Feeling less American

So I've done well lately with occupying myself and making the most of my last three months here. I began doing language exchanges with some French people, I think I'm going to take a knitting class on Friday, I used the local pool and now the lifeguard is loaning me a recipe book to copy and brought in postcards from around France so I can get an idea of other places I want to see, and on Saturday while most of my friends were skiing I went to an Argentine tango ball and met a French woman, Noura, who said she'll show me around the surrounding areas and I can help her 4 and 5 yr olds learn some English. I also learned a bit of tango, embarassingly as the experts were on the floor and I got asked to join them as everyone watched from their café tables. But I love how diverse the dancers were and how fluid the motions of tango are. I still prefer salsa though if I'm going to dance it, the improvisation of the tango gets me.

On another note I have been told often lately that I don't seem very American and have been pondering what that means. I guess I should be proud because the comment is meant in a positive way to mean I'm open-minded and like to explore new things and ideas. But I found it interesting the the gateman at my school just assumed I wasn't American because I say Bonjour to him every time I pass and sometimes talk a bit with him. And going out dancing with some American assistants on Saturday night I started to see a bit why. After countless comments about "Down with France" after men started flirting and speaking in English to us I realized my friends weren't looking at the reasons as to why people answer them in English all the time.

When the French hear an Englsih accent, or hear four girls singing in English as they exit the club, or hear every other word be "like"; then they are either going to speak in English to you out of curiosity and the fact that its obvious you're not a native or because they feel then you will be able to communicate easier. But so often when an American tries to stick up for another culture its seen as unpatriotic because you like that culture more.

Its not true that I like the French culture more, and it may sometimes seem so when I do a lot of comparing of our culture to theirs. When you see things you like about another culture it shouldn't be unpatriotic to imagine how you can improve your culture in certain aspects. I think many Americans would like a public space to meet such as in a café, or would like to have a downtown where they can walk more, or work less and spend more time with their families. And though the strikes get annoying I would prefer transportation hassles to apathy if it makes a difference. But because I see where Americans can improve does not mean I don't miss home or love where I am from.

Last night's Superbowl is a good example having French tv on sidebyside to the American broadcast on Mike's laptop. I saw how I missed American's humor that was in the commercials but I don't miss the blatant Pizza Hut and Bud ads every two seconds that make a one hour game over four hours long. I miss drinking American beer instead of Kronenbourg or 5dollar half pints of Guinness but I don't miss the cheesy halftime shows or dramatic life stories of the players. I think my place is some common ground in between the two countries. I love the life in France but I don't want to live here the rest of my life. And I love the laid back attitude of American culture but I wish sometimes people would get off their butts and do something instead of just complaining about things. I could go on and on forever about this, and I apologize in advance for those who have to listen to my comparisons when I get home; but I feel its better to compare than to not know what its like elsewhere.