If you’re specifically concerned about being questioned or judged about the U.S. political realm, don’t be. First, it’s not necessarily going to come up. Second, “if you don’t want to have that conversation, I think you can politely say, you know, we’re here on vacation and to get away from that,” Heath says. “You can jump into the conversation, but it’s your choice.” And in the unlikely event someone does launch a political discussion in your direction, it’s probably not going to be a big deal.
After 11 years abroad, this scenario has only played out once for me, during a work trip to Paris in December 2016. Another trip attendee and I were having a glass of wine at a quiet bar in Montmartre, and a drunk patron suddenly came over to fairly aggressively and semi-coherently unload his thoughts about the recent U.S. election. We calmly tried to field his complaints. The bartender and a friend of his told the drunk guy to knock it off (which he did), and the four of us ended up having a nice chat. It was ultimately a non-event that did not stain an otherwise wonderful trip, and I certainly don’t regret going.
