Posted: 02/07/07

Bill in the land down under

Bill O' Connor | contributing columnist
woconnor@smcvt.edu

“Watch out for the kangaroos. They’re everywhere.”

That’s what my mother said to me as I was walking towards the terminal gate. And she wasn’t joking. I’m spending this semester at Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia, and my mother’s words of advice were, “Watch out for the kangaroos.”

Now I’m no expert, but I’m pretty positive I won’t be seeing many kangaroos prowling the streets of Gold Coast poised to attack. I understand the sentiment, but my mother’s advice is based on nothing more than the few stereotypes and generalizations she, and presumably most Americans who have never visited the country, holds about Australia.

Not so surprisingly, I encountered many similar generalizations about my new home and the people who inhabit it in the few months leading up to my departure.

“Australians are all rugby players, and they all drink a ton,” one friend happily offered.

“Those Aussies are crazy,” another friend, whom of course has never actually met an Australian, stated.

Another even made this gem of a comment after losing a poker hand to yours truly:

“I hope you get killed by the aborigines.” He later clarified his wishes for me, adding that Auckland’s native people are, “Of course, headhunters,” (which in reality is, “of course,” false). It’s basic assumptions such as these that I hope to address in my column this semester.

It is human nature to simplify and generalize people, places and things. It’s a skill we have been practicing since our early days in kindergarten, grouping objects by similar colors or shapes. Though these generalizations can make certain tasks quicker and easier, they can also lead to misunderstanding and conflict.

For instance, if I believed that Australia’s aboriginal tribes were comprised of headhunting savages, I may start walking, if not running, the other way if I happened to stumble upon one during a walkabout in Alice Springs. However, if I were operating under the knowledge that these tribes were generally friendly and non-confrontational, I would react in a drastically different fashion.

The United States is one of the most recognizable and influential countries in the world. Because of its highly visible position, many people have strong opinions or convictions about it and its citizens. These differing views can impact the way foreign citizens react to Americans visiting their country, much like my thoughts about aborigines could influence my interactions with them.

It is my goal to use this column to examine the various ways that presumptions and generalizations affect the day-to-day lives of American citizens living in a foreign country. I will be drawing on my own experience in the land down under as well as those of my roommates and any other international students I happen to meet during my stay in the land down under, so stay tuned for much more to come.

And for those of you back at good old St. Michael’s, watch out for black bears. They’re everywhere in Vermont.