Ten ways to know if you're an 'ugly American'

The October issue of

Budget Travel

notes the

10 most egregious mistakes

many Americans make that contribute to the "Ugly American" stereotype overseas.

Among the

faux pas

: being ignorant of "local rhythms" (i.e. rushing the waitstaff in a country where dinners usually take three hours), making "careless judgments" (out loud!) about another culture, and not dressing respectfully. That last one always reminds me of a flight to

Switzerland

in which I noticed a couple waiting for their luggage while decked out, head to toe, in red, white, and blue, with star-spangled bandanas to boot. (Seriously, I can't make this stuff up.)

Of course, sometimes our "ugly" reputation precedes us. When it seems as if

nothing

you can do will win over the local crowd, there's always the old fallback plan—tell them you're Canadian.