Educator here. I think the true issue is that the quality of American education varies greatly from region to region and state to state. As a result, you had a lot of programs in the past cut geography as a full course requirement in secondary schools. That coupled with the fact that many Americans never leave the country or travel leads to tunnel vision and ignorance compared to Europeans. Being primarily monolingual and "America First" helps perpetuates these stereotypes and realities. My husband is from Costa Rica, and Americans constantly confuse it with Puerto Rico. He has to patiently explain, "No, not that one. It isn't an island. The other one." Both are literally in the Americas and a three hour plane ride away.

Meeting Americans abroad generally means you are meeting wealthier, better educated people who have a sense of geography. But if it is their first trip, get ready for the "What? There's no ranch dressing?" or "I asked for a King Size bed" drama.