Americans abroad cautious, but confident

— -- As protests and violence beset at least 20 U.S. embassies almost exclusively in the Muslim world last week, those who have lived and worked overseas were reminded of the risks Americans sometimes take simply by being present in a foreign land.

Strangers in both Jordan and Turkey have asked Elizabeth Frierson, "Are you American?" They asked it in English at a bus stop, shopping for groceries or walking down the street.

Over time, the University of Cincinnati historian realized just how much her nationality has defined her while living overseas. That often was a good thing, she said. But not always.

On most days, Frierson and others who have lived and worked overseas still go to the store, to work and take their kids to school. They still meet plenty of people who embrace them for who they are, regardless of where they're from.

They say daily life for expatriates is rarely as dangerous or threatening as the violent images on TV might suggest, even in places where Americans are not especially popular.

"Even when people are angry at the United States government, they usually discriminate between the people and the government," said Frierson, who has traveled often to the Middle East and has lived there for up to a year at a time. "This is a sophisticated population."

But when anti-American sentiment runs high, the danger is real. Street protests in Egypt, Libya and several other countries this past week about an anti-Islam video have targeted U.S. embassies and, in some instances, American citizens.

Frierson said the risks always are greater for American diplomats and military personnel because they are the most visible symbols of the United States -- and high-profile targets for extremists.

But she said any American who lives abroad must be aware that some will not welcome them and that a vocal and sometimes violent minority may seek to do them harm.

In the mid-1980s, while living in Jordan, she and a friend were attacked and punched by a half dozen men while walking home from the grocery store.

She said she and her friend wore modest clothing and scarves on their heads, but the men still lashed out, accusing them of disrespecting their culture.

"We were following all the rules," Frierson said. "And this just happened."

The incident left her shaken but not seriously hurt. It also served as a dramatic contrast to the way almost everyone else treated her while she was abroad.

She said she befriended many of the people she met, including some of those whose first question to her was "Are you American?"

Just regular folks

Brittney Smith, who studied in Jordan and interned at the U.S. embassy in Bahrain, said her experience was almost always positive. She was in Jordan during the war in Iraq but never felt threatened.

"It's a very small minority that engages in these activities," she said of the street violence. "Not everyone is in favor of it."

Smith said images of that violence on TV may give the impression an entire nation is engulfed in anti-American anger, but that isn't the case. She said the people she met wanted the same things most Americans do: a good, safe place to live, work and raise their kids.

At the same time, she said, no one should be naive about the risks.

"You want to always be aware of your surroundings," said Smith who is from Cincinnati. "It's the same precautions you would take walking down Clifton Avenue" in Cincinnati.

But she said cultural sensitivity is important, too. That includes wearing modest clothing in religiously conservative areas and knowing to steer clear of some American customs others don't always embrace, such as shaking hands.

Avoid political talk

Gary Heiman, CEO of Standard Textile in Reading, Ohio, agreed vigilance is important, but he said he would add one more thing to the list: Don't stir things up by talking politics.

Rarely does any good come from that, he said, especially for a multimillion-dollar company such as his, with business operations in 13 countries, including Jordan and China.

"There is no place for politics in our business," said Heiman, who has dual Israeli and American citizenship.

He said security always is a concern for his employees, but daily life rarely presents risks that wouldn't be present in most American cities.

There are exceptions, of course.

Procter & Gamble CEO Bob McDonald traveled with guards while living in the Philippines in 1991 and had a bomb disposal pit in his yard. The threat then was triggered not just by anti-American views, but by P&G's decision to close two factories.

While safety may be a concern to some degree in many countries, Frierson said it rarely becomes all-consuming. Life usually is pretty quiet, she said, and there's no sense worrying too much about what could go wrong.