Traveling overseas has always been an exciting pastime for us Americans. In 2016 alone, the National Travel and Tourism Office reported that there was an 8.2 percent increase in Americans traveling abroad. Thanks to things like frequent flyer miles, it is now easier for people to book international flights at half the cost. Also, tour companies help take the stress out of planning by offering tour packages for various countries. While it is a good thing to get out of your vie courante (everyday life) and experience a different way of life, there is a rather unfortunate reputation that precedes us Americans: The Ugly American.

The Ugly American is a stereotype that is known across all foreign countries and that all foreign countries dread. The Ugly American is an American tourist who is loud, ungrateful, rude, and totally oblivious to their social faux pas. They tend to wear visors, those hideous wraps around sunglasses, and sport an American sports team jersey and khaki cargo shorts ensemble. Instead of choosing to eat at a local restaurant that serves the country's national cuisine, they opt for "safe" touristy restaurants where they can dine upon the familiar dish of hamburgers and french fries.

Perhaps the most famous phrase within the Ugly American's repertoire is the infamous "Do you speak English?". This phrase is usually spoken in a loud tone of voice and comes off as quite demanding and hostile, which is a major turn-off for most non-English speakers. It might even start an unnecessary confrontation. Sadly, this stereotype is sometimes completely true and paints a portrait of Americans as being totally uncouth individuals who think that their country is basically the center of the world (which some Americans actually believe).

If you haven't already heard, a Youtuber by the name of Logan Paul visited Aokigahara, a forest in Japan known for being the site of numerous acts of suicide. He filmed and reacted to finding a recently deceased body in the forest and posted to Youtube sparking an outrage.

His other adventures (or should I say, misadventures) in Tokyo show him disrupting the peace at a shrine and being disrespectful to those praying, bothering employees and other shoppers at the Tsukiji Market (a famous fish market in Tokyo), and playing "Pokémon" while dressed in a Pikachu onesie and throwing a plush Poké Ball at moving vehicles and pedestrians.

Logan would later say in one of these videos that Japanese people are "super nice" and he was glad that they were able to put up with him. What he doesn't know, is that most of the people featured in his videos were annoyed with his antics and found him to be quite disrespectful to both the culture and people of Japan.

I know that was a bit redundant, but there is a serious issue here regarding the way we allow people like Logan Paul to represent America while abroad. It shows other countries that Americans have little to no respect for their international neighbors and that we expect all other countries to follow the American way of life. It demonstrates ignorance and an unwillingness to put the effort in to at least learn about another peoples' culture and heritage. It's already becoming harder to gain the respect of the world due to our current president, we should at least try to gain back some of our prestige.

Next time you go abroad for either leisure or to study, I want you to think of yourself as a representative of America. Do some research about the cultural norms and expectations of the country you are visiting and learn about the actions or behaviors that could be considered rude or threatening. Take some time to learn some key phrases in the language of the country you are visiting; trust me, saying "hello" in their language goes a long way. Scout out some restaurants or activities in cities that only locals know about in order to truly immerse yourself in that city's culture.

A little effort to learn another person's culture is a major sign of respect. It opens the borders of your mind and helps to combat prejudice and ignorance. Next time, don't go to a foreign country as the Ugly American, go as the Educated American.