Bless - you think that annoyed me. You are confusing "annoyed" with "bemused".

I do enjoy Americans reminding the RoW why they are so loved.

Pretty sure this wins the award for most ridiculous thread of the week.

YAY, I get an award... Is there cake and a party? Do I get a trophy or a shiny badge?

FAIL!!

Entries don't open until 9pm* on Thursday

(Zurich time - and not EST)

Hmm, I am starting to wonder if you go to children's birthday parties in your spare time just to pop the ballons....

I solved this issue just by being my naturally charming, absolutely fabulous self.

Humor aside, yes, there will be people around the world who are very quick to jump at the stereotypes and to lump "Americans" in one big bucket. However, calmly pointing out that you are not the designated spokesperson of your country, and may just as well be as shocked/dismayed/perplexed as they are about current events, might lead to a very different kind of conversation.

I tend not to be excessively concerned about "what could happen" until it actually happens, but like to exercise caution nonetheless - which is sound advice regardless of who the president is. I would not be too concerned about the likelihood of being attacked. If anything, just annoyed at the over-zealousness of some people who provide unsolicited opinions.

Whatever you do - don't do that - they'll think you voted for Trump

Explain politely that you handed your Banjo back 8 years ago, you've not had sex with a cousin since 2002 and haven't chewed tobacco since 2013.

In the meantime you might want to stop ordering Miller Draft in bars, pulled pork/brisket in restaurant, calling a pavement a sidewalk and pronouncing the I on the end of a word as eye.

You should also cancel your Nascar Fan Club membership, your Rifle Lovers magazine subscription and your monthly order of bacon flavoured cheese in a can.

__________________
"Don't believe everything you read on the internet" Abraham Lincoln

Try and pass yourself off as a Canadian,
fly a Canadian flag on your allotment, outside your house,
get some clothes with a Canadian maple leaf decoration,
get some I love Canada decals and put them on your car and suitcases.
that should cover it. (most people won't be able to tell the difference in your accent unless you are a strong southern or ny accent)

Failing that look on ancestry.com find some nationality a few generations back and adopt that as your own.. though to be fair this might be a giveaway that you are American

or

Get some anti trump stickers, not my president?, just don't put it on anything you love in case you piss off those violent republicans.

I'm from CT!

Tom

I don't understand OP. You had a problem recently at a US airport or, because of your birth country, you are anticipating future issues? Or are you proudly born and bred in the USA and are now as disgruntled as everyone else?

Should this be on the FWP thread?

Yup. That's what I think when I hear Trump speak too.

Most Europeans that I know, especially Italians, are pro-Trump.

Tom

But I love Skynyrd!

I can't see why Trump's handling of immigrants has suddenly caused such flood of negative reactions towards the US. Try overstaying a visa or opening a bank account here to see how this is not a uniquely US situation.
The appropriate time for the negative reactions (or what appears to be an act of atonement in the OP's case) was when it [the US] was arbitrarily invading or otherwise destabilising countries, bombing wedding parties, assassinating or torturing political enemies, meddling on a scale orders of magnitude greater that the meddling it claims to be a victim of [vis Election influence], and generally behaving in a way contrary to all decent norms of behaviour and all aided and abetted by a compliant media.

__________________
If you have difficulties with a post which contains a link to a site in one of the Swiss languages, use Google Translate or your own favourite translating browser.

Opposite experience for me - most people I know in Europe and Middle East are entirely against Trump. Two notable exceptions: a very good friend in Israel (no surprise there) and a very good friend I've known since high school who also likes Salvini & Co. (again, no surprise there).

However, regardless of being pro- or against-, it is kind of sad to assume that just because you come from or are associated with a certain country, you necessarily voted for and/or agree 100% with all the government does.

Case in point: proud Italian, never voted for Berlusconi. Proud friend of Israel, absolutely despise Bibi Netanyahu.

There's a meme for that

You compare Brexit to Trump?

US doesn't let them in anymore easily either

What do you expect after all these years with Berlusconi?

OP, demand asylum in Switzerland and create a precedent.

Nothing easier than this.

Tell them Trump's narcissist (also a German word) and you're very angry. That's it.

Thanks for the advice kind people. I suppose common sense and avoiding, where possible, doing stupid American things in public (as I have been working towards since I arrived here) should probably cover 99.99% of situations. Worrying about silly things happening is a waste of time. Some people have pointed out that the USA has been warmongering obnoxious jerks for some time, which I do not disagree with. Somehow, it seems they are turning up the volume on being awful since the election.

I appreciate the discourse. Life goes on.

make sure you don't look like an American:
- only whisper when you talk. this is how loud the rest of the world talks
- don't wear Dockers
- don't use cell phone holsters
- in general, wear clothes in the right size
- if you want coffee, order espresso and not "LETTEEEE"
- practise to park your car in a slot for 1 car