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Q: Do You Consider Yourself a "representative" of Your Country?
This includes both nationals and "foreigners." When you meet a local in China (or, if you are a Chinese national, encounter a "foreign" person in China), do you take into account that they might judge (rightly or wrongly) the whole populace of your native land (whatever they perceive that to be) based upon your actions?
Does it matter to you? Or do you say, "WTF?"
This is a discussion question. Please keep it civil...if you can.
It isn't my primary thought (especially when I'm driving) but yes, I do take it into consideration. Foreigners have a bad enough press as it is without me adding anything negative to it and if I can improve that image then I will.
It is also why I try and stay civil (not 100% successful there) on this site and attempt to counter the more vile racist posts and the many sweeping generalisations.
To that end I always correct anyone who assumes that I am American.
giadrosich:
You're right. In driving, you have to take the attitude of "damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead." It's the survival instinct kicking in, and in that instance, I don't really care what or where people think I am or from.
I would say yes
I'm proud of where I'm from and not ashamed to point out I'm not from any other western countries (Is that civil enough?)
However I agree that as a visitor to any where you are an ambassador in some way
and impressions last
good not so much as bad
giadrosich:
True. Unfortunately, people tend to remember the bad over the good, at least for a little while.
Well my good friend (and alter-ego) Huge pretty much said it all right there. Yes, I do consider my position here in China with a certain amount of responsibility. I feel that the way I behave will reflect upon people's attitude toward westerners and with that in mind I try my best to be courteous and decent to people and behave in a way that will create a positive image to the Chinese. As I was saying to the paramedics four days ago as they were scooping my drunken husk off the street at 3am, "China has been good to me and so it is my intention to return that kindness with respect, good will and gentlemanly behaviour," though in my drunken Chinese it may have sounded more like "zhongggorenadingdonghaohaohaohaoderenhahahahaxiexie, urp" but i'm sure they understood.
Like Huge said, that is why I try to be civil toward my host when I speak of her here on this website. I don't see it as my job to come here and point out China's failings, I honestly believe the people of China are the ones to do that and I have no doubt they have as great an awareness of them as any of us 'enlightened' westerners. If I have any job here it is to do my small bit in easing the relationship between China and the western world forward as smoothly as possible, not get on my high horse and preach, that only creates a defensive attitude and bad feeling all round. I mArtiAn prefer am be d'peace man baby, you know!?
Groovy! 
Yeah, i do. I pick up trash i see because littering annoys me and i brush my teeth at school to spread good oral health (which most Chinese don't believe in).
giadrosich:
One thing I do which has gotten some long looks before is to throw my trash away if I am ever in a Mickey D's or KFC. I can't bring myself to just leaving everything on the table and walk away, even though no one would think twice about it if I did!
stan118:
hahah every time i go kfc the workers refuse to let me clean my mess
Yes, that is why I keep happy and treat others good, even if I have not been treated likewise from their fellow countrymen.
I think that it is important to leave China if you are not happy here, otherwise you will give westerners a bad name.
Of course, most of us have our 'hate' days, but we need to keep our composure, as we our guests by our own choice.
Bloody good question. I'll do my best not to be too 'americaphobic', a new english word invented by the man from Mars
No matter where I am in the world I try to behave like a decent human being. Don't always succeed but I do my best
As for my country, to be very honest, I'm quite ashamed of our recent (going back about 500 years) history. Plundering a third of the planet, slaughtering millions in the name of king/queen/religion and of course, money. Being involved and the prime mover in the slave trade, inventing the use of concentration camps Apologies to our American cousins, allowing them to win their war of independence, as I was reminded by Marti, we had more important things to deal with at the time. (Clive of India and his thieving East India Company)
I strongly believe that we all on here have a duty and a responsibility to show respect to our host country. There are many things that we know are wrong but on the other hand there is a lot that we can learn from China and it's very friendly people
I think I'm always respectful where ever I go. It takes a special level of patience to deal with some types here. I don't go around telling everyone I'm American (Not that most Chinese here believe me anyway. They think I'm from Africa.) I feel that I've had to defend myself more to some locals as an American (when they DO believe me) because of the many stereotypes (some really ridiculous ones at that) At times I've felt myself become patriotic when cornered in discussions. I don't like having to represent or explain an entire nations behavior, but that seems to happen anyway.
I wouldn't go as far as calling myself a "representative", but I did try to behave as well as possible to give a better image of my country or foreigners in general, because, you know, it can take only one asshole to ruin a whole country's image (Sarkozy, cough cough).
I obviously wasn't an angel either, but still far better than a lot of people I've encountered.
I'm representative of myself, more like person, then citizen.
Do I represent my homeland country? No.
But if one ask - I try to explain and talk about it, also "busting the myths" - about Poland, Europe, and "foreign culture".
giadrosich:
I agree. I don't consider myself an "ambassador" by any stretch of the imagination, but do you think most local people, when they see you, they see "all Poles in your actions?" Maybe, maybe not, but you know how many of them think in the collective sense.
Yes, I do. I am around young Chinese college kids all the time, and by and large, they love/are fascinated with the USA.
so, I try to project a positive image of my country while also doing my bit to unravel some of those odd preconceptions so many people have about the States.
I will be first to admit I have a short temper and have jumped the shit of more than one person in more than one country. I am trying to keep that in check though....
I am aware that Americans in general are not seen in the best light and have even known a few to claim Canadian citizenship to avoid the negative comments about the states. I am no apologist, but I feel like I should try and avoid reaffirming the fat, ignorant and loud mouthed image of which we are mostly viewed.
giadrosich:
Which is exactly why I had no problem picking out fellow Americans in downtown Amsterdam, lol.
I don't see myself as a representative of my country, although I understand others may view me as such. I do however try and show courtesy, kindness and understanding to everyone I meet. Attitudes and customs here are very different here to the UK, and as Lokethebloke said, there are certain aspects of English history which we should not feel any pride towards at all. However it does not matter which country we come from we all live on one world and we are all human beings. If anything I like to try and break down the stereotype images that Chinese have of us and show people that really we are all the same. We all want food, shelter, love, family and friends. If we can just get past the bullshit propoganda put out by every government and deal with people on a human level then I am sure we can all get along fine, with the exception of the complete dickheads that we meet everywhere, but then they are usually on different world to the rest of us anyway. I just try to represent myself as a decent person and hope some of that rubs off along the way.
I think most of us, unwittingly or unwillingly, are. If people have met only one or a handful of people from a country they will judge that country by that very small sample group.
In my case, my school wrongly thought thought for the first six months that I was an American - so I guess I was accidentally a representative of another country!
lokethebloke:
That's why I'm always digging at the 'usual suspects', they give the vast majority of our colonial cousins a bad name.
MissA:
Nope, Pogger, I'm Australia.
Loke, do you think you can possibly be a little more patronising?
lokethebloke:
I thought australians had a bloody good sense of humour, you disappoint me.
The USA government wrote in our passports that while Americans are overseas, their actions, inactions, and behavior reflects on American people as a whole and that is true whether you want it to be true or not. So we need to keep ourselves out of trouble, or it's going to cause big headaches for our government's diplomats.
I'm surprised by the OP's question. If you get into any trouble, you already know it's going to be on the news all over China as "(Insert nationality) male found (insert crime) in (insert city)." Then you'll have all sorts of Chinese people talking about how (Insert nationality) people is bad for China and that the Chinese government shouldn't make it so easy for these people to come to China. Then people come here complaining how the new Visa rules have gotten so much stricter 
.
So of course, I feel I'm a representative of my country. So I'm especially careful to be respectful, excessively apologize, and stay out of trouble.
I am a guest in China, and guests shouldn't come over to your house and poo on the carpet because it's just wrong.
mArtiAn:
Exactly why I try and encourage people like Crimo, Lar, etc, to show a little more respect for their host country. Their attitude reflects very poorly upon their own country. Then again I do agree with a number of Crimo's observations and even see value in westerners speaking openly about corruption, etc, as I feel it is a luxury they have to a greater degree than the Chinese in general. But making statements like 'a country full of thieves and liars' (Crimo) or 'they're all selfish bastards' (Lar) just gives a very, very poor impression of their countrymen indeed. There's venting ones frustrations and there's inciting contempt. I'm not sure if they're aware of how much they do the latter.
i just consider myself a regular lao wai here......got too many compliment from chinese for being a ，handsome， lao wai which makes my day jolly........but being a really good representative will be something off my league
......cause i do so many shit and am not proud of it though i make you guys look better appearance and good drinking wise.....that is what i truly feel.
I never really thought of myself as Canadian in China, just foreign devil, didn't do any flag waving only planted the pole.
I didn't realise that american's were cautioned about their behaviour whilst they're abroad, by their own government of all people!!! Sad that they should need to, does it mean that I can stop doing it now?
I am Chinese. If I met only one foreigner, I don't think his or her behaviors would represent all the people from their country.
There are all kinds of people in every country, good or bad, friendly or unfriendly, thoughtful, careless, rude or considerate, arrogant or modest...
What if the one I meet is very nice? I can't say all the people from that country are nice, can I? If I encounter a rude one, I can't say all the people from that country are rude either.
However, I can see the common things if I meet at least 10 or more people from the same country. The common things represent the country, or at least the majority from the country.
Anyway, just be yourself.
There is good and bad in every country.
giadrosich:
I agree, in that, the more people you meet who exhibit the same behavior, you start to believe that all people from that place must do the same things. Of course, this isn't true, but may just be that you are meeting a certain "type" of person.
Every country (city, region, etc.) has certain characteristics because of a common culture, but within that framework, personality is decided not only by culture, but also by ethics and moral choices. All of these things ultimately shape behavior!
