How can I avoid being seen as a tourist when I am actually a tourist?

I’m not trying to pretend I’m something I’m not, but I don’t want to scream “I’m a American tourist.”<br><br>I take trips all over the world from small villages in Switzerland to big cities like Tokyo and Paris. I’m 22 years old and my brother is 20, and I find that we kind of do things a bit differently than most tourists. We spend most of our time walking around, stopping for meals, and then heading to some point of interest. There’s a lot of just enjoying the atmosphere on the way between places.<br><br>Since I’ve been to so many places, I’m kind of sick of the whole tourist trap thing. I don’t want to hit the gift shop or take a photo in front of some statue, so you would think I would just blend in. But my brother and I are usually the only Americans in these smaller places.<br><br>I think I’ve narrowed it down to 4 things that I do differently than other tourists:<br><br>1. The way I walk. I’m not running from A to B. I stop, look around, observe people and buildings around me. I take photos here and there of the random buildings (I’ve never been inside them, but oh well). And not just the buildings but the streets, markets, and just random people out doing their day.<br><br>2. Language. I’m an American from New Jersey, but I’m fluent in German and have basic knowledge in Japanese. My brother speaks a bit of German and Japanese, but he’s really good at French and Italian. First of all, how many Americans do you know who speak any of those languages fluently? (I know you do it, but I don’t know you specifically). This is a dead give away that we don’t live in Europe. I’m not sure how we would get better at this because it just seems weird to practice speaking a language to random locals. I know it does help that we can speak to locals, and it definitely helps when a waiter or store clerk says something in a foreign language and we can respond appropriately.<br><br>3. Food. I’ve never been to a McDonald’s in another country. I don’t just hit up a restaurant, I specifically search for a restaurant that is traditional to the country and region that I’m in. I’ve eaten raw horse in Japan, I’ve had wine in Paris, and I have ordered the weirdest sausages in Germany. I also love checking out local markets. Not only are they really cool to explore, but the food is authentic and usually really good.<br><br>4. Clothing. I’ve realized this is the most important part. Most tourists are dressed like they’re on vacation. They have hats and sunglasses, they have those fanny packs strapped around their waist, and they have cameras hanging around their neck. I dress like I’m going to a restaurant for a nice dinner even when I’m just out walking around. I never wear sunglasses, and I never have any kind of bag. I usually have a camera hanging around my neck, but I don’t want to carry it in a bag. I would prefer to leave it in my car, but I love taking photos of random stuff so it’s attached to me.<br><br>I’m not saying I don’t want to hit up museums and historical sites, I’m just saying I don’t want to be seen as a tourist when I’m a tourist. I want to feel like I’m part of the culture, but I’m obviously not.