more about who you are, what you can do, how well you behave, how well you blend with the local culture, or how well you express the "good sides" of your own. Et cetera.

[Yohan]

If you are from USA and you refrain from teaching loudly BS about what is so much better in the States compared to the country you are now, you should be fine. In general I found here in Asia, as US-citizen you are NOT better or worse received than any other foreigner.

However many US-citizens have the attitude 'to teach' locals after arrival that their country should change to US-values even regarding their family life.

I met religious bigots, aggressive feminists, various NGO-activists etc. and all of them were from USA.

I remember a US-feminist, who was complaining about a Japanese company, whose staff members were talking to each other (including to her too) using their first names and not their family names - especially about male staff doing that with female co-workers. She felt 'oppressed'...

I told her she is still lucky to be in Japan and not in Thailand or Philippines where using nicknames are the normal way of life - not only among children but also among adults regardless their gender.

No European and Japanese staff member - male and female - in the office I worked up to my retirement was ever thinking about such a trivial issue.

I never heard for example about a Russian or European person walking around in Thailand and explaining to locals that Buddhism is a bad religion, or a gay marriage certificate is a 'human right'. Only US-citizens are doing that.

-----

My advice: If you are from USA while abroad, be patient and tolerant - just try to fit into the foreign society around you, don't interfere into their life-style.

[Tsar]

If you are from USA and you refrain from teaching loudly BS about what is so much better in the States compared to the country you are now, you should be fine. In general I found here in Asia, as US-citizen you are NOT better or worse received than any other foreigner.

However many US-citizens have the attitude 'to teach' locals after arrival that their country should change to US-values even regarding their family life.

I met religious bigots, aggressive feminists, various NGO-activists etc. and all of them were from USA.

I remember a US-feminist, who was complaining about a Japanese company, whose staff members were talking to each other (including to her too) using their first names and not their family names - especially about male staff doing that with female co-workers. She felt 'oppressed'...

I told her she is still lucky to be in Japan and not in Thailand or Philippines where using nicknames are the normal way of life - not only among children but also among adults regardless their gender.

No European and Japanese staff member - male and female - in the office I worked up to my retirement was ever thinking about such a trivial issue.

I never heard for example about a Russian or European person walking around in Thailand and explaining to locals that Buddhism is a bad religion, or a gay marriage certificate is a 'human right'. Only US-citizens are doing that.

-----

My advice: If you are from USA while abroad, be patient and tolerant - just try to fit into the foreign society around you, don't interfere into their life-style.

I am not like Americans. I always liked foreign cultures better. America combines the worst bullshit of its Puritan roots with modern immoral degenaracy and that equals 21st Century American Culture and then throw in some dashes of social collapse, imperial decline, and total corruption. That is America today. No way I could like the overall US culture.

[yick]

The UK and Ireland - would work better if you were African-American (down to historical reasons...) but if you are some dorky mid-western type, it wouldn't matter.

I don't think anyone cares about Americans in most of Europe.

I am not dorky or Midwestern. I have always been more refined like typical Europeans all my life compared to the common unrefined common ordinary Americans. One reason I never really felt like I belonged in America.

I am also from the New England region which is probably the most high status region in America along with NYC and LA for regional status purposes.

No-one said you were.

Nobody gives a shit about you being American - even if you come from the old money of Maine - it doesn't matter and why should it?

[kangarunner]

I don't understanding the reasoning behind this. You judge a person by who they are, not by where they are from. Let's say you're a girl in the Midwest and you meet a guy who just moved there from NYC. Is she automatically more attracted to him because he's from NYC? Obviously it all depends on the woman because everyone is different but it doesn't make sense to be attracted to someone based solely on where they are from or what nationality they are.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

I don't understanding the reasoning behind this. You judge a person by who they are, not by where they are from. Let's say you're a girl in the Midwest and you meet a guy who just moved there from NYC. Is she automatically more attracted to him because he's from NYC? Obviously it all depends on the woman because everyone is different but it doesn't make sense to be attracted to someone based on where they are from or what nationality they are.

There was a time when being American was a definite asset in the poorest countries in Europe. That changed in thr 1990s when it switched to being a mere Western man. These days, it is helpful being an affluent Western man to get girls moist at the sight of you.

As a Westerner in Asia, I am surprised that your being one does not dawn on you as a being an asset.

[kangarunner]

As a Westerner in Asia, I am surprised that your being one does not dawn on you as a being an asset.

Yes, I agree that it is an asset. Since, the OP was referring to status "with girls", I think that having status is an advantage obviously, but it's only one factor out of many.

[flowerthief00]

If there is any status boost had with local girls in Asia from simply being a Westerner, it comes from the fact that you can speak native-level English. Most of them are quite content with their local boyfriends. When they look at you they see...not your handsome Western face...not your Western money...but an opportunity to improve their English. I pretty much exclusively interact with younger girls, tho, so it might be different with the middle-aged ladies, I wouldn't know.

[Tsar]

If there is any status boost had with local girls in Asia from simply being a Westerner, it comes from the fact that you can speak native-level English. Most of them are quite content with their local boyfriends. When they look at you they see...not your handsome Western face...not your Western money...but an opportunity to improve their English. I pretty much exclusively interact with younger girls, tho, so it might be different with the middle-aged ladies, I wouldn't know.

That is what I thought about everywhere which is one of the many reasons I have for trying to date a girl that is HS age. When a girl has a boyfriend, anywhere in the world, "she always has a boyfriend" until she's too old for guys to want her anymore.

[Italianman]

Only if you're a young black American. Most white guys go to ASIA for a reason. Black American culture is so internationally influential that you get a prestige boost if you're anything similar to that. The music videos and black guys with 8-inch dicks (my dick is about that size but really thick like a beer can) just builds that craving. Obviously if you look completely different, and have something people want you're going to have your pick of hotties. He who controls the attention is high status and sexually attractive. That’s why rock stars get more ass than CEOs. The real natural environment of hominids was less the savanna than the social group. If you were a hominid male, and people paid attention to you, carved your approval, shut up and listened when you spoke, that meant you were a leader. Men who commanded attention commanded access to community support. That meant a good nest-maker. Humans compete less for territory than for rank. Territory and possessions are only symbols of rank