Popular YouTube video asks international students: ‘How can you distinguish tourists from the U.S.?’

By Christopher Lux

A video about how North Americans, particularly U.S. citizens, are seen in other countries has received almost two million views on YouTube.

The video carries a disclaimer: “This video contains stereotypes toward Americans and does not necessarily reflect the views of the interviewees or interviewer.”

In the video, South Korean video producer SW Yoon asks international students how they can distinguish folks from the U.S. from other foreigners. The interviewees start out with a given: their accents. The next big giveaway, they say, is their size.

One student puts it nicely, “Usually they have a bit more weight on their hips.” Another simply says, “Bigger … in sizes.” And another, “They’re always chubby, fatty guys.”

Of course, this over-sized American may be that way because, as one interviewee says, “It’s like they’re always eating.”

“They eat a lot of hamburgers,” another says.

Another way the students say they can spot an American, “They’re mostly in bigger groups, they’re just louder.” Apparently, Americans are “a bit loud, as well.”

Though interviewees say Americans are always worried about money and work, “they say they have no money.” Yet, when they go out, they always want to make sure everyone “gets really wasted.” They drink a lot and always take “a lot of shots.”

The second half of the video takes on a more positive view of Americans abroad. “If you talk to American people, they smell like freedom.”

“They have a bit more confidence in them,” an interviewee says. Also, they are “really outgoing … and very confident.”

Though apparently overweight and loud, Americans are seen by the same people as “kind” and “funny.”
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Reposted from 2015