It is often never too terribly difficult to spot a Canuck while backpacking. The Canadian flag is—for better or worse—often plastered all over backpacks, daypacks and various other bits of travel attire belonging to a large percentage of Canadian travellers. In fact, I have met a few individuals with so many Maple Leafs attached to their personal effects that one might reasonably conclude a Canadian ambassador impostor had gone haywire.
It is a bewildering little phenomenon. No other nationality seems quite so determined to turn ordinary luggage into a mobile diplomatic mission. Are Canadians a nation of overzealous nationalistic maniacs, hyperactively flaunting our symbolic pride overseas? Or is something more insecure—and more interesting—going on?
Should I Wear a Canadian Flag on My Backpack?
On my first trip overseas to Asia—way back in 2004—I was told by many fine folks back home to make sure I had the Canadian flag on my suitcase and daypack at all times. Their advice, in a collective nutshell, was succinct and blunt: “If you do not wear it, people will think you are American.”
One person even candidly suggested that American travellers were already in on the scam: “I met a guy from New York who was wearing a Canadian flag the last time I went to Thailand.”
The supposed distinction was clear. A large percentage of Canadians believed we enjoyed a far better reputation abroad than our neighbours down south, and the Maple Leaf was apparently the travel-sized proof of purchase. Sew it on, collect the goodwill and avoid being mistaken for one of them.
I was not particularly fond of this vogue then, and I am still not. That does not mean every Canadian flag patch offends me. A tiny Maple Leaf sewn onto a pack because somebody loves Canada is not a constitutional crisis requiring an emergency parliamentary session. Wear it. Enjoy it. Just do not expect the poor thing to provide diplomatic immunity, a personality transplant and priority access to the kindness of strangers.
Personally, I still would not put one on my backpack. Especially not when the intended message is less “I am Canadian” and more “Please understand that I am definitely, absolutely, under no circumstances American.”
How the Maple Leaf Became Backpacking Equipment
The Canadian flag on a backpack was not something I imagined after one unusually patriotic night in a hostel. It became a recognizable part of Canadian travel culture. The Government of Canada’s own history of the national flag mentions Canadians sewing it onto backpacks and travelling the world. There is even an academic chapter titled The Canadian Backpack and Flag, using the combination as a metaphor for Canadian culture.
We have apparently done this so consistently that the backpack patch escaped the hostel dorm and wandered into textbooks. That is an achievement of sorts.
Of course, Canadians wear the flag for different reasons. Some are simply proud of home. Some like being spotted by fellow Canadians on night trains, in border queues or across crowded hostel kitchens. Some want to recognize a generic black bag on the airport carousel. Others were given the same advice I received before Asia: display the Maple Leaf so nobody makes the terrible mistake of assuming you are American.
I have no desire to pretend those motives are identical. Quiet affection for Canada is one thing. Expecting strangers to reward you for being Canadian is another. The first is pride. The second is reputational freeloading.
What has always bothered me is not the flag itself. It is the assumption that Canada’s international reputation can be sewn onto a bag and redeemed like an unearned travel upgrade. Apparently the patch is expected to do everything except carry the backpack.
Your Backpack Starts Talking Before You Do
A backpack is unusually public luggage. A suitcase disappears into an aircraft hold or hotel room. A backpack spends the day attached to your body in train stations, hostel corridors, ferry terminals, markets and city streets. Whatever you stitch onto it becomes part of the introduction.
People decorate bags with football clubs, university crests, cartoon characters, political causes and patches collected from previous trips. Fine. A bag does not have to resemble evidence in a beige criminal investigation. But a national flag carries a little more baggage than a smiling avocado or a fading hostel sticker.
You may intend a harmless nod to home. Somebody else may see politics, foreign policy, migration, privilege, military history or simply a country they once visited and loved. You do not control the interpretation. That is not a reason to panic. It is merely a reason to stop pretending the Maple Leaf communicates only one universally flattering message.
I prefer to decide when my nationality enters the conversation. I am not hiding it. If somebody asks where I am from, I answer. If they guess incorrectly, I survive the ordeal. My luggage does not need to shout “CANADA” from across the room like a nervous parent locating a child at an airport.
Canadian Identity: Are We Anything More Than “Not American”?
As a Canadian who has spent more years as a mature adult abroad, I feel I have a slightly more detached perspective on Canadian-American relations. What I find particularly disturbing is how much Canadian identity is built around the notion of NOT wanting to be American.
It is the sort of inferiority complex that can emerge when a peripheral nation shares a border with a much larger and more powerful neighbour. Instead of explaining uniquely Canadian values in positive terms, a large part of “being Canadian” becomes a running list of things we insist we are not. We are not this. We are not that. We are certainly not them.
I am not claiming Canada has no identity. That would be ridiculous. We have our own institutions, regional cultures, histories, political traditions, languages and unresolved national arguments. Spend five minutes comparing Newfoundland, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia and the idea of one bland Canadian personality falls apart quickly.
But we do have an annoying habit of describing ourselves through a flattering contrast with Americans. We are quieter. Kinder. Less boastful. More worldly. More polite. Better at apologizing after elbowing someone in a hockey game. Sometimes these differences contain a grain of truth. Sometimes they are national vanity wearing sensible winter boots.
Canadian historian Norman Hillmer described the United States as the unavoidable standard against which Canadians measure themselves. In his essay on Canadian anti-Americanism, he argued that Canadians emphasize what differentiates the countries even though the two societies remain deeply intertwined and remarkably similar.
The resemblance is precisely what makes us twitchy. Nobody works harder to announce a tiny difference than somebody terrified it may go unnoticed.
The backpack patch becomes the travel-sized version of this national project. One carefully positioned Maple Leaf, straining heroically to hold back an entire continent of mistaken identity.
The American Travellers I Met Ruined the Stereotype
Personally, I have found that travellers and backpackers share characteristics that often transcend nationality, political affiliation and geography. Most long-term travellers are curious, open-minded and at least somewhat in awe of the strange privilege of moving through another country. Not all of them, obviously. Backpacking has never completely eliminated loudmouths, narcissists or the person who believes everyone in the hostel kitchen needs to hear about crypto before breakfast.
Still, it takes a certain personality to be able to travel successfully abroad for an extended period. If somebody has no curiosity, flexibility or tolerance for cultural difference, daily life on the road becomes a grinding series of complaints about why everything is not exactly like home.
Most of the American friends I made overseas were among the most open-minded travellers I encountered. That matters because I had arrived carrying some of the same lazy Canadian assumptions I am criticizing here. Real people spoiled the caricature. Travel is useful that way.
This is why it strikes me as elitist when Canadians openly admit they are displaying the Maple Leaf mainly to prove they are not American. The patch becomes less an expression of Canadian pride than a public disclaimer attached to somebody else’s nationality.
Korean travellers are not generally sewing flags onto their bags to announce that they are not Japanese. Austrian backpackers are not covering their luggage in national crests to reassure the world they are not German. Yet Canadians have somehow made “please distinguish me from my neighbour” part of the backpacking uniform.
When I explained my stance to other backpacking acquaintances, several quietly admitted they also found the endless flags odd. Not offensive. Not dangerous. Just a little needy.
A passport does not tell me whether somebody will be generous, irritating, curious, arrogant, funny, exhausting or wonderful company. Travel should make national stereotypes harder to maintain. It should not provide us with fresh accessories for sorting strangers before they speak.
Wolters World looks at Canadian expectations, etiquette and common travel misconceptions.
Did Americans Really Pretend to Be Canadian Abroad?
The story has circulated for decades. An American traveller, worried about hostility toward the United States, quietly stitches a Canadian flag onto a backpack and suddenly glides through the world protected by borrowed politeness, peacekeeping credentials and a vague international affection for maple syrup.
Some Americans unquestionably did it. My own pre-trip advice included the secondhand story of a New Yorker in Thailand. Other travellers have described the same thing. What we do not have is convincing evidence that hordes of Americans were storming the backpacking circuit disguised as Canadians.
My suspicion is that the legend became much larger than the practice. Canadians loved repeating it because it confirmed two flattering beliefs at once: America was disliked, and Canada was so beloved that Americans wanted to borrow our identity. That is catnip for a country with a complicated relationship to its louder neighbour.
Even if only a small number did it, pretending to possess another nationality is still dishonest. We do not need to inflate this into a grave philosophical crisis involving “identity appropriation” and the sacred purity of authentic travel. It is simpler than that. The patch is telling a lie before you open your mouth.
An American traveller is better off owning where they come from and contradicting the worst stereotypes through behaviour. Be respectful. Listen. Do not speak at the volume of a departing aircraft. Avoid explaining another person’s country to them after three days in it. These are useful guidelines for Canadians too, by the way.
The memorable moments of travel—whether a casual conversation in a family restaurant or a one-off adventure such as my first time riding in a hot-air balloon in Costa Brava—are not improved by beginning with a disguise.
Do Local People Actually Care That You Are Canadian?
To understand the folly of treating the Canadian flag as a universally positive symbol in some far-off corner of the world, imagine the inverse scenario back home.
At a local Tim Hortons—an inordinately popular Canadian doughnut chain—picture a Khmer traveller from Cambodia walking in and ordering a medium coffee and a maple dip doughnut. The Canadian teenager behind the counter, who has never travelled abroad, notices the Cambodian flag with Angkor Wat on the backpack and erupts with relief upon realizing this customer is Cambodian and NOT Thai.
It is difficult to imagine. Yet Canadians routinely assume an employee in a bus station, café or guesthouse halfway around the world will see our flag, instantly process the subtleties of North American identity and adjust the warmth of the interaction accordingly.
A Canadian who may recognize little beyond the famous towers of Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom should be cautious about expecting everyone else to become an expert in our distinctions.
The fact remains that many people simply do not care where you are from. Others may be no more able—or inclined—to distinguish between a Canadian and an American than a typical Canadian can explain every cultural difference between neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia.
In my opinion, expecting otherwise is absurd. We are not nearly as central to everybody else’s mental map as we imagine.
There are exceptions, naturally. Some people recognize the Maple Leaf immediately. Some have visited Canada, studied there, followed Canadian politics or have relatives in Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal. A patch may begin a warm conversation. It may also inspire complete indifference. Both outcomes are normal.
The mistake is assuming that recognition equals approval. Somebody knowing you are Canadian does not mean they have signed a contract to like you.
The Canadian Flag’s History Is More Relevant Than It Sounds
Flag history can sound like the sort of material assigned by a teacher who has temporarily run out of ideas. In this case, though, it belongs in the article for one good reason: Canada itself spent decades trying to create a symbol that would identify the country on its own terms.
Before the current Maple Leaf, Canada used British-derived symbols including the Union Jack and the Canadian Red Ensign. The Red Ensign combined the Union Jack with Canada’s shield and became widely recognized as Canadian, particularly during the two world wars. But it still looked unmistakably tied to Britain.
The weakness became obvious during the 1956 Suez Crisis. Canadian peacekeepers sent to Egypt carried the Red Ensign. Because it included the Union Jack, Egyptian observers could reasonably associate it with Britain, one of the invading powers. Not ideal branding for a peacekeeping mission.
Lester B. Pearson later made resolving the “flag problem” a priority. The Great Flag Debate exposed a country divided between people attached to Canada’s British heritage and those who wanted a symbol for an independent Canadian future. A parliamentary committee considered several thousand concepts before selecting George Stanley’s design: one red maple leaf on a white field between two red bars.
The original stylized leaf had 13 points, but it became muddy at a distance. Graphic artist Jacques St-Cyr simplified it to the 11-point leaf recognized today. The new flag was proclaimed in January 1965 and raised publicly on Parliament Hill for the first time on February 15, 1965.
The irony is almost too tidy. Canada created a new flag partly because it wanted to be recognized as Canada rather than mistaken for Britain. Canadian travellers later stitched the same flag onto their backpacks because they wanted to be recognized as Canadians rather than mistaken for Americans.
Canada has spent an impressive amount of national energy proving that it is neither Britain nor the United States. The backpack patch may be the portable version of the entire project.
KnowledgeHusk explores the meanings and histories behind Canada’s national, provincial and territorial flags.
Pride Is Fine. The Protective Shield Is Nonsense.
The easiest way to understand a flag patch is to ask what job the traveller has assigned to it.
“It reminds me of home.” Fair enough.
“I enjoy meeting other Canadians.” Also fair.
“It helps me recognize my bag.” A strip of fluorescent tape could accomplish the same thing, but I will allow it.
“I want everyone to know I am better than the Americans they dislike.” Now we are getting to the part that irritates me.
“This flag will make strangers treat me well and keep me safe.” No. That is magical thinking with a sewing kit.
The Maple Leaf can express pride, begin conversations and help Canadians spot one another. It cannot prove the wearer is decent. It cannot erase political assumptions. It cannot compensate for arrogance, carelessness or astonishingly bad travel decisions.
| What a Canadian flag may do | What it cannot reliably do |
|---|---|
| Express pride in Canada | Guarantee a friendly reception |
| Start a conversation | Erase political stereotypes |
| Help Canadians recognize one another | Prove the wearer is a good traveller |
| Make a bag easier to identify | Make the traveller safe |
Will a Canadian Flag Actually Make You Safer?
No credible travel-safety advice treats a Canadian flag as protective equipment. Official guidance tells travellers to understand destination-specific risks, follow local developments, obey local laws and pay attention to changing conditions. It does not recommend sewing a Maple Leaf onto your luggage and hoping Canadian niceness absorbs the impact.
Travel risks are painfully specific. Crime. Civil unrest. Transportation failures. Local laws. Health concerns. Weather. The neighbourhood you wandered into while staring at your phone. A positive stereotype about Canadians cannot neutralize any of these.
Before travelling, consult the current Government of Canada travel advice and advisories. Learn where you are going. Know how you are getting from the station or airport to your accommodation. Keep an eye on your possessions. Do the dull, practical things that actually help.
In most destinations, a small Canadian patch will probably be harmless. Some people will notice it. Many will not. In a politically sensitive setting, any obvious national symbol could attract attention you did not request. This does not mean travellers must dress like anonymous sacks of oatmeal. It means visibility is not the same thing as protection.
A flag cannot rescue ordinary incompetence either. Arriving unprepared, ignoring local conditions or stumbling through unfamiliar places without paying attention remains risky regardless of the nationality displayed on your bag. Even somewhere as welcoming as Patagonia, the practical lessons in my guide to El Chaltén travel mistakes for first-time visitors are far more useful than any patch.
When the Flag Makes Perfect Sense
I am opinionated about this, but I am not trying to establish the backpack police.
International sporting events are built around visible national affiliation. Canada Day invites the Maple Leaf. Student exchanges, cultural events and gatherings of Canadians abroad may turn the flag into part of the occasion rather than a request for special treatment. A small pin on a jacket is also rather different from transforming every item you own into a travelling consulate.
Context matters. So does scale. A Canadian flag on a hockey jersey at the Olympics is exactly where one expects to see it. An American quietly borrowing the Maple Leaf to manage political perceptions is another matter entirely.
I have also become less interested in mocking harmless pride. Somebody may wear the flag because it belonged to a parent, because they are taking their first trip abroad, because they recently became a citizen or because seeing it gives them comfort thousands of kilometres from home. Those are human reasons. I have no quarrel with them.
My objection remains narrow but firm: using the flag mainly to distinguish yourself from supposedly inferior American travellers, or assuming Canadian identity entitles you to warmer treatment from everybody else.
Wear one because you love Canada. Fine. Wear one because you believe it proves you are morally superior to the American sleeping in the hostel bunk above you, and I reserve the right to roll my eyes.
Why I Still Choose Not to Wear One
Although I am certainly not ashamed to be Canadian—and I am, in fact, proud to be where I come from—I will not be among those who wear the Canadian flag on their backpack. In my opinion, it is a false attempt and a gross miscalculation to believe it will produce better service or a friendlier welcome merely because it is stitched onto my belongings.
I would rather let my nationality emerge through conversation. If somebody guesses I am American, it is not an emergency. Canada will survive. I can say, “Actually, I am Canadian,” and the international incident is resolved before lunch.
If somebody has a negative opinion of Canada, a patch would not have prevented it. If somebody loves Canada, we now have something to discuss. Either way, a real conversation is more interesting than expecting my backpack to negotiate on my behalf.
The traveller still has to do the human work. Listen. Pay attention. Learn how to say hello and thank you. Avoid behaving as though another country exists merely to provide scenery for your personal adventure. Admit when you do not understand something. Recognize that being Canadian does not make you universally informed, universally liked or magically exempt from becoming the annoying foreigner in the room.
However, when in doubt, I will “wear a smile” and try to fumble a few sentences in the native language of my host country as a way of making a real positive first impression.
A smile is not a guarantee either. Nothing is. But it asks less of the person receiving it. It does not arrive carrying a political comparison, a national stereotype or a request for inherited reputational credit. It merely says I am here, I am trying and I hope we can meet as people before we sort one another into countries.
That has always struck me as a better use of travel than walking around dressed as a tiny embassy.
Canadian Flag on a Backpack: Honest Answers
Should Canadians wear a flag on their backpack?
They can. Nobody is going to confiscate the backpack at customs. A small flag worn out of uncomplicated pride is harmless in most situations. I choose not to wear one because I do not want my luggage leading with my nationality, and I dislike using the Maple Leaf mainly to announce that I am not American. Wear it because you love Canada, not because you expect strangers to reward you for being born there.
Will a Canadian flag make me safer abroad?
No. It may receive a friendly reaction from one person and complete indifference from the next. In a politically sensitive place, any visible national symbol may attract attention. Actual safety comes from understanding the destination, following current advice, making sensible transport choices and paying attention. Less romantic, admittedly, but considerably more useful.
Is it acceptable for an American traveller to wear a Canadian flag?
Not as a disguise. The practice was probably never as widespread as the legend suggests, but it did happen. Pretending to be Canadian in order to avoid stereotypes is dishonest and unnecessary. Own where you come from. Then behave in a way that makes somebody question the stereotype rather than confirming it.
Why did Canadian backpackers start wearing flag patches?
There was no single starting point. The Maple Leaf is recognizable, portable and meaningful to Canadians. It helps fellow Canadians find one another, expresses pride and makes a bag easy to spot. It also became a way of signalling “I am not American,” which is the motive I find most revealing—and most tiresome.
When does wearing the Canadian flag make the most sense?
International sporting events, Canada Day, cultural exchanges and gatherings of Canadians abroad are obvious examples. A small removable pin or patch also carries less weight than covering an entire bag in Maple Leafs. Pride is not the problem. Expecting a flag to earn special treatment, safety or moral credit is where the whole thing becomes silly.
I am Canadian. I never wear a flag when I travel and neither do my friends (I have asked them). We don’t wear flags when we are in Canada, so why would we do such when we are away?
My own experience has revealed that most travellers sporting Canadian flags are Americans pretending to be Canadian. I hope you folks aren’t giving real Canadians a bad name!
Awesome article – I found it while sitting in the Sydney airport in front of two young women with Canadian flags sewn on their backpacks.
I have travelled extensively all over the world for many years and am extremely social when I do. Part of the love of traveling is to experience new and different cultures. You can do that in double time when you’re abroad by both experiencing the culture of the place you are visiting as well as meeting other travelers all over the world.
One point if disagreement though. Americans sewing Canadian flags on their backpacks are extremely uncommon. After more than a dozen years travelling and visiting more than 50 countries and talking to literally hundreds of fellow travelers, this is the first I’ve heard of this. It also doesn’t really make a lot of sense, the flag is a visual thing, people always ask where people are from. Do these Americans lie and say they are from Canada? Or make up some story about what life there is like?
In many many counties – in parts is Asia, and especially the Middle East, there is little distinction between the US or Canada, or The UK, or Germany for that matter, we are all often seen as “from the west”. As someone noted above the vast majority of people in the world I think, or at least in my experience, can distinguish between the Amwrican people and our government’s an policies. Locals generally treat you well of you are nice and polite.
Also agree with people abroad being very curious about the USA and what life is like there. I live in LA, and generally tell people exactly where I live in LA (Hollywood) because it’s a great conversation starter.
Thanks for this article! As you can clearly see, people are finding it years after you wrote it 🙂
Interesting!
I don’t think you can compare Cambodia vs. Thailand with Canada vs. America.
I don’t think you can compare the strong feelings and associations people have with Americans to any other nation. People have such strong feelings of like/hate for them that is unlike any other group of people. So it does make sense in a way for Canadians to want to disassociate themselves from them. If not for personal safety at the least.
I think it goes on in most countries though. In Thailand, no one wants to be Thai and they all claim to be of Chinese descent (unless they really can’t pull it off) rather admit to being simply Thai.
Its sad but I guess everyone want to be something different.
I agree with this article wholeheartedly. The more that you travel, the more that you feel like you belong to a global community in any case, and it seems kind of silly to identify with just one place. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that it’s not good to be proud of where you are from, but if a conversation turns in that direction overseas, let it be because that was where the natural flow of the conversation took you, not because you’re putting out there as part of your first impression that you give to people. One less thing for people to categorise you by means that you’re more likely to be accepted for who YOU are.
As a Canadian I found this really interesting. I don’t have a flag on my gear but have to say it does from time to time bother me when people assume I am American. not from a sense of inferiority but precisely because I don’t think we are alike. Not even our English is the same. But you make a very good point – I will sadly admit I can rarely tell where in Latin America people come from so how can our situation be any different really? . It is likely why I have never placed a flag on anything.
We are far more often remembered as that couple that travel/sail with that ‘tiny dog” anyway. It’s who we are.
Often times I’ve heard and seen Americans pretending to be Canadians when abroad. I was under the impression that they would be treated differently. I wouldn’t have known being a South Asian-Canadian. Come to think of it, lot of Canadians have the Maple Leaf on their backpacks 🙂 Although I don’t carry one on my backpack, I think it has its benefits due to how Canadians are perceived by some countries as “friendlies”.
Living in London, ON in 1995 the Canadian Government was airing TV ads telling Canadians to put the Maple Leaf on their backpacks when traveling abroad. I am an American and was in London living with my Canadian GF. We had some laughs about this before spending the summer in Europe. It can be trouble for Americans in many foreign countries because of US foreign policies. I say go with the Maple Leaf, it is in your best interest. In general Canadians will not associate with Americans in Europe although Canadians that get off the Eurotrac and find themselves in Africa, the Middle East or S. America are quick to be friendly. While traveling with my Canadian GF in Europe Europeans as a group were surprised that a Canadian would even be with an American. America bashing is something Americans traveling abroad quickly learn to accept, so much of it has merit.
I like the Maple Leafs and the idea has merit, Anti Americanism is firmly entrenched in Europe. Canada IS superior to the US in a long list of ways. 🙂 be proud of the Maple Leaf, coolest flag ever!
Thanks Jim! That’s an interesting perspective 🙂
Being an American traveler, I particularly enjoyed reading your post and your perspective. In my early travel days, because of certain American policies, I was shy about claiming my nationality. However, the more I travel the more I agree with you that a warm smile and a few language phrases say a lot more about a person then the flag they choose to or not to wear.
Mary, I think that’s what it ultimately boils down to – manners and being friendly.
Bizarre the way they do that. It’s not something I’ve ever felt the need to do. If someone wants to know where I’m from, they can ask.
Great post! It’s so refreshing to see a fellow Canadian say this. On the road, when I tell people I’m Canadian, they’re either like, “OH! THANK GOD!” and “Oh, don’t be offended, but I so thought you were American!” I’m not offended… I could not care less. I had one evening where a Brit was trying to vex me by calling me American all night and then he seemed vexed that I wasn’t getting upset about it.
That’s a great story Bula. I’m also the same way as you. Why would there be any need to be offended 🙂
Sam,
I’ve been told a few times (esp when I went to Ireland) to say I was Canadian instead of American. And while there has been a lot going on in my country that I don’t agree with (for many years), I did find it awkward and a little offensive. I enjoyed reading a Canadian’s perspective on this, nice post!
Thanks Rhonda, it’s an opinion I’ve wanted to share for a long time.
I stated my thoughts on G+ but I agree with you. If you are wearing a flag to show who you are not (or even who you are), then you are doing a poor job as a traveler. Sure, there will be people that have stereotypes about you. However, it is your job – through your actions and words – to show them who YOU are and change the stereotype. If you are letting a flag tell people about you, then you are only reinforcing the stereotype you are against.
Thanks Jeremy, I couldn’t agree with you more. There is no doubt that stereotypes exist but at an individual level one can make a very positive impression by just being who they are.
Everybody is entitled to an opinion, I would defend your right to state it, but I certainly don’t agree with it. The situational awareness of the local people no matter where you travel allows them to differentiate between who is who when it comes to Americans and Canadians based on our actions. Don’t think they don’t know the difference, they do, especially in tourist areas that both frequent. They interact plenty with Americans and Canadians and have been for many years. There are blatant differences that after years they will realize, flags or not!
Kim, I really appreciate your opinion. We disagree on inherent differences between Canadians and Americans. Although, it’s common to associate certain stereotypes, it doesn’t in my opinion, hold much weight in reality. I feel that two individuals and their respective personality traits are far more variable than the difference between two different countries.
I completely agree with looking at people as individuals and throwing stereotypes out the window. Just because I’m an “American,” it doesn’t mean I’m “spoiled, loud, rich, fat, ignorant, easy…” (the list goes on). I try my best to correct these views when I’m traveling abroad. Sadly, many people I meet will tell me they find it hard to believe I’m American because I don’t fit into those categories. We need to stop believing the lies the media feeds us and judge people based on character.
Hey Rhonda, I totally agree with you. Sometimes I’m baffled at how such stereotypes could even exist in the first place.
Hey Samuel – Interesting post. I traveled around the world for 3 years and 45 countries as an American. I’d heard the joke about having a Canadian Patch, but just thought of it as a silly joke.
I loved meeting people all over, getting to know them and vice versa. And nearly everyone I met was happy to talk to me and could very easily separate the American government from it’s people. I was proud to be a good ambassador to my country. It’s just another reason I think travel is so good…I learn…and so does the world. It’s a total peace-keeping mission!
Lisa, that’s a great point! We are in a sense cultural ambassadors of where we come from 🙂
Hey Samuel. Thanks for the post. I ran into this a ton already in New Zealand. People will always ask me, “Are you Canadian?” and when I tell them I am American they say, “Oh, I didn’t want to offend you if you were Canadian, I always ask that first.”
While I was traveling the Northland of New Zealand with a Canadian and two Germans, I was constantly told how surprised they were about my open mindedness and desire to learn, because they expected different. I agree, I was more closed minded when I lived in the US, but I have an unbelievable craving for knowledge and experience now. I just feel like assumptions are no good while traveling, but I’ve experienced it a lot as an American.
Thanks Sam, great post, and I agree with ya!
Ryan, that’s really funny but sadly true. I know a lot of Canadians who get up in arms of being falsely mentioned as being American. I find that ridiculous.
I’m rocking the Canada patch, i find it comforting to see that flag now and then but i’ve always been like that with the Canadian flag…That being said, nobody really ever sees it and most people assume i’m American anyways, and i’ve always been treated very well. I don’t have a problem with Canadians or Aussies or anyone wearing their home flag patch on their packs but if you’re not Canadian, don’t pretend to be, that’s my only issue.
I’m surprised how passionate some non-patch wearers are on this subject, and the response is usually the same in that most people wear it for themselves and not for others as often assumed by those who are against flag patches… it’s an interesting line that get drawn.
On a side note, i once met a Brazilian with a full size flag draped over his backpack and i thought it was great!
Hey Jeremy,
I think it comes down to a personal decision. I’m glad you wear it for reasons that are positive. I’m personally considering sewing flags from all the countries I’ve ever lived in or visited on my pack.
I have to admit that I found this post really interesting. As someone who was born in another country and grew up in the U.S and has relatives living in Canada (I’m from the English-speaking Caribbean, so there is a large Caribbean population in the Toronto area especially) this has definitely shed some interesting light. I wish I had more to say, but I think your post brings up some interesting points about North American cultural identity and to be quite honest, geopolitics. Thanks again for the enlightening post.
Thanks for reading Terri, much appreciated 🙂
haha I agree that it is strange that our culture is based on being “not” something as well… I also wrote about that on my blog! I have a Canadian flag on my backpack…. but then again… i have a flag from everywhere I have been in the world. Some people dont like it when others sew on patches – but hey – I will never lose MY bag in the airport. EVER. so there. 🙂
Jade, I love the idea of having all of the flags on your pack! I’m going to do that myself. I know some places in SE Asia where I can get them very cheaply 🙂
Very interesting. I’m Canadian and I have no problem with people confusing me with being American, it doesn’t bother me at all. I’m a person and although I am also proud of my country, it doesn’t define me.
I’m the same way. I don’t get offended if somebody thinks I’m American. I know some are VERY sensitive about it but I’m not 🙂
I have always sewn the CAD patch on my backpack. Even when I was in school in Canada had one of my backpack. Just a matter of pride for me, and when traveling I’ve never worn it to be “not confused as and American”. The patch I have on right now is one from the Canadian Navy, which my Grandfather was part of, and he passed last year so I also wear it in his honour. I think as you commented above it is really your choice and I agree. I certainly don’t sport it to get preferential treatment. Sure, it has helped us get a ride when we were hitch-hiking (the guy told us that he saw the CAD flag and immediately pulled over). It has helped spark up conversations with other people, especially with other Canadians in remote areas of the World. It also serves a purpose to cover the branding trademark name on my photogear backpack. But mainly I wear it in pride.
I’m also one of those “people” that puts other country’s patches on my bag, not to brag, but to take a little something with me when I leave. Being a “permanent traveler” we can’t take souvenirs from these places simply because we don’t have room to accumulate things, so this is how I take a piece with me. I think another travel blogger made his opinion that people who do this generally are bragging about all the places they’ve been. I guess it can look that way, but not the reason I do it.
All in all, I could really give a shit if I see a backpacker with a patch or multiple patches sewn on his/her bag. Whatever their reason for doing so or not doing so, is that it’s really what matters to them.
Hey Pete, I can relate to a lot of what you’re saying here. This was definitely a strong opinion piece and I didn’t really take much time to consider those who wear it for other reasons. I like the idea of sewing all the countries you’ve visited on your bag. It shows you’re a global citizen. I might do that myself!
Next time I backpack abroad I am going to sew a patch of the planet earth on my backpack. I want to make sure people know I am not from that “other” planet.
LOL, best comment I’ve had in a long time Ted. Ah man, I’m LOL now…
Interesting stuff–I definitely have noticed that a lot of Canadians like to wear their flags on their backpacks when they travel, but I never thought about it too much. I’m an American, and we definitely don’t wear our flags when we go out….we know that a lot of people abroad aren’t crazy about us, so there just isn’t a sense in flaunting it.
Hey Emily, that’s certainly true. I’m not sure if I’ve encountered even a single American flag on backpack since I’ve been abroad.
I don’t sport one on my back pack either but I like seeing it out there as it usually makes me rush up to them, find out where they’re from and how they came to be at our shared destination. I love meeting other Canadians on the road … So for me it’s more of a conversation piece than anything.
Hey Cheyrl, that’s a good point! It’s easy to spot them 🙂
Oh man this is so great. While I don’t go around parading an America flag, I definitely make sure that people know where I’m from. If no one is on a mission to change people’s minds about what the USA is, who will?
That’s awesome Erica! Be proud of where you’re from 🙂
I also find that I usually get recognized as a Canadian for my Roots luggage!
LOL, I have some Roots things as well 🙂
Kudos! That brilliant smile will get you more than you think and your fumbling in their language – I’ve always found it’s appreciated.
Thanks for another great post.
Thanks Maria! I find keeping it simple has worked wonders during my travels.
Like most other Americans, I got this silly advice also — claim to be from Canada, etc. Funny thing is… I think America is the MOST loved country in the world. In fact, doing up a post about it soon. I have rarely ever gotten anything but an amazingly positive response when I say I am from the US. People may hate our government, but I really never meet anyone that hates the country. In fact, the US has the highest level of interest in people wanting to emigrate from all over the world.
So, I proudly proclaim my American-ness when asked. Don’t know why anyone wouldn’t do the same.
Michael, glad you’ve realized all of this while traveling overseas. There is no reason not to be proud of where you come from – wherever that may be. Looking forward to your article that touches on this subject.
“However, when in doubt, I will ´wear a smile´ and try to fumble a few sentences in the native language of my host country as a way of making a real positive first impression.”
Perfect. This says it all. The flag is a meaningless gesture to try and selfishly benefit yourself (get better service, etc.) while your suggestion gives respect first in hope of mutual benefit. A much better strategy and unselfish.
Thanks for the insights, it was a pleasure reading. Also, I loved the Tim Hortons reference!
Thanks John,
I love the idea of just starting things with a blank slate and taking it from there 🙂
This topic is interesting. The first time I went abroad solo, just after 9/11, everyone told me to sew a Canadian patch on my pack b/c tensions were so high and people were concerned with my going abroad as a solo female AND an American. I didn’t do it. But, many backpackers I spoke with on that trip commented similarly — if an American feigned Canadian, we could possibly avoid negative stereotypes. The comment you made about Canadians not wanting to be mistaken for the stereotypical American is interesting — that type of American people want to distance themselves from likely doesn’t travel in the first place. Personally, I am proud of where I come from. If anything, I would sew on my state flag before I sew on my country — that’s far more how I identify myself. As for Canadians sewing it on their bag — it’s almost a phenomena to me — it’s some unspoken Canadian thing. I don’t think I’ve seen any other traveler with a flag on their pack but Canadians.
Interesting article, didn’t entirely agree with it though. I’m a reasonably well-traveled Canadian (28 countries) who has spent more than 5 years as an expat (in Korea, Scotland and the U.S.) and traveled both with (as a teenager on several people’s advice) and without the Canadian flag (mainly). In a few countries it did make a difference, but mainly it was just a conversation starter and unnecessary. But I met several Americans who were using it in Europe which I always found funny. The few times I did use it was mainly because my parents felt it was safer.
However, as a proud Canuck (living abroad only made me more so) I disagree with your view on Canadian identity. My Canadian identity has nothing to do with “not” being something but rather my family’s history in this country (and before it was a country), the fabulous things Canada has contributed to the world and culture that is uniquely Canadian. And yes, we do have Canadian culture!
But I do agree that wearing a Canadian flag on your backpack in mostly unnecessary. However I always flew one in my apartment while living abroad 🙂
Hey Cindy,
Thanks for such a detailed comment. I think I was overly harsh with my criticism of Canadian culture.
I think a lot of Americans wear the Canadian flag because they’re ashamed of their country and its policies, but they need to remember that, unlike the American public in general, many people in other countries tend to be a lot more politically savvy and can distinguish the American people from the American government – and it’s usually the government that people have a problem with.
People sometimes think I’m American or Australian (I’m British), but I would NEVER wear a UK flag solely because I’m afraid of someone thinking I’m from North Carolina instead of North Yorkshire. I’d only wear a UK flag if it looked good on my bag!
You bring up some really good points Tom! I always appreciate when others can separate people from politics, but that’s not always the case.
Sam interesting post. I am American and have often wondered about that notable maple leaf on backpacks all over. I have a pack that has a dozen flags on it from places I have traveled, neither being a Canadian or American flag. Having lived abroad for awhile and backpacking over 30 countries, not once have I been greated in the slightest rude manner for being American, in fact quite the opposite. From cab drivers to locals it has always been overwhelmingly positive. It usually spawns a million questions about the US and what it is like to live there. Since it is such a large country, the locals often have a broad knowledge of American pop culture, sports or politics, it is as if they believe they have a common bond with you.
Kurt, I’m really pleased to hear that! I think it’s a great idea to sew flags on your pack from the countries you’ve visited. It’s kind of symbolic of being a citizen of the world – a well travelled individual.
It’s funny Sam, but I’ve wanted to write about this for awhile and couldn’t find a tactful way to do it without sounding like a jerk toward Canadians, who I generally tend to really like. So, thank you, my tactful friend.
It discourages me when I hear of Americans wearing the Canadian flag… that’s just ridiculous. The only time I have EVER seen flags on backpacks were when they were Canadian ones, which I just find a bit odd. When I first started traveling, I was a bit wary of how people view us and submissively agreed whenever people would make derogatory and incredibly generalized and uneducated statements toward/about Americans. I don’t do that anymore. At Christmas in Romania, people of several nationalities were discussing the politics of the US and how we felt about our country… were we proud? I replied something along the lines of – ‘I don’t like what we export as far as ideologies and pop culture and wars that I don’t agree with. To be honest, though, I’m proud of the many good things, and I’m thankful for where I’m from.’ I am proud to be an American, in many ways. I’m not so daft as to think that there is a greatest country on earth, or that everyone should want our style of democracy, or that everyone should buy into the ‘me’ attitude that is sometimes prevalent. I know many back home who think that way, and I try to nicely explain why those things are not true. I know lots of Americans whose attitudes I dislike, yet the same goes for Canadians. Generalizations help nobody. Every culture has its great people and its not-so-great.
I can understand some reasons for Canadians donning the flag (simple pride in their country, being patriotic, etc), but when it comes to doing so simply for the reason of being ‘not’ American, that sounds like a person I’d rather not meet. I actually met a hitchhiker once who specified on her signs CANADIAN in huge letters, which made me literally laugh aloud. Thanks for the post Samuel.
Dayna,
Thanks for such a though provoking and thorough comment. I truly embrace the concept of treating people I meet with a blank slate. I think the less labels we wear the more we’re able to connect with one another.
I think it’s pretty poor form when Americans sport the maple leaf just so others don’t know they are American. I think it’s awesome to do so if you’re actually Canadian, but sort of a slap in the face to other Americans if you’re trying to lie about your identity.
That’s a great point! I know that some American travellers who do that. I think it’s definitely unnecessary.
Interesting perspective. I never really thought about it much. My preference is for people to not know where I am from before they actually meet me…. but then again, maybe that’s because I am an American 🙂
Hey Steph, that’s actually my preference as well. I’d rather people get to know me naturally 🙂
Seen from the outside, it seems to me that Canadians wear their flag so as not to be confused with Americans by other people who are not able to tell the differences in their accents. It must be tiresome after a while to be told you are something you are not.
It sometimes happens to me that people here in Texas refuse to believe I’m Latin American (go figure than one out), and at times it bothers me. So I feel for the Canadians who want to be recognized as such and not as their Southern neighbours.
Hey Ana, that’s an interesting point you bring up. I know in Korea I’m often referred to as an American by strangers.
I find it especially distasteful when Americans wear the Canadian flag – only reinforces the stereotypes that all Americans are the same and to be shunned by foreign countries. People should own their identities.
Exactly Andrea! Let’s start with a blank slate and judge one another as individuals. The less labels the better IMO 🙂
I found that a well-written, emotionally grabbing, and perceptive article.
I think I was advised to wear a flag the first time I went hitch-hiking abroad when I was 16.
I think the idea was that it would elicit more interest from passing motorists than if they thought they were passing one of their own countrymen.
I wouldn’t like to wear a flag – I wouldn’t be sure whether I was wearing the flag, or it was wearing me.
What a great comment…”I wouldn’t be sure whether I was wearing the flag, or it was wearing me.”
I personally just like to remove as many labels as possible when I’m out on the road.
Good article Samuel, thanks for bringing it to my attention. Reminds me a little of the people who define their travels as “not” being “tourists” 😉
That’s a great point Laurence. I’ve met backpackers who pride themselves on ‘never’ visiting a touristy locale and/or slurping packaged noodles 3 times a day. It’s like a bragging contest – who spent the least…LOL
Hi Sam, great topic! I came across your blog while searching for opinions on putting the Canadian flag on backpacks. I did the search for this not because I want to clearly identify that I am Canadian, but because I wanted to find out if other cultures find it offensive or that I may be ‘bragging’. I am a proud Canadian and maybe just like to show my true colours. I even have a small flag on my car here in Toronto! Funny enough, the only time I’ve ever been snubbed was at a bar in New Zealand, when speaking with another Canadian traveller, when I responded to his question and told him that I was from Toronto. Oh well….safe travels all………………….eh!
Pierre, thanks for reading this article. I think that ultimately you should do what you’d like. I don’t think many will find it offensive you are wearing one and if you feel comfortable with it, I would say go for it 🙂 It’s just not for me, if that makes any sense.
interesting perspective Sam. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m American. I’ve traveled to 46 countries and spent a total of 6 years living abroad. I can honestly say that I’ve had wonderfully friendly/welcoming receptions from locals all over the world. Even in countries where people have warned me against traveling, I’ve been blown away by how kind and generous locals have been to me. I really don’t know why there’s a ‘false misconception’ that Americans aren’t treated well overseas. I think smiling and being a nice person transcends cultures. Over the years, I’ve been humbled by the number of times people have invited me into their homes to share a meal with their family, or gone out of their way to help me in various situations. Now, with regard to Canadian travelers sewing a flag on their backpack, well… I find it kind of funny and patriotic all at the same time. But I can say, that after so many years of hanging out and traveling with Canadians in foreign countries, I have noticed that unlike Americans, Canadians will answer the question, “where are you from?” differently depending on the situation. For example, I’ve observed countless times that a Canadian will answer the question 1 of 2 ways… either “I’m from Canada” or “I’m North American.” It seemed to me that the same Canadian traveler would change his/her answer depending on the circumstance. In my experience, I’ve observed that a Canuck will either say Canada if they want to distance themselves from the U.S. or claim to be from North America, if they want the local to mistakenly think they’re American, especially since English is a second language and most locals will only pick up on the word American and not the geographic ambiguity of the answer.
Hi Kelly, thanks for such an engaging comment. Firstly, it’s impressive you’ve traveled to 46 countries over 6 years of living abroad! I’ve lived abroad for 6 years as well 🙂 This sentence really sums up how I feel: “I think smiling and being a nice person transcends cultures.” I tried to check out your website but noticed it will be launching very soon. Let me know when it is up and I’ll come and check it out 🙂
Love this topic even if I am from Spain! anyway… I dont think being from the states is much of a problem when travelling. As I said earlier if you are respectfull and try to integrate into that new culture, people will be very friendly (apart form the idiots, yes, every country has their fare share!). But in general I guess people aren’t anti American but anti american governmet, international policy etc etc. This is my personal opinion of course, not being a canuck or a US national, I haven’t been able to experience the “problem” in my own skin. I just think that being humble and respectfull coming from whatever country yo come from will get you a very long way!
Ha. Before I started reading this post, I thought I knew exactly what you were going to say. But I was wrong. You have tapped into exactly the reason people do these sort of things. It’s a feeling of inferiority rather than a fear of being persecuted as an American… Good one!
Hey Adam, glad my article didn’t follow down a predictable path. I completely agree with what you’ve said.
I like the debate you’ve opened up here. I have to say that through my travels (which is nothing compared to yourself) I NEVER once displayed a Canadian Flag on anything. I believe that a good person is a good person is a good person, it makes no difference where you are from! While I was in Egypt, we (my husband and I) got asked where we were from. Of course we said Canada and the people were always really happy to make our aquaintence. But I was I ignorant enough to think that they were only nice to us because we were Canadian?? Absolutely not! They were pleasent to us because we were pleasent to them! Im sure they would have been just as happy to meet another nationality if the traveller was open to the culture and genuinely interested in the person they were speaking to.
I have to admit I get really angry that people feel that if they have a Canadian flag patch on their backpack that they will get special treatment. Unfortunatley its the idiot people (of all nationalities including my fellow Candians) that do this and dont treat the people with respect that will end up giving Canadian people a bad name.
I couldn´t agree with you more Sasha! My philosophy is let´s keep it as a blank slate and find out about each other naturally. If somebody is a jack-ass they´ve earned that reputation all on their own 🙂
Nice one Sam. I, too, met very great people from the US, but typically they “became” great people thanks to travelling abroad and seeing the world (to their words). Let me tell you an episode that happened to me while in Chile.
I was at this typical Chilean bar with an American fellow traveller. He asked me not to tell anyone he was American. As he was dark red haired he could have well passed for an Irish, and so he was saying around.
When I asked him why, he replied that since he got out the US he kinda understood that people from other countries can of course have prejudices and that not all other nations love US due to their last 60 years of foreign politics.
So, my provocation is that the maple leaf perhaps doesn’t serve to gain a better reputation as Canadian but to avoid the bad one as American. And we come back to your Newyorker wearing a Canadian flag in Thailand.
This is just a little thought given to the conversation, but I believe too that travellers don’t have nationality. The downside in meeting locals is that, sometimes, you find yourself speaking with people who have never been out of their countries and they too have their own strong prejudices hard to eradicate.
Anyway, it all adds up to the experience 😉
Alessandro
Some great points amigo! I especially agree with you on certain locals holding prejudices. I don´t know if you read an earlier post on my old blog, but I touched upon that in an article I wrote entitled ´Merely´ Change. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches and expect a little bit of a backlash 🙂
The reason that canadians wear their flag on their travel items is twofold…one is that Canada is still a small nation and some feel somewhat insignificant so any time they can show their colours , they will…#2 is an identity perception…Canada is still relatively young compared to most nations so some feel they may not be well known enough yet
Yeah, those could be two significant reasons – especially amongst those wearing it for other reasons.
I remember that some US Americans complaining about it when Canada refused to join the gulf war .
The ambassador of US of A in Canada said “And you refuse to help us after we defended you against invasions”! I do not remember who in Canada answered :”Sir the only time we were invaded was by the USA, you should study history before talking”.
As a European I must say I am quite pleased to see the canadian flag on the jacket or backpak, I do know then I’ll be able to talk with someone who won’t try to explain me he is from the most gentle, great, marvelous nation in the world etc… Canadians have the good sides of Us americans: Positive attitude, etc… without the arrogance wich makes a great mix. The only downside is, you must learn the Hockey teams names and scores for the last 126 years to be on good terms with them.But that’s acceptable. Do anyone says anything about the Germans wearing their flag on their sweat shirts or jackets??
Alain, that´s a great quote…LOL Also, it must be terrible hearing all that racket about hockey. To be honest, there are certainly plenty of ignorant Americans but I tend not to meet those types overseas very often.
I think the ignorant ones stay @ home due to fear! 😉 and those who do travel, quickly change their mindstate. I guess travelling is like attending an intensive master/postgrad course in LIFE!
Nomad Sam,
Nicely written. The fact is when people travel they lose their own country traits, well at least I do. It’s about blending in to the new culture that you’re experiencing. I’m a firm believer of ‘living like a local’. Learn how to say thank you, hello, goodbye, please….and so fourth. It goes a long way and shows respect to that culture. And coming from Australia, we have a similarities to Canadians like the way we live and many of us are travelling the world. One thing though…..we don’t have an American accent! Hehehe
Marc, I couldn´t agree with you more. When you travel you become a citizen of the world not a representative of your own country! That´s very true about the accent! I remember in Korea once meeting an Aussie who was pretending to have an American accent at school because they wanted a teacher from the US and were willing to pay more money per hour…LOL
I agree totally with Marc P on the fact that you you loose you country traits when you’re backpacking. Being from spain (BTW we have the same flag problem but internally, Catalonian & Basque Country flag vs Spanish flag) when I travel through latina America I can say that I slowly pick up the local accent and vocab, its just something that I do unconsciously. Its great not only because it helps you blend in “living like a local” but somehow casues curiousity becuase, despite having a funky accent no one knows exactly where you come from. I’ve had a few friends who were constantly mistaken for Argentinean during their trip in S america. I geuss it doesn’t really matter were you do come from, but how you represent yourself and how you respect the culture! GREAT POST BTW!
Didn’t like this one, Sam. There are many reasons Canadians put a Maple Leaf on a backpack, not only to be ‘not American’. While patriotism is sometimes a nonsensical and unnecessary argument waiting to happen, being a Canadian abroad is often considered a good thing. We are well-liked (generally) and we are proud of being Canadian, much like an Australian who has a kangaroo-themed patch on his backpack.
One of my good friends played sports at a high level, representing Canada internationally. He has a maple leaf tattoo – does this make him ‘anti-American’?
Paul (aka Hanson)
Paul, some good points you´ve raised. I think it is great to be proud of your country but I don´t feel it needs to be visually represented on your backpack. I personally enjoy finding out where somebody is from naturally by conversation. Anyhow, if somebody is wearing it for some of the reasons you´ve stated above it certainly makes it more tolerable in my mind.
Great post; you summed up my feelings exactly. I’m from the Pacific Northwest, which culturally isn’t that different from Canada anyway. We Yanks have our well documented problems, but I’ve probably met more culture conscious Canucks than any other nationality. The parallel between NZ and Oz is quite similar to Canada and the States, but you don’t see too many obvious kiwi backpackers either.
I couldn´t agree with you more. Growing up near Vancouver I feel more at home in Seattle (other nearby areas) than I do/would in Toronto. Sometimes it´s not the borders that separate us but just sheer ignorance…LOL
When I travel in Asia, I wear a Canadian flag for a different reason. I don’t want people to think that I’m Korean. Unfortunately, Koreans have a bad reputation in Asian countries to the point that I’ve had friends tell me not to tell people that I’m Korean.
That´s interesting Paul. I´ve noticed Korean culture is at least very popular in SE Asia – especially compared to 2008 – with plenty of Korean songs being played all the time. Maybe the reputation is improving significantly.
Koreans definitely DO have a bad rep – largely thanks to the population being hugely xenophobic/racist due to what they’re taught in public school. I see Koreans openly laugh in the street when they hear migrants speaking Thai or Vietnamese, and dark skin is equated with dirt…from what my (Korean) bf has told me, a lot of south-east Asians like the music, but resent the Korean public due to the awful way that they treat south-east Asian immigrants in South Korea.