America?

I have just come back from a 10-days holiday in Uzbekiston and would like to ask the following:
When I went to a market to buy things or a restaurant or generally made an enquiry somewhere, when people noticed that I did neither speak Uzbek nor Russian, the first thing they asked was 'America?'.

Now during my time in Uzbekiston, I met a few people from Germany, heard even more Gemans, as well as lots of Dutch and Italians, and other Europeans as well. So with so many Europeans in Uz, and probably many that have visited Uz in the past, and not anyone with an American accent in sight, I really wonder, and this is the question, that they would automatically ask 'America?' when coming across a foreigner.

I told them that I was not from America (I do not speak with a north American accent), and presumably many other Europeans must have been asked the exact same question before and subsequently denied it, so it really really surprises me that everybody would always ask America?

Any explanations for this please?

There are a lot of Americans working in that part of the world due to the Afghanistan war -- although I thought more were in Kyrgyzstan, where the supply line to Afghanistan runs through. Could that be the reason?

Otherwise, I'm with you, there are certainly far more European tourists in Central Asia than Americans.

Ken

Most vendors around the world make a living from quickly assessing a possible client. Good vendors will pick up on subtleties that give away info about you. A wedding ring... brand name of shoe... walking style... not to mention minor physiological traits. Perhaps you give off an American vibe. Everyone thought i was Italian.

Joe, did you figure out why they thought you were an Italian? What kind of vibe did you send? :-)))))

I lived in the US for 10 years and whenever I went south everybody talked to me in Spanish. I guess because I have black hair and eyes every body assumed I was a Hispanic.

my dad's from Italy. I'm guessing that has something to do with it

I spoke to a Hungarian Lady i know today and we discussed the world cup. She said "China haf problem". Now i took this to mean that North Korea got tonked last night.
Not everyone in the world has a clear idea of world geography or people but almost everyone has an idea of the really big countries and then maybe sticks anyone who looks like them in the same category.
How often do Candians and New Zealanders get asked what part of the US or OZ they come from?

You just come from a country with distinctive branding.

Or maybe it was the cowboy hat and stars and stripes t-shirt ;-)

I am American and have been living in Dushanbe for two years now. I've also been lucky enough to travel around the region some. But I have never been asked off the bat whether I'm from the USA. I'm afraid you just seem American, gilded lil.

In my opinion it has nothing to do with there being Americans in the area (be sure they've been kicked out of UZ - even peace Corps have had problems recently). Neither the clothes that you wear... I doubt a melon seller in Urgench has much idea which fashion brands Americans prefer over Europeans.

It's a Soviet thing. The USSR was a closed country, America was the big enemy of the state, and the imagined land of milk and honey to the people (well, some of them), so there is a pervading sense that anything foreign and rich-looking (e.g. you) is from America.

I found it pretty annoying too... European tourists must outnumber Americans in the region 10 to 1, but still you hear 'Amerikanskiy' all the time. Even after telling them that I'm British, some would still call me an American when talking with one another. Very annoying, but another legacy of the good ol' USSR which will take decades to go away.

I guess it's a bit like all white people being labelled 'angresie' in Pakistan regardless of whether they're English or not - they were the foreigners.

I have to say though that being labelled American is far less stupid than my being asked (I am Caucasian) by an Indian if I am from JAPAN!!