Yank Abroad

“Don’t you ever read the front page?” a colleague asked me recently.

We were in the office kitchen, and I’d just pounced on the “World” section of the newspaper so I could read about Afghanistan and the American healthcare debate during morning tea. And she’s right, I usually skip the front page – you know, the news from New Zealand, which is where I live and all.

My intense interest in American current events and politics didn’t hit me until I left the country. Among the things I never bothered to do back home are keeping up with national news, watching political TV shows (yay webcasts!), and reading books about American government and history, which I sometimes have to request as birthday presents from my parents because I can’t find them over here.

(Maybe for my next birthday, I will ask my conservative dad for a Noam Chomsky book. He would be delighted.)

To make matters worse, I have recently discovered The West Wing on DVD – all seven seasons. So now after spending the day reading about actual American politics, I go home and spend the evening immersed in fictional American politics. Sometimes I pause the DVD and take notes. It is way too much fun.

As much as I love learning about New Zealand society, the most eye-opening part of living here is learning about my own society. I had to rethink a lot of assumptions about America and figure out my place in the wider world. I also had to learn to be a representative. Whether I want it or not, people here see me as an example of what an American is. I had to consciously think about our historical and political identity, beyond McDonald’s and Starbucks and Hollywood movies and all the rest. It’s a strange experience – startling, humbling and often acutely embarrassing.

But I am also proud. I’ve realised all the things I love about America – the landscapes, the people, our bigness and boldness and eccentricity. Snark about the American Dream all you like – I certainly do – but there is truth at the heart of it. Wherever I end up in the world, I’ll never be able to let that go. I feel more American now than I ever did before, now that I can see from a distance the problems we face and the things we need to fix. And one day I’m going to go back and try to help.

Meanwhile, I’ll just be over here giggling about President Bartlet pardoning a turkey.