Interesting impressions of the U.S. - #1

Some of the most interesting things you learn living abroad are not so much the new ways of the new culture. Sometimes learning how people of new culture see your home can be quite enlightening.

That is, what are the perspectives that everyday Austrians have of the U.S.? Often, they seem colored by Hollywood and the media. Sometimes, it isn't so clear where these ideas come from! I try to withhold judgment, though, seeing as most Americans think that "Edelweiss" is the Austrian national anthem!

A good example of a surprising U.S. stereotype comes when one asks an Austrian what images come to mind when you say "Chicago." For me, as an American, it might still be Michael Jordan and the Bulls, a lot of cold weather and wind in the "Windy City." I don't know, maybe the Lake?

Not so for the average Austrian. This is interesting and best exemplified with the following anecdote.

There is a story that the Mayor of Chicago was visiting Vienna a few years back and, though he didn't speak German, noticed the word "Chicago" on a campaign poster on the street. He asked his host, the Mayor of Vienna, what it meant and the embarrassed Austrian had to explain that this poster was part of a campaign against organized crime! It said something to the effect of "Vienna cannot be allowed to become Chicago!" In his defense, this was a campaign of a right-wing party here in Austria but was embarrassing, nonetheless.

And it indicates that just the word "Chicago" invokes clear images of organized crime for the average Austrian and is still synonymous with Al Capone, so much so that it's used in an anti-crime campaign to effectively get the point across to the general public!

Very funny for an American girl with her own stereotypes about organized crime being primarily based in New Jersey...the problem with stereotypes...