NewsPublished: Jul. 07, 2026, 6:24 a.m.This Getty Images stock photo shows a woman leaning against a building.Getty ImagesBy Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.comHow do spies hide their identities when they go undercover internationally? And how do American tourists avoid standing out when visiting other countries?Americans often give clues that they’re from the U.S., like fashion choices, accents and cultural cues. But the biggest giveaway is actually body language, according to a CIA expert.Jonna Mendez, the former Chief of Disguise for the Central Intelligence Agency, says American posture is very different from European behavior. She describes the casual stance as an “American Lean,” something agents are trained to change when traveling internationally.“They think that we are slouchy,