There is a common perception in many countries that Americans are stupid. I met many Americans in South Korea, and lived with one guy. When I told him I was from South Africa he asked: "Oh, is that somewhere in Kenya?" When I asked where he was from, he told me the state he was from, expecting - as Americans do - everyone to know about your country, but having a lot of ignorance about the rest of the world.

He came over as an English teacher, and often could not understand what I was saying. He spoke in American slang, and his version of English meant he had no idea that a tap = faucet, hood = bonnet, trunk = boot, napkin = serviette etc. This guy was into drugs, drug peddling and stole furniture, umbrellas (Koreans often leave them outside) in the street we lived in. He also farmed out his Korean girlfriend to his friends, to take turns. This was my closest encounter with an American, but I am intelligent and sensible enough to know that more sensible people live in America. Many other Americans behave shabbily in South Korea, so I could also make a bold statement that 'every' American I met was this or that.

In my own travels overseas, the UK in particular, I found taxi-drivers and others sharing their racist stories with me because they assumed, me being a South African, I'd be racist and we could have a good laugh. Wrong.

My surname is van der Leek. It's Dutch. Most people think it's an Afrikaans surname, including fellow South Africans. It's not. My family is Dutch and English, and moved to the country after the Boer war. My home language is English.

The point is that while stereotypes are the simple and easy way to make sense of the world, they are not always accurate. Sometimes they are way off. If something disturbs you a great deal, go to a little trouble to understand a situation before pronouncing a verdict. That way it has more meaning.

Neill I don't see how your stereotype of the entire white population of SA does credit to anyone.