.: culture : mash :.

One of my pet peeves about traveling is hearing about how someone went to visit where I live and came out with a shocking experience of either ignorance, naiveté, or lack of sense of culture in some way. Now the thing is that I can of course make jokes and criticize these things myself. After all, I’m an American (according to my Naturalization Certificate and everything). But I can’t stand it when other people make comments based off of a very narrow experience barely accruing enough evidence through an inappropriately wide enough sample size.

I came across the Paulitic’s Canadian blog the other day. And while I think for the most part, these experiences are humorously described, and normally I’d laugh along with him (since again, I’m allowed to America-bash), I might say I was a caught defensive.

Oh, and by the way, I’m also allowed to Canadian bash. I work for a Canadian company, dated a Canadian, and been to Canada many times. Hence, I obviously have Canadian rights.

This reminds me of being in college and meeting people while abroad who had done exchange programs in the states. I’d tell them I’m American (there’d be a moment of doubt due to my tan) and then they’d tell me in a very proud way that they didn’t enjoy their time.

It always went something like this:

So you were abroad in high school?

Yes, for about one year.

Oh how fun. I sometimes wish my French exchange was longer like that. How did you find your host family?

They were very nice, but I was quite bored with the city. Everything is so large in America! And it took a long time to get anywhere.

Yeah, well, we need some portion control. So you lived in a large city?

Yes, a place in Idaho. <Enter random suburb name>

If I were to judge all of Europe from one experience just outside of Cork, Ireland … I’d shoot myself. They do realize we’re friggin huge, right? That’s the one thing I think foreigners have that’s equally as ignorant as the American sense of cultural awareness… geographical awareness.

Oh and, I really want to swing by this place for some diner grilled cheese.

source: Paulitic’s blog.