Americanism

Since the time I was seven until I went off to college, I have had the pleasure of meeting many young men and women from all over the world. My parents thought that it would be a good experience for everyone to host exchange students. When I was 16, I was fortunate enough to be an exchange student myself. I went to Australia and New Zealand, and spent 2 months living with families in those countries. I also had the excitement of living in Germany for several years (thank you Army!). But I am NOT well traveled, that would be my sister (Thank you Delta!).
I did learn a few things. Many non-Americans consider Americans to be over-indulged, short-sighted, and greedy. Guess what? We are. We drive big cars, live in big houses, spend too much, eat too much, think too much about ourselves, and too little about anything else. And the worst part? I am no different. I am ashamed of myself. I may be worse than the typical American because I see the ways that I am failing humanity. I am daily reminded of this every time I turn on the news. Not just Japan and Libya, but everywhere. People are suffering everywhere (even in the USA) and what do we do? Nothing, we go to the mall. I went and saw a movie today.
Part of me wants to give up everything non-essential. We don’t NEED television, and we don’t need two cars and motorcycle, and we certainly don’t NEED all the junk in the pantry. I don’t NEED this computer, or my cell phone. We don’t NEED a house this big. I have a yard where I should plant a vegetable garden. Sometimes I am sick to my stomach, looking around and see all of my excess.
When I was in Australia, I stayed with a lovely family with 3 daughters. One day we went to visit the grandmother who lived not too far away. When I was introduced to her, she looked me up and down and said “you’re not fat!” Even at sixteen I could see that I was not at all what she had expected. When I was in New Zealand, I stayed with an older couple who went out of their way to tell me all the things that were wrong with the United States. I desperately wished I could hide my Americanism, but there it was, every time I opened my mouth.
We are so blessed to live in the United States. I am fortunate to be born an American. And yet, here I want to wish it away. We need balance here. We need perspective; we are failing ourselves without it.