Sitting across from a German couple and a Chinese mother and child, we were waiting at the Guilin airport for our delayed flight to Shanghai In this last week of our travel-study tour, my husband and I were savoring  this mini-break by reading. While surrounded by languages I couldn't understand, it was an American accent that my attention was pulled from my book It also pulled the attention of three rows of people seated around us as the American barked, "Coming through! Coming through!" At the same time, an oversized man pulling an oversized carry-on turned down our row. His wheeled bag caught the foot of the German maa Turning to see what snagged his luggage ,the American bellower yanked his bag hard enough that it crossed over the man's feet It was then that my horror struck. There was no "I'm sorry; no "Excuse me" 5 no "Pardon me" coming from this countryman of mine. While this wasn't the first or last incident where I sighted impolite, ill-mannered, rude Americans in China, each produced similar feelings. First, I was embarrassed that someone from my country was creating a negative impression of Americans. My second reaction was a desire to apologize. I wanted to explain to the ChiiKse woman and her child, the German couple next to her, and everyone nearby that this was not typical American behavior. I wanted them to know "we" were all not like that I never got to explain, or to apologize. Language differences made that option impossible, and rational thinking made it inappropriate. But there turned out not to be a need The German man caught my eye and with a bit of head-shaking, smiling and eye rolling* which I returned, it was clear he knew we were Americans and was expressing that there was "no need" to apologize for "universal idiot behavior". Every time the author saw some Americans' bad behavior in China, she always felt  _
uneasy and sorry scared and disappointed proud and comfortable nervous and miserable