Tomorrow I will set foot on U.S. soil for the first time in seven years. I am a bit apprehensive about it for a couple of reason: first, will I love it so much I won't want to return to Greece, and second, will it be the same?
When I left the U.S. I was ready to get the hell out of dodge. Not for any particular reason, it was just if I was going to stagnate somewhere I might as well experience a change of scenery. Yet when I left I was an American through and through. I felt appropriate fear towards terrorist threats, appropriate disdain towards uncouth European ideals, appropriate entitlement from my American roots, and my mind was as closed as a nun wearing a chastity belt. Everything I knew about the world outside of the U.S. was pretty much stereotype perpetuated by the media and the curse of growing up American during the Cold War.
Now, after living in a European country (barely) for 7 years, I no longer feed on media fear, I no longer have disdain for Europeans, and I sure as hell no longer have any sense of entitlement. My mind is more open, and I know more about news of the world than I do news of the U.S. (except, of course, for what is going on with regard to Michael Jackson's death). If I didn't know better, I'd think I had the same general malaise of thought with regard to Americans as many Europeans do. But that can't be right. I'm an American!
Perhaps it is fitting that I will start my trip in the nation's capital. As I stroll around the streets of Washington, D.C., perhaps I will form a new idea of what America means to me. But I'm not certain it is still the place I would call home.
14 comments:
It may be a kinder, gentler, less ignorant country without Dubbayah. All you can do is cross that bridge when you come to it, and have a good time :)
I think the biggest danger is that you might find it hard to leave. Living in Europe/Greece has it's charm but things are much more orderly in North America, not counting our current garbage strike...ciao
I felt wonderful when I visited this year. There's so much more space than I remembered! Although, I had a very different view of things on my visit. All of the scheduling and routine that I left behind and craved for the first year that we lived here- suddenly seemed so restricting. And although I love the order of things in our great country, it can be boring. But, I miss it soooo much! Have a wonderful time!!!
Have a great time! Enjoy every second
Oh it's a different country. Now that we have a DICTATOR who is turning our once-free country into a socialist republic by nationalizing everything from banks to car companies and now wants to dictate CEO pay. Yeah I might consider moving to Greece that's how bad it's getting here. We are no longer a free country.
Enjoy your visit! When we moved to Greece ten years ago, I remember thinking that it would be difficult to change worlds whenver I went back for a visit, but it really wasn't so bad.
There are charms and lures for both places and the human condition dictates that wherever you are, at some point you will long to be somewhere else.
I don't know how long you'll be in the States, but I hope it's long enough to enjoy what you missed most, and also long enough to wish to return to the things you love here.
Relax and try to have fun on your vacation. You are not making a permanent move.
I will form a new idea of what America means to me. But I'm not certain it is still the place I would call home.
___________________
Jessica
Email Marketing Solutions
True American - No country is truly free, including Greece.
hello!
I'm from portugal and i have a blog. I wish to have visits from all the world, so if you could visit
my blog i'll be very grateful!
kiss
Marta
http://domeulugar.blogs.sapo.pt/
It was an great experience living and wroking in Greece for many years while vacationing in the States every Christmas. But at the end we got tired of the Greek system so we returned Home to the States. Our life is so much easier these days, no more daily headaches, financial concerns, do not even have to watch the American news daily - still though watch MEGA and ANT1 TV news daily via the internet :-)
We spend every summer in Greece and this has worked best for us. Enjoy your American vacation!
Hey... did you come back?
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