Fear of interacting with people as an American
I am a pretty solitary person in general, and I usually don't stay in hostels much, but I decided to stay in one tonight in an attempt to branch out and get to know people. However, like every previous attempt, I've ended up cowering in my cot by myself for the past few hours. It's pretty stupid, but I'm consistently terrified of what people will think about me/say to me since I am (US) American. I don't feel comfortable lying about my ethnicity and saying I'm Canadian, either (and I kind of find that behavior uncouth in general). I had actually mustered up my courage a bit earlier at the attached bar and while I was eating dinner I was openly movked (in English) by some Germans sitting right next to me about the way I eat my food.
I recognize that plenty of people will be nice, and not every conversation will turn political, but also recognize that the following assumptions will be made about me before even conversin:
I am stupid
I am boorish
I am wasteful
I am politically deranged.
And perhaps this is quite selfish (?) of me, but these are not things I wish to counter and prove myself against while on vacation. Nor do I feel the need to prove I am "one of the good ones" or prove myself in general in order to make a new friend. It almost seems like it is not even worth trying to be friends with people who will always secretly think ill of me anyway.
I recognize I have a massive chip on my shoulder here, but am I even wrong? I'm basing these assumptions/fears off of interactions I've had online + with (mostly European) coworkers who have blamed simple mistakes I've made on being a "reckless American" and discounted my abilties/academics. Does anyone have any advice or should I just keep on keeping to myself?