Normally when I tell people I am from America (they always assume Canada at first) they don't really react or care. Other times people literally freak out and squeal and tell me how much they're ABSOLUTELY obsessed with America and want to go so bad (which I think is a little weird). Twice someone has said they're afraid to go to America. But once, I was full on attacked for being American.
Colleen and I were in a jade shop, admiring the various Maori symbols carved into the green and yellow stone. The owner of the shop was an older woman, probably in her 60's and asked if we were from Canada (of course). When we said no we're from the states she suddenly went on a tangent about how Canadian girls are so nice and her son dated a Canadian girl and moved there and all praise Canada. She then asked where in Canada we were from, and we had to awkwardly correct her and re-tell her we were from the states. Her whole demeanor changed.
She asked us what we thought of New Zealand and what we thought was different. Colleen went on to say the biggest differences are people are typically more relaxed, more emphasis is put on recreation here, and people are typically very noncompetitive. The woman then went on to talk about how being here must "make us think" and "wonder if its constructive to be so focused on work". I told her I actually really like the competitive work place, that it's exciting and I genuinely enjoy it more than sitting around doing nothing.
She then went on to say things like, "New Zealand must make you think of where you put your values. It makes you think 'who has the better life?'. Working competitively is a really nonconstructive life, that's why everyone in America is unhappy."
Colleen and I just stood there, listening to her go on and on about how New Zealanders have the better, more constructive and "intelligent" life. We both had to really hold our tongues to not start a full on debate with the woman.
She also went on to the topic of violence, saying how America is so violent and more and more violence comes about every day. And "what life is that". Here I was able to outsmart her and tell her I study media communication and in fact, violence is SIGNIFICANTLY decreasing in America every single year. The reason America appears to be more and more violent "everyday" is because the media increasingly reports violence where in earlier year's violence wasn't such a hot topic. She didn't care about my explanation.
And then she brought up Syria. And how "thousands of poor refugees are fleeing because of America's air raids" and how the country is helpless now that America is trying to ruin it. Really, really unfortunately at the time I hadn't read up about Syria. (I know I'm a media communication student, but I was on vacation so I hadn't got around to reading up on it). If I had read about it, I would have totally been able to outsmart her because she was just genuinely wrong about the situation.
Whether or not I would have debated with her though, she probably would not have changed her views. I never considered myself to be very patriotic but it was very much NOT okay for her to completely attack America. Especially when we were 2 young Americans, obviously have nothing to do with Syria, obviously aren't running around carrying guns, and just came into her shop to admire the beautiful New Zealand jade.
Also, people, if your going to assume things about people or a culture, make sure they are educational assumptions.
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