In reception areas and kitchens in hostels all over the world there are a million awkward introductions being made, people of different nationalities communicating in foreign tongues and attempting to make friends with their fellow multinational residents an opportune moment for any casual anthropologist or avid people-watcher. Of course, international stereotypes can play a large part in these foreign introductions, whether they are confirmed or alleviated depends solely on the people involved, but they are almost constantly at play in some capacity.

The preconceived stereotypes are often predictable - the loud and brash American, the argumentative French customer, the rowdy Englishman, the fussy German... but one would hope that the open-minded, youthful population of travellers can see beyond the typical and form their own judgements. In fact, stereotypes can be a constructive tool in forming friendships, and not merely a destructive form of narrow-mindedness. They provide a limitless source of banter and humour, as long as they are treated with the right amount of caution and social responsibility.

There are many examples of films which exploit international stereotypes for their own comic ends. Two Days In Paris, for example, features the archetypal American Tourist, the French Artist and the typical Parisian caricatures found in nearly every film based there. This does not prevent the film from being touching or human, it merely adds a comic dimension to the tale. The same can be said of 'L'Auberge Espagnol' which follows a group of exchange students all living together, all with different nationalities, as they struggle to survive in bustling Barcelona. It seems that stereotypes can be used a cultural ice-breaker, as a point of comic reference. And, like most aspects of comedy, they are amusing because behind them usually lies some truth, however dangerously generalised it may be.

With these stereotypes being used and abused in all forms of the media, it is no doubt that they have somehow been embedded in the subconscious of all of us. Youth hostels, which are inherently more interactive than hotels thus making a better example, are the perfect location to watch these stereotypes in play. Some stereotypes are inevitably self-perpetuating. For example, most people will communicate in the common language of English, leading to the stereotype that the English are lazy and mostly ignorant of other languages. But most are a breed of films, books and newspaper articles that have impressed upon us all at some time in our lives.

So next time you're waiting in a youth hostel reception area, have a look around you, watch how people greet each other and how the first question asked is almost always 'So, where are you from?', if not 'Are you [insert nationality here]?' - a guess based on accents, appearances and basic first impressions coupled with a basic knowledge of the classic stereotypes. If you're looking for youth hostels, then take a look at HostelBookers.com for a useful directory including customer reviews. Also, take a look at ASDA's new travel website if you're looking to arrange a holiday.