Carly the Patriot really enjoyed a day walking through WWII
history, being able to compare up close the state of warfare today with that of
the past, and to see the land where so many Americans lost their lives fighting
to protect our Allies and a just cause. I could have spent a week seeing the
sights of the D-Day landings and the liberation operations that followed, but
only had a day at my disposal. I’m fully aware how lucky I am to have been able
to see it due to my current position as an overseas resident, but I really do
believe that it’s something all Americans should see. If you’ve ever considered
it, go find a jar right now and start saving. It’s was without a doubt one of
the most incredible and moving things I have ever seen, and I hope I can see it
again later in life.
It’s no secret that I’m a patriotic person. Yet recently, it has become even more apparent how proud I am to be American. For the past eight months, my national identity has been front and center. Being in another country for a year, developing relationships with friends from all corners of the world, and studying political science at a foreign university have shown me a lot. There are plenty of things that I don’t like or understand about America, but there are still plenty of things I love, along with even more that I have hope for. So at the end of the day, I still have a strong relationship with my country.
A large proportion of American’s I have met over here don’t see this the same way. It’s quite common for someone studying international studies or foreign language and who chooses to study abroad does so with hopes of one day expatriating or at least possesses a negative bias towards the country of their birth. I was once part of that crowd. You might remember me as a 16 year old rebel wearing a George W. Bush as Satan t-shirt (which I still proudly own) who wanted to leave and never come back, but I’ve come a long way since then. It was his foreign policy follies combined with my talent for foreign language that led to the academic track that I’m almost finished with today. I can’t point to a single event that made me have a change of heart, but don’t dare write it off as merely the kool-aid the Right claims that young people drank during the rise of Barack Obama…because that wasn’t it. But what’s important is that it happened.
It’s no secret that I’m a patriotic person. Yet recently, it has become even more apparent how proud I am to be American. For the past eight months, my national identity has been front and center. Being in another country for a year, developing relationships with friends from all corners of the world, and studying political science at a foreign university have shown me a lot. There are plenty of things that I don’t like or understand about America, but there are still plenty of things I love, along with even more that I have hope for. So at the end of the day, I still have a strong relationship with my country.
A large proportion of American’s I have met over here don’t see this the same way. It’s quite common for someone studying international studies or foreign language and who chooses to study abroad does so with hopes of one day expatriating or at least possesses a negative bias towards the country of their birth. I was once part of that crowd. You might remember me as a 16 year old rebel wearing a George W. Bush as Satan t-shirt (which I still proudly own) who wanted to leave and never come back, but I’ve come a long way since then. It was his foreign policy follies combined with my talent for foreign language that led to the academic track that I’m almost finished with today. I can’t point to a single event that made me have a change of heart, but don’t dare write it off as merely the kool-aid the Right claims that young people drank during the rise of Barack Obama…because that wasn’t it. But what’s important is that it happened.
I originally shipped myself to France for a year because I
wanted to become a diplomat someday. That’s not exactly what I’m working
towards anymore, but the spirit is still there. I’ve worked all year to serve
as a good example of America to those I come in contact with. It’s true that we
as a country don’t have the greatest image abroad, and I know one interaction
won’t change someone’s mind about an entire nation, but it’s at least a step in
the right direction. Just a little freelance civilian diplomacy, if you will.
I don’t know what I want to be when I “grow up”, but it’s my dream to have a real impact on the society I live in. So while some might be discouraged by the negative aspects of American culture/history, it just makes me want to work harder to improve things for everyone. When I get home, I’m going to spend five months fighting for a cause I believe in, and that I believe will better serve my friends and neighbors. I can’t wait to dedicate myself to the hard work of the campaign trail, with my newly recharged enthusiasm for the US.
One of my pet peeves is blind, American patriotism. As far as my studies have taken me, that definitely seems to be another one of the areas in which our country stands alone. Pick up a book, read some history, talk to some people, and think about what you really want and what you stand for. I’m the type of person who doesn’t really get mad if I don’t agree with you, as long as you’re putting some thought into your decision. I just wish this was something more people put thought into.
This is one of the many things I've learned while I've been over here. I'm going to be a different person when I get back. I'm not entirely sure as of right now how I'll have changed, that will take a few weeks to fully manifest itself to me. But I do know, that I'll be pretty damn happy passing through O'Hare customs June 1st.
I don’t know what I want to be when I “grow up”, but it’s my dream to have a real impact on the society I live in. So while some might be discouraged by the negative aspects of American culture/history, it just makes me want to work harder to improve things for everyone. When I get home, I’m going to spend five months fighting for a cause I believe in, and that I believe will better serve my friends and neighbors. I can’t wait to dedicate myself to the hard work of the campaign trail, with my newly recharged enthusiasm for the US.
One of my pet peeves is blind, American patriotism. As far as my studies have taken me, that definitely seems to be another one of the areas in which our country stands alone. Pick up a book, read some history, talk to some people, and think about what you really want and what you stand for. I’m the type of person who doesn’t really get mad if I don’t agree with you, as long as you’re putting some thought into your decision. I just wish this was something more people put thought into.
This is one of the many things I've learned while I've been over here. I'm going to be a different person when I get back. I'm not entirely sure as of right now how I'll have changed, that will take a few weeks to fully manifest itself to me. But I do know, that I'll be pretty damn happy passing through O'Hare customs June 1st.
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| In related news, I miss this building. |
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