Americans are a special breed. Our styles and mannerisms draw attention, both good and bad, to us. We enjoy telling stories for the whole room to hear, and we tend to think the louder we laugh, the funnier something is. Sometimes this is true. If you are planning on studying or traveling abroad though, here are some rookie tips to help you fit in and avoid cold stares on public transportation.



Don use fake accents to fit in. There something about the twang of words we recognize from our own language, with an accent thrown on top that makes them easy, and timelessly enjoyable to impersonate. Whatever is tempting you to ask an Australian ugg outlet coupons to another shrimp on the barbie, suppress it. Avoid calling English people If you make these mistakes, you either come across as a fool, or you be hitting on a playedout joke. You know how you swoon over the Scottish exchange student accents? Well, don forget that in foreign Englishspeaking countries, you the one with the accent. Be confident in yourself and embrace it.



When you are a guest in someone house, you use your best manners and you respect the host. When you a guest in someone country, the same rules should apply. Never assume someone you meet speaks English. Whether ugg australia outlet or not you speak fifty words of French or have been studying the language for years, practice the knowledge you know to communicate with the locals. If you try to speak to people in their language and they answer you in English, at least you given it your best shot. Now you can smile, sigh a breath of relief and continue communicating in whatever method is easiest.



Ladies, leave the UGGs at home. This is a bit of fashion advice for the big foreign cities and whether you accept it or not, it the truth.



Cities are places of sophistication and high fashion and opportunity seems to be around every corner. Save some space in your suitcase by leaving these two American staples at home, and you be dressed right for nearly every big city adventure that comes your way.



Mingle with the locals. By showing genuine interest in your surroundings and making yourself a common sight around your place of travel, you will take more from your overseas experience. Find a comfortable coffee shop and frequently set up there to study. Visit the same bar for a couple of weekends to meet regulars. A common mistake American students make when studying abroad is they are afraid to venture out of their comfort zone of fellow American students. Don do this! Chances are, you have chosen to study in a place you are interested in and have always wanted to go. Be courageous and explore. By meeting locals, you will achieve a greater understanding of where you are, and the role you play there.



Above all, keep an open mind. Surely you realized this, but life in a foreign country is different than what we used to in the states. From the cuisine to the mannerisms, every aspect of life is unfamiliar and unusual.



In America, we are a privileged culture, spoiled by chain stores on every corner and hours of NFL at our fingertips. We drive fast and party hard and rarely take the time to enjoy a meal out to eat with those whose company we love most. Many other cultures are slower paced, and the priorities of life do not necessarily mesh with those of Americans. When studying or traveling abroad, make the commitment to learn from the cultures you encounter. Whether or not you accept them, like them, or even understand them, you are almost definitely bound to grow from them. And if you don at least you have a good story to tell.