"Little by little", a familiar phrase I learned while in Peru and now it is aptly applying to my life again. Originally it was used on me by locals to signify that I was learning Spanish and adjusting to Peruvian culture in small increments, now I use it to describe myself as I readjust to being in my native culture again.
I returned to the States about 6 weeks ago and haven't quite settled back in yet. The first few weeks I was in "teacher summer mode" and didn't get a whole lot done but that was the norm. My usual routine during my vacations was to take off a good portion of time and do absolutely nothing, rest the brain after the ordeal of the school year. At the end of the normal break, I took a couple of short trips to Colorado and Ohio before returning to New Mexico. Colorado had a strange feel to it but I couldn't put my finger on it; Ohio felt just as strange and it was there and then that I realized what I was going through. My brain was starting to wrap itself around the idea that I no longer was going to return to Peru (or any overseas location for that matter) and I needed to adjust to my new surroundings. I didn't have to learn a new place but rather relearn an old place. Driving around NE Ohio was interesting from the perspective that I knew the general structure of the place but I needed to relearn what it was like in a familiar place as things do change slightly.
The idea of driving around in Ohio perfectly reflects how I feel as a person who is repatriating. I know the general structure of the US but its still going to take me some time to get used to the changes that have taken place since I left. While five years isn't a long time and not a lot has transformed about this country, there are still small things that I need to become accustomed to and that will occur, albeit slowly.
When asked by my classmates whom I saw at the reunion in Ohio about the changes that I had noticed, I came up blank. I could feel there was a difference but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Yeah, traffic patterns can be slightly different and money has a weird red tint to it in some cases but when asked about other specifics, I just couldn't nail it down. And maybe it isn't the culture or anything else of the States that has changed that much, maybe its just me. Something tells me that it is more of the latter than the former but then again, I'm not the best of impartial judges.
So I find myself living in a land where I grew up, speaking my native language consistently and listening to accents that are almost the same as mine but still feeling like a stranger. I know that it is just the process of repatriation and all expats comment similarly about feeling the same way but this is my first time doing it as an adult. Why not record it on this blog like my other expat stories? So I have decided to put it down here and use it as a tool for reflection for when I do this again. And yes, I do plan on going overseas again in the future (Africa sounds like a great adventure) and perhaps writing it down this time will make it easier on the next move that involves repatriation. A tool for my use and for others, especially those are going or will go through it.
Getting over culture shock is a gradual process that I will go through, something that will take time. In other words, poco a poco.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
gluttony gets a calling card
The more I read the news the more I seem to notice that America is being served a big-ass portion of "shoulda thunk more about what you were doing". There are lots of signs out there that Americans have been overdoing it for over 50 years and now its starting to catch up with us, in a super big, ugly, nasty way.
We've been the gluttons of the planet ever since WWII came to a conclusion. Since the Americas were untouched during the colossal war, our resources were undamaged, infrastructure in place, and the United States was the big beneficiary of it. Mexico and countries south used this advantage to start building themselves up while Canada used the time to recuperate and get back to figuring out a way to make their cars not freeze so much (I joke, don't get upset).
America in the post-war era really jumped. Manufacturing was retooled after the war for the returning solider and his family to supply the needs of the family. America didn't have to spend billions on rebuilding and as a result, we spent the money on consuming. Over the course of the last five decades, Americans have become the very best at being consumers. From petroleum and all is by-products to food and all of its processed derivatives, we've done a great job of gobbling up everything in sight.
The time has come to pay for that gluttony.
The signs were evident in the 70s. Carter tried to get the country to realize its need for an energy policy and the gas crisis of his Administration should have awoken us to the upcoming dangers. Instead his ideas were buried when Reagan came to office as that Administration spent its time and money buying out communism and ignoring the need. We stormed ahead with giant cars, dubbed SUVs, and expected that cheap gas was something we would always have. The last few years have showed the error of that belief.
American industry was also given notice back in the 70s but it failed to listen as well. The environmental disaster of the Love Canal in western New York and the flammability of the Cuyahoga River in northeast Ohio were indicators that we couldn't treat our environment as a dump site and expect any type of animal to flourish - human or other. Yet Hinkley, California still made headlines as PG&E was sued by residents for the hexavalent chromium it polluted the water with some 15 years later, as made famous by the movie Erin Brockovich.
We lived for 50 years thinking that what we did would have no consequences and ignored the idea that "everything should be in moderation". Yet there was no moderation, no limits, no reflection to see if we were acting appropriately. We assumed that we could do no wrong, that the might of America would mean that our values were never questioned and our beliefs adopted by one and all. We now reap what we have sown and America looks much the worse for it.
Our economy is tied to oil that we do not control. We are currently spending hundred of billions (the numbers range from 330 to 600) of dollars EVERY YEAR in our demand for oil. Americans are the donors of the largest transfer of wealth from one nation-state to others ever seen in history. Pretty soon there American dream will be alive and well somewhere in the Middle East or Venezuela.
We raped our environment with over-fishing, over-ranching, and over-spraying of pesticides. The fishing industry in reeling now and realizing their error after 50 years of giving everyone what they wanted at a super-low cost; only the cost was passed on to the remaining sea-life, decimating the populations so that they are dangerously low today. Alaskan King Crab, Maryland Blue Crab, and Atlantic Cod are examples of over-fishing that have devastated those species to the point where they may not be available soon in your supermarket. In search of places to raise the almighty cow, native grasslands are chewed down to nothingness to feed the hormone-laced beast. We despise bugs so much that we are willing to put horrendous chemicals on our food to prevent them from eating it (bugs need to eat too ya know) and end up ingesting those poisons in the process. I won't even go into DDT and what that can do...
But all is not gloom and doom, there is hope for Americans - provided we take a long, hard look at our practices and recognize what moderation truly is. It may mean completely changing how we think but as a young country and we have that ability. Americans are known for overcoming the odds, never giving up, always fighting to the end. We show it in our movies and in our actions (United Flight 93) which is a testament to the idea that we can accomplish whatever we set out to do. We can change in a moment's notice, we can mend our ways, and we can show others what the true path to maintaining a sustainable environment is all about. American leadership is not waning but it could do better.
So America, when do we start leading again? Show it in your actions, not your words.
We've been the gluttons of the planet ever since WWII came to a conclusion. Since the Americas were untouched during the colossal war, our resources were undamaged, infrastructure in place, and the United States was the big beneficiary of it. Mexico and countries south used this advantage to start building themselves up while Canada used the time to recuperate and get back to figuring out a way to make their cars not freeze so much (I joke, don't get upset).
America in the post-war era really jumped. Manufacturing was retooled after the war for the returning solider and his family to supply the needs of the family. America didn't have to spend billions on rebuilding and as a result, we spent the money on consuming. Over the course of the last five decades, Americans have become the very best at being consumers. From petroleum and all is by-products to food and all of its processed derivatives, we've done a great job of gobbling up everything in sight.
The time has come to pay for that gluttony.
The signs were evident in the 70s. Carter tried to get the country to realize its need for an energy policy and the gas crisis of his Administration should have awoken us to the upcoming dangers. Instead his ideas were buried when Reagan came to office as that Administration spent its time and money buying out communism and ignoring the need. We stormed ahead with giant cars, dubbed SUVs, and expected that cheap gas was something we would always have. The last few years have showed the error of that belief.
American industry was also given notice back in the 70s but it failed to listen as well. The environmental disaster of the Love Canal in western New York and the flammability of the Cuyahoga River in northeast Ohio were indicators that we couldn't treat our environment as a dump site and expect any type of animal to flourish - human or other. Yet Hinkley, California still made headlines as PG&E was sued by residents for the hexavalent chromium it polluted the water with some 15 years later, as made famous by the movie Erin Brockovich.
We lived for 50 years thinking that what we did would have no consequences and ignored the idea that "everything should be in moderation". Yet there was no moderation, no limits, no reflection to see if we were acting appropriately. We assumed that we could do no wrong, that the might of America would mean that our values were never questioned and our beliefs adopted by one and all. We now reap what we have sown and America looks much the worse for it.
Our economy is tied to oil that we do not control. We are currently spending hundred of billions (the numbers range from 330 to 600) of dollars EVERY YEAR in our demand for oil. Americans are the donors of the largest transfer of wealth from one nation-state to others ever seen in history. Pretty soon there American dream will be alive and well somewhere in the Middle East or Venezuela.
We raped our environment with over-fishing, over-ranching, and over-spraying of pesticides. The fishing industry in reeling now and realizing their error after 50 years of giving everyone what they wanted at a super-low cost; only the cost was passed on to the remaining sea-life, decimating the populations so that they are dangerously low today. Alaskan King Crab, Maryland Blue Crab, and Atlantic Cod are examples of over-fishing that have devastated those species to the point where they may not be available soon in your supermarket. In search of places to raise the almighty cow, native grasslands are chewed down to nothingness to feed the hormone-laced beast. We despise bugs so much that we are willing to put horrendous chemicals on our food to prevent them from eating it (bugs need to eat too ya know) and end up ingesting those poisons in the process. I won't even go into DDT and what that can do...
But all is not gloom and doom, there is hope for Americans - provided we take a long, hard look at our practices and recognize what moderation truly is. It may mean completely changing how we think but as a young country and we have that ability. Americans are known for overcoming the odds, never giving up, always fighting to the end. We show it in our movies and in our actions (United Flight 93) which is a testament to the idea that we can accomplish whatever we set out to do. We can change in a moment's notice, we can mend our ways, and we can show others what the true path to maintaining a sustainable environment is all about. American leadership is not waning but it could do better.
So America, when do we start leading again? Show it in your actions, not your words.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
transition
Life is always in transition but for me, this seems to be a common theme. Coming back to the US, I moved myself for the 25th time. Needless to say, I've become pretty good at packing and relocating quickly, Peru being the ultimate testiment to that. I was able to pack out my entire Peruvian life in just under 12 hours - and that included quite a bit of dawdling on the computer (damn Conquer Club!). When all was said and done, I packed up everything I cared to take with me into 4 suitcases and a box for a grand total of 100 kg (220 lbs) worth of cargo. $670 later, I had all my personal goods back to the States where it joined the rest of my crap, which had been waiting in storage for 5 years since leaving California to go teach abroad. Yes, my stuff is sitting currently in my parents' garage and I'm currently living in their basement - feel free to poke fun of me if you so desire.
Now that I'm back, I'm starting to settle in. One thing that I've noticed is that a lot of my friends that I had before I left the States are really starting to get in contact with me and they share a common theme.
"When are you coming back to visit?"
Sorry friends but I'm going to admit something publicly that may offend some of you but hey, its my blog and I'm gonna write what I wanna write.
My initial thought to answering this question was, "Soon, just let me get settled and I'll come out to visit." But then I got to thinking - why should I have to do all the traveling?
I've been traveling for the better part of 30 years and have always been the one to go somewhere else to visit my friends because they were located there. In my youth, that is completely understandable as kids are somewhat tied to their parents. But we've all entered a point now where we (as people in the 30something category) have the choice to travel anywhere we want with the family that we have. So when my brain got to pondering, it made me think, "Why don't you come visit me for a change?"
I recognize that vacation time is precious in the States as most people tend to get about 2 weeks a year when they start working. By now, most of my peers have been working long enough that they should be in the 4 week range, depending how long they've been with an employer. I also recognize that I've always been extremely mobile and willing to travel great distances to see my friends (its easier when you're single) but at this point in my life, I'm starting to get weary of being the weary traveler.
So my friends who are reading this - New Mexico is a wonderful place to visit and you should do so before I find a job and leave the "Land of Enchantment" because you never know when you might come back. For those of you who are reading just because you are reading, when was the last time YOU made the long trip to go see a friend?
Now that I'm back, I'm starting to settle in. One thing that I've noticed is that a lot of my friends that I had before I left the States are really starting to get in contact with me and they share a common theme.
"When are you coming back to visit?"
Sorry friends but I'm going to admit something publicly that may offend some of you but hey, its my blog and I'm gonna write what I wanna write.
My initial thought to answering this question was, "Soon, just let me get settled and I'll come out to visit." But then I got to thinking - why should I have to do all the traveling?
I've been traveling for the better part of 30 years and have always been the one to go somewhere else to visit my friends because they were located there. In my youth, that is completely understandable as kids are somewhat tied to their parents. But we've all entered a point now where we (as people in the 30something category) have the choice to travel anywhere we want with the family that we have. So when my brain got to pondering, it made me think, "Why don't you come visit me for a change?"
I recognize that vacation time is precious in the States as most people tend to get about 2 weeks a year when they start working. By now, most of my peers have been working long enough that they should be in the 4 week range, depending how long they've been with an employer. I also recognize that I've always been extremely mobile and willing to travel great distances to see my friends (its easier when you're single) but at this point in my life, I'm starting to get weary of being the weary traveler.
So my friends who are reading this - New Mexico is a wonderful place to visit and you should do so before I find a job and leave the "Land of Enchantment" because you never know when you might come back. For those of you who are reading just because you are reading, when was the last time YOU made the long trip to go see a friend?
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
recent shutdown
If you've tried logging in much over the last few weeks, you will have noticed that you've been denied access. A precautionary measure was needed for a short period of time to ensure against a possible problem that crept its way into my life.
I got notification a few weeks ago that my personal information had been possibly compromised. As a result of the information superhighway, items that used to be confidential and personal can sometimes be accessed by people that we don't necessarily want to have that information. Since we rely on computers so much nowadays for all of our record-keeping, you have to be extremely careful when it comes to what personal information you share on the net. I always knew that but a recent set of events caused me to really look at what I was sharing.
With my personal information compromised by another agency, I was put on alert by said agency. I went through the process of having my credit checked and monitored to see if anything might happen. Sure enough, I was notified that someone attempted to get a credit card in my name. When I called the security company back to tell them that I was not the applicant, they took the appropriate steps to ensure that my identity was protected. Needless to say, I am happy to have paid for the service that monitored my credit and personal information. Peace of mind comes at a cost but a cost I was glad to have paid.
Now that all is said and done, my identity still intact (I think), I'm back to being up on the internet here at Expat Nomad. With the move to the US coming up very soon, check back for more posts in the near future that chronicle my journey back to the realm of repatriation.
I got notification a few weeks ago that my personal information had been possibly compromised. As a result of the information superhighway, items that used to be confidential and personal can sometimes be accessed by people that we don't necessarily want to have that information. Since we rely on computers so much nowadays for all of our record-keeping, you have to be extremely careful when it comes to what personal information you share on the net. I always knew that but a recent set of events caused me to really look at what I was sharing.
With my personal information compromised by another agency, I was put on alert by said agency. I went through the process of having my credit checked and monitored to see if anything might happen. Sure enough, I was notified that someone attempted to get a credit card in my name. When I called the security company back to tell them that I was not the applicant, they took the appropriate steps to ensure that my identity was protected. Needless to say, I am happy to have paid for the service that monitored my credit and personal information. Peace of mind comes at a cost but a cost I was glad to have paid.
Now that all is said and done, my identity still intact (I think), I'm back to being up on the internet here at Expat Nomad. With the move to the US coming up very soon, check back for more posts in the near future that chronicle my journey back to the realm of repatriation.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
outside looking in
All I read about nowadays is the economic recession (the one not officially announced) in the US and how it is affecting the country. I read stories that people are digging around for aluminum cans to pay for their mortgage and having to choose between gassing up the car or paying for groceries. It was an article on Yahoo!'s MLB page that inspired this entry as I look in at America from the outside.
I understand that times may be hard in the States but I can't help but wonder just how hard they might be. The stories I read talk about the hardship that people are facing but when you start to read between the lines, it becomes obvious that the people mentioned in these stories could be making better financial decisions. For example - there is a couple mentioned in the baseball article that are having trouble making their mortgage payment. They scour Dodger stadium and its parking lot after games to get recycling products to attempt to get extra income, sometimes gathering $80-90 worth for their efforts. Oh by the way - they pick up the recycling AFTER they've watched the baseball game, which they own season-tickets to see. That's right, the two of them paid nearly $1600 for 40 Dodger games when they are struggling to pay off their mortgage. At $40 per game, it looks as though the recycling gig is a good one, helping to pay for their pastime as well as a little extra. But when you look at the cost of owning and driving a vehicle, cost analysis shows that this isn't the case - they are losing money by going to the baseball games. At least they don't buy the $10 beers or $5 hot dogs when inside.
But these two aren't alone. Major League Baseball says that attendance figures are up this year compared to last (which saw 2007 set an all-time attendance record) and there is no sign of slowing down, despite the tough times people are complaining about. The average cost of taking a family of 4 to a baseball game - $200 (tickets, food, drinks, souvenirs, gas, parking, etc.). If you take the family to one game a month for the season - that's close to $2000. For some families, that's a mortgage payment. Alas, baseball isn't the only drain on the American pocketbook and I shouldn't pick on just that.
Americans are currently complaining like crazy about the price of gasoline and they have no one to blame but themselves. No one has demanded an energy policy out of a President ever and no President has had one since the Carter Administration. Remember Carter? That guy in the 70's who saw the future of America being tied to oil and tried to change that path. He installed solar panels on the White House, he tried to push through legislation that would require car manufacturers to increase gas mileage, and he provided incentives for those developing and using alternative energy resources. And then came Reagan, who dismantled the solar panels (his first day in office), vetoed the legislation, and spent the incentive money on arms to fight the Cold War. Sadly enough, no President since - Democrat or Republican - has tried to ween America off of oil.
Before we all attempt to blame a select few in the government for not watching out for our best interests, let me remind you that we all share the blame. As consumers we dictate the marketplace and the car manufacturers will make cars that we demand and we've demanded large SUVs that have huge amounts of power but suck down the gas. We ignored the common sense that has been staring us in the face for the last 30 years (technically more but I'm only going back to Carter) and always figured that there would be an unlimited supply of cheap gas. Everyone knows that oil is a non-renewable energy resource and there is only so much in the ground. The more we take out, the less there is and the higher the price. And the cars we've been driving use A LOT of that expensive resource. Americans knew this was coming, we've been told this since we were kids in grade school, but we shirked the responsibility of telling the car industry what to make and got "security" with the SUV market. Our own damn fault...
If America truly is in a recession and there is a need to cut back, we are going to need to take a look at the "essentials" of life and seeing if they are truly essential. Cable/Satellite TV is not a necessity of life, you can do without the mindless entertainment that is modern television (I've been doing it for the last couple of years). You don't need to drive everywhere - try riding a bike or walking. Not only do you save gas but you also get exercise which could help with the obesity epidemic, a topic I won't go into here and now. Professional sports events are nice but you do realize that the money you spend makes the elite richer and you, the average consumer, poorer - right? Is anyone who plays a sport really worth $25 million a year? C'mon, its just a game. How about we value the truly important people of our society and pay them the big bucks? Aww, just a pipedream.
So America, take heed and start taking stock of the true essentials of your life. You need a house, food, and basic transportation to get from home to work and back. Meet those needs first and then see what else you can afford. Turn off your Dish Network, ride a bike to work, spend time with your family doing something rather than sitting at a game and watching someone else have the fun. There is a way out of the recession and it isn't on your Visa or American Express card...
I understand that times may be hard in the States but I can't help but wonder just how hard they might be. The stories I read talk about the hardship that people are facing but when you start to read between the lines, it becomes obvious that the people mentioned in these stories could be making better financial decisions. For example - there is a couple mentioned in the baseball article that are having trouble making their mortgage payment. They scour Dodger stadium and its parking lot after games to get recycling products to attempt to get extra income, sometimes gathering $80-90 worth for their efforts. Oh by the way - they pick up the recycling AFTER they've watched the baseball game, which they own season-tickets to see. That's right, the two of them paid nearly $1600 for 40 Dodger games when they are struggling to pay off their mortgage. At $40 per game, it looks as though the recycling gig is a good one, helping to pay for their pastime as well as a little extra. But when you look at the cost of owning and driving a vehicle, cost analysis shows that this isn't the case - they are losing money by going to the baseball games. At least they don't buy the $10 beers or $5 hot dogs when inside.
But these two aren't alone. Major League Baseball says that attendance figures are up this year compared to last (which saw 2007 set an all-time attendance record) and there is no sign of slowing down, despite the tough times people are complaining about. The average cost of taking a family of 4 to a baseball game - $200 (tickets, food, drinks, souvenirs, gas, parking, etc.). If you take the family to one game a month for the season - that's close to $2000. For some families, that's a mortgage payment. Alas, baseball isn't the only drain on the American pocketbook and I shouldn't pick on just that.
Americans are currently complaining like crazy about the price of gasoline and they have no one to blame but themselves. No one has demanded an energy policy out of a President ever and no President has had one since the Carter Administration. Remember Carter? That guy in the 70's who saw the future of America being tied to oil and tried to change that path. He installed solar panels on the White House, he tried to push through legislation that would require car manufacturers to increase gas mileage, and he provided incentives for those developing and using alternative energy resources. And then came Reagan, who dismantled the solar panels (his first day in office), vetoed the legislation, and spent the incentive money on arms to fight the Cold War. Sadly enough, no President since - Democrat or Republican - has tried to ween America off of oil.
Before we all attempt to blame a select few in the government for not watching out for our best interests, let me remind you that we all share the blame. As consumers we dictate the marketplace and the car manufacturers will make cars that we demand and we've demanded large SUVs that have huge amounts of power but suck down the gas. We ignored the common sense that has been staring us in the face for the last 30 years (technically more but I'm only going back to Carter) and always figured that there would be an unlimited supply of cheap gas. Everyone knows that oil is a non-renewable energy resource and there is only so much in the ground. The more we take out, the less there is and the higher the price. And the cars we've been driving use A LOT of that expensive resource. Americans knew this was coming, we've been told this since we were kids in grade school, but we shirked the responsibility of telling the car industry what to make and got "security" with the SUV market. Our own damn fault...
If America truly is in a recession and there is a need to cut back, we are going to need to take a look at the "essentials" of life and seeing if they are truly essential. Cable/Satellite TV is not a necessity of life, you can do without the mindless entertainment that is modern television (I've been doing it for the last couple of years). You don't need to drive everywhere - try riding a bike or walking. Not only do you save gas but you also get exercise which could help with the obesity epidemic, a topic I won't go into here and now. Professional sports events are nice but you do realize that the money you spend makes the elite richer and you, the average consumer, poorer - right? Is anyone who plays a sport really worth $25 million a year? C'mon, its just a game. How about we value the truly important people of our society and pay them the big bucks? Aww, just a pipedream.
So America, take heed and start taking stock of the true essentials of your life. You need a house, food, and basic transportation to get from home to work and back. Meet those needs first and then see what else you can afford. Turn off your Dish Network, ride a bike to work, spend time with your family doing something rather than sitting at a game and watching someone else have the fun. There is a way out of the recession and it isn't on your Visa or American Express card...
Sunday, April 06, 2008
watch your p's and q's
So one of my friends had an interesting weekend, one that I'm sure he would rather forget as it brings to light some of the pitfalls that go along with living in a foreign country. In some places, the police and/or government are not to be trifled with and Peru is one of those places, especially for a gringo. This story all starts for me on Sunday night about 8pm when a phone call from my friend Michelle comes through.
"Hey Expat, I need your help. I need you to call Embassy Chick and see what we can do for Tim. He's been arrested by the Peruvian police and they've been holding him for a couple of hours."
"OK, I'll be happy to do so. What happened so I can tell her what's going on?"
"Tim got into a car accident this afternoon and doesn't have a valid international driver's license."
"That's not good. I'll give her a call and see what we can come up with."
I am the contact for Embassy Chick as she and I are currently dating and when the shit hits the fan, you normally call in the Calvary to bail your ass out. Embassy Chick is the Calvary and I'm the lucky man who gets to call her with this little gufaw that Tim has managed to get himself into.
So I call her and after a short conversation, I find out that the US Embassy can do nothing for my dear friend Tim. Just as the US government wouldn't want people asking favors of our police when a foreign national does something wrong, they don't get involved when it comes to something like this - you have to respect the authority of a nation's sovereignty. Regrettably, I called Michelle back and informed her of the lack of response the Calvary would be able to provide and that Tim was basically on his own. Embassy Chick suggested that we actually try contacting our school administration and see if that might grease the right wheels as they are probably better known here than the staff of the US Embassy.
To make a long story short, one in which they are multiple phone calls to me asking for the Calvary, I get to the heart and solution to the problem that Tim is in. Our Peruvian director went down to the station, bribed the cop with $100 (and the promise of a toaster oven on Mother's Day - I shit you not!) to bail Tim out of the custody of the police. He went home just before midnight, dignity shredded but ass still in tact.
I talked with Tim today, got the low-down on everything and told him why Embassy Chick wasn't able to come to his rescue. He nodded and appreciated the effort, recognizing that he got off lightly with what have been turned into a serious event. In a country where bribing the police is an every-day occurrence, you gotta be careful. My words of advice to Tim (and others who travel abroad) was this - keep your shit straight and don't ever try to pull a fast one on the local authorities (Tim had doctored his int'l driver's license and they figured it out). You never want to give them (police, military, government, etc.) any excuse to hold a gringo for whatever reason.
While you may be familiar with your native culture and customs, understand that other countries work differently and what may be a slight offense to you may not be to them. Keep all your documents in order and up to date, the more normal you appear to them, the less likely you are to be detained. Minimize your exposure to extraneous events and you're more likely to be able to walk away with everything still intact.
And don't ever forget to follow through with any bribes you may promise...
"Hey Expat, I need your help. I need you to call Embassy Chick and see what we can do for Tim. He's been arrested by the Peruvian police and they've been holding him for a couple of hours."
"OK, I'll be happy to do so. What happened so I can tell her what's going on?"
"Tim got into a car accident this afternoon and doesn't have a valid international driver's license."
"That's not good. I'll give her a call and see what we can come up with."
I am the contact for Embassy Chick as she and I are currently dating and when the shit hits the fan, you normally call in the Calvary to bail your ass out. Embassy Chick is the Calvary and I'm the lucky man who gets to call her with this little gufaw that Tim has managed to get himself into.
So I call her and after a short conversation, I find out that the US Embassy can do nothing for my dear friend Tim. Just as the US government wouldn't want people asking favors of our police when a foreign national does something wrong, they don't get involved when it comes to something like this - you have to respect the authority of a nation's sovereignty. Regrettably, I called Michelle back and informed her of the lack of response the Calvary would be able to provide and that Tim was basically on his own. Embassy Chick suggested that we actually try contacting our school administration and see if that might grease the right wheels as they are probably better known here than the staff of the US Embassy.
To make a long story short, one in which they are multiple phone calls to me asking for the Calvary, I get to the heart and solution to the problem that Tim is in. Our Peruvian director went down to the station, bribed the cop with $100 (and the promise of a toaster oven on Mother's Day - I shit you not!) to bail Tim out of the custody of the police. He went home just before midnight, dignity shredded but ass still in tact.
I talked with Tim today, got the low-down on everything and told him why Embassy Chick wasn't able to come to his rescue. He nodded and appreciated the effort, recognizing that he got off lightly with what have been turned into a serious event. In a country where bribing the police is an every-day occurrence, you gotta be careful. My words of advice to Tim (and others who travel abroad) was this - keep your shit straight and don't ever try to pull a fast one on the local authorities (Tim had doctored his int'l driver's license and they figured it out). You never want to give them (police, military, government, etc.) any excuse to hold a gringo for whatever reason.
While you may be familiar with your native culture and customs, understand that other countries work differently and what may be a slight offense to you may not be to them. Keep all your documents in order and up to date, the more normal you appear to them, the less likely you are to be detained. Minimize your exposure to extraneous events and you're more likely to be able to walk away with everything still intact.
And don't ever forget to follow through with any bribes you may promise...
Monday, March 31, 2008
who's the idiot?
So I checked my email this morning and found that a certain Anonymous user from Yucaipa, CA had left a comment on my previous entry. With a little investigation, I see that my dear, old friend Harry Ervin (of Yucca Valley HS and Colton HS fame and notoriety) left the comment. It read -
Mr. Curry,
As a reminder, you were an idiot under my administration and today I see nothing has changed.
Really? If that were the case, I would have been in the same situation as you. Instead, I've managed to find and keep employment in various locations around the world, including one of the top schools in South America. Yes Mr. Ervin - I'm such an idiot that administrators from excellent schools around the world recognize the value of a good teacher and have not only given me a job but also write wonderful letters of recommendation saying that I am an idiot. I've managed to be such a confounded idiot that my students are scoring in the top percentiles of the International Baccalaureate program and procure spots at universities such as Penn, Yale, Cambridge, TU Delft, Vrije Amsterdam, and other slouching institutions.
Or were you referring to my leadership skills within the MTA (Morongo Teachers Association)? Those leadership skills that led to a presidency at my school in Holland where I successfully led the teachers for 2 years. Or the leadership skills that allowed me to move into a coaching position that saw my team advance to the finals of South American schools? Perhaps you were trying to compare my leadership skills yours...
Let's take a look at Mr. Ervin - in less than 2 years you were relieved of being a principal in 2 separate school districts, one were a near-riot occurred. Now you have a position at Heritage College-Ready Academy in Los Angeles. Congrats on getting another job but when I visited the school's website, I noticed a disturbing trend. Is there any particular reason why 6 of your 18, fully 1/3 of your teaching staff, is leaving the school? Do they disagree with what is happening and looking to go elsewhere? Its not like THAT hasn't happened before. I also noted earlier that the message was sent from Yucaipa - why are you still doing long commutes to your place of employment? Is there some reason why you won't live in the communities where you work? What kind of message does it send to a community about a leader who won't live amongst the people? And why exactly did you write? Its been almost 5 years since I left YVHS and fully 3 years since the events at Colton. Were you saddened to see the top Google searches of your name come up with negative stories about you? Gee, so sorry to hear that your actions have consequences.
Sarcasm aside Mr. Ervin, I am happy (truly) that you have found employment and can continue to support your family despite the adverse situations you have managed to put yourself into. I appreciate that you are looking out for the best interests of students when you do some of the things that you do. You do have good intentions and I applaud your determination to improve the lives of those students whom you oversee. However, has it ever occurred to you that while your message is good, your method of implementation could be improved? I understand that in the Marine Corps, a chain of command is good and following that CofC is important to do without reservation or hesitation. And while classrooms may sometimes resemble a war zone, it may not always been necessary to adopt a Joe Clark of Eastside HS of Paterson, NJ mentality. Beating someone over the head with an idea doesn't mean they'll adopt it any quicker. Please keep that in mind when you are dealing with people - not everyone reacts as we would like when a certain stimulus is applied.
Mr. Ervin, let it go. You don't always need to have the last word (remember that wonderful email you sent to me when I left and the response it got?) and you've moved on in your career. Accept that people will not always be a fan of you or your decisions and go about your life. You've got a wonderful family, a well-paying job, your health, and the prospect of a good future, why trouble yourself with the petty aspects of someone who thinks ill of you on another continent? C'mon man, life is too short for that. Toss back a beer, chalk it up to another life experience, and enjoy the present. If you need a way to see how your life is so good, come visit me in Peru and I'll be happy to show you places where life isn't so grand, places where you'll appreciate the life you live and the hand you've been dealt in this world. Do yourself a favor and get out of Southern California on your next vacation - see the poverty of the world and then you can complain about something...
Mr. Curry,
As a reminder, you were an idiot under my administration and today I see nothing has changed.
Really? If that were the case, I would have been in the same situation as you. Instead, I've managed to find and keep employment in various locations around the world, including one of the top schools in South America. Yes Mr. Ervin - I'm such an idiot that administrators from excellent schools around the world recognize the value of a good teacher and have not only given me a job but also write wonderful letters of recommendation saying that I am an idiot. I've managed to be such a confounded idiot that my students are scoring in the top percentiles of the International Baccalaureate program and procure spots at universities such as Penn, Yale, Cambridge, TU Delft, Vrije Amsterdam, and other slouching institutions.
Or were you referring to my leadership skills within the MTA (Morongo Teachers Association)? Those leadership skills that led to a presidency at my school in Holland where I successfully led the teachers for 2 years. Or the leadership skills that allowed me to move into a coaching position that saw my team advance to the finals of South American schools? Perhaps you were trying to compare my leadership skills yours...
Let's take a look at Mr. Ervin - in less than 2 years you were relieved of being a principal in 2 separate school districts, one were a near-riot occurred. Now you have a position at Heritage College-Ready Academy in Los Angeles. Congrats on getting another job but when I visited the school's website, I noticed a disturbing trend. Is there any particular reason why 6 of your 18, fully 1/3 of your teaching staff, is leaving the school? Do they disagree with what is happening and looking to go elsewhere? Its not like THAT hasn't happened before. I also noted earlier that the message was sent from Yucaipa - why are you still doing long commutes to your place of employment? Is there some reason why you won't live in the communities where you work? What kind of message does it send to a community about a leader who won't live amongst the people? And why exactly did you write? Its been almost 5 years since I left YVHS and fully 3 years since the events at Colton. Were you saddened to see the top Google searches of your name come up with negative stories about you? Gee, so sorry to hear that your actions have consequences.
Sarcasm aside Mr. Ervin, I am happy (truly) that you have found employment and can continue to support your family despite the adverse situations you have managed to put yourself into. I appreciate that you are looking out for the best interests of students when you do some of the things that you do. You do have good intentions and I applaud your determination to improve the lives of those students whom you oversee. However, has it ever occurred to you that while your message is good, your method of implementation could be improved? I understand that in the Marine Corps, a chain of command is good and following that CofC is important to do without reservation or hesitation. And while classrooms may sometimes resemble a war zone, it may not always been necessary to adopt a Joe Clark of Eastside HS of Paterson, NJ mentality. Beating someone over the head with an idea doesn't mean they'll adopt it any quicker. Please keep that in mind when you are dealing with people - not everyone reacts as we would like when a certain stimulus is applied.
Mr. Ervin, let it go. You don't always need to have the last word (remember that wonderful email you sent to me when I left and the response it got?) and you've moved on in your career. Accept that people will not always be a fan of you or your decisions and go about your life. You've got a wonderful family, a well-paying job, your health, and the prospect of a good future, why trouble yourself with the petty aspects of someone who thinks ill of you on another continent? C'mon man, life is too short for that. Toss back a beer, chalk it up to another life experience, and enjoy the present. If you need a way to see how your life is so good, come visit me in Peru and I'll be happy to show you places where life isn't so grand, places where you'll appreciate the life you live and the hand you've been dealt in this world. Do yourself a favor and get out of Southern California on your next vacation - see the poverty of the world and then you can complain about something...
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
defending a position
Thanks to Shamash who wrote a comment on my last post. I do love lively conversations and this looks like it could be a great one to discuss. I value her opinion and want to take this opportunity to answer the questions that she raised and also provide some clarification to ideas I previously posted. Her reply is in italics, my response is below that.
Hi, Expat.
I'm not sure of the qualities that the USA has for being, as you say, "the greatest nation on earth." Do you mean because we are powerful, and have more military might? How IS the USA "better" than, let's say, Canada? Or Denmark? Or Switzerland?
What I use as a premise to make the claim that the US is the "greatest nation on the Earth" comes from a few different markers.
One - economic strength. Despite the current weakness of the US dollar recently, the US economy is still the world's largest (the EU isn't a nation) and what happens to the US economy has immediate global effects. When the US markets tank, so do the Japanese, Korean, British, German, etc.
Two - military strength. In the arena of executing war, the US has no equal currently. While our exit strategies are less than optimal, the brute force of the US military is unmatched by any single nation on the planet.
Three - political strength. While there is the odd country that enjoys being the antagonist to US politicians, most of the world recognizes that having the US as an ally and maintaining good diplomatic relations with the country means that there is the possibility for good things to happen. When the US gets behind a certain political agenda, it is hard to win the counter argument, no matter how rational or legitimate that argument might be. Case in point, the Iraq War - it might not have been right and people around the world protested it (including many Americans), but the plan was still implemented.
To be clear, I didn't state that the US was any better than any other country although that is implied by my statement of being the greatest nation on Earth. I do not think that the US is better than any other place, every place has its appeal and disgrace. If I didn't believe that, I would have never left my native country to seek out the pleasure of living and enjoying other countries.
I know that being an American is important to you, and that your identity is deeply connected to your nationality.
I think everyone has some degree of nationalism in their blood. The Olympics are based nationalism (and commercialism) and the prospect of finding a common ground for people to come together - sport. In this day and age, we all belong to a country and are identified by the culture that is prevalent in that nation. I am proud of who I am - as an American, educator, and human being. Everyone's outward identity is connected to their nationality, I'm just not ashamed of mine like those whom I was criticizing in my post.
I'm of a different breed, I guess. When I look at a person, I don't see a nationality: I see a face. There are many people I know from different countries who, like you, think that THEIR country is the "greatest nation on earth", and their truth is no less valid than yours.
No arguments there. You are indeed a different breed because no one in their right mind would go for another master's degree after the perfection we shared at MSU. ;-)
Seriously, my opinion of the US being the greatest nation currently is up for debate and I gladly welcome it. I would like to hear from someone who does think that their country is the greatest nation currently and why they think so. As Shamash can attest, I am indeed open to all ideas, even if it means that I have to admit that I'm wrong.
Jingoism, though important for the armed forces and the enlisted, is actually the root for fundamentalist regimes who use the "we are better than them" ideal to rouse citizens to rally around a cause.
Once again, I couldn't agree with you more. When people start thinking that they are better than others, bad things happen. The Armed Forces do need to have that mentality for the main reason of staying alive. When you start to doubt yourself, your equipment, and your fellow soldier - the espirit d'corps goes to shit and before you know it, a lesser force rolls over your position and you're dead. If you don't believe your are the better trained fighting force, then you won't be.
To reiterate without beating a dead horse, I don't claim or believe Americans are better than anyone else - just different. Any regime that preaches they are better than another is only preaching one thing - discrimination.
Under the guise of "fighting for freedom", the war in Iraq has been about oil. Otherwise, the same military might would have helped Burma to free a leader who was elected by 80% of the vote and who, as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spent most of the past 20 years under house arrest. As thousands of of peaceful demonstrators, many of them monks, were teargassed and shot at, where was the USA?
Point #3 that I agree with Shamash. The Persian Gulf War and subsequent Iraq War were nothing more than a father and son team ensuring that America had oil in its immediate future. Despite the attempts of the Carter Administration to get American weened off oil with its energy policy back in the late 70's (and its idiotic repeal by the Reagan Administration), Americans are using an INSANE amount of oil. Regardless of how I think about W, I imagine that he will be viewed as the President who secured an oil source for our energy needs and America's future. The house of Saud will fall sooner or later and America is going to need another oil source if the country becomes less than friendly to the US. Until Americans stop being the energy gluttons that we are, there is going to be a high demand for oil and having Iraq and Saudi Arabia (and who could forget Kuwait!) as suppliers is necessary to keep the country running.
But what about Burma? Why aren't we there bringing democracy to a country that desperately wants it so? They have elections and still the military junta is in control, where is the US? You said it earlier - there are no resources that the US wants in Burma in the moment and as a result, it is easier to ignore such a travesty. I'm not saying its right; in fact, its completely wrong and off platform for Bush. If he really wants to show the wonders of democracy and what it can do, then he would have committed troops to Myanmar soil and returned it back to the Burmese. But no natural resources means no attention. I hate to admit it but that's what is happening with our inaction.
The government of the US, has, as "the greatest nation on earth" detained suspects without trial, tortured suspects, invaded a country under the pretenses that there were "weapons of mass distruction", and killed thousands of citizens of Iraq. Rather than spending billions on education and developing better energy sources, the US has raged an illegal war which has broken international law, and awakened anti-American sentiment across the world.
The United States of America is highly flawed at this moment in time, there is no doubting that. I feel that this comes from a lack of credible leadership in the White House and thank goodness there is an upcoming "regime change". The pendulum swung WAY to the right when Clinton (Bill) left office and the radicals have been in the driving seat too long. The Constitution implies that there is to be a separation of church and state (the First Amendment states there is to be no state religion), it has not been a practiced method for as long as I can remember. Since when did a person's ability to lead come from the fact that s/he has a relationship with God? I get scared when W says that God told him to do certain things - it makes me wonder if he truly has a brain or is a mindless cretin (enter your own "W being an idiot" joke here). I can't wait to be a part of an election where religion has no bearing on who gets elected - rather the debate on personal politics and leadership ability is the main focus.
America isn't being the moral compass that the world is looking for, we are massively underwhelming the world with how we conduct our business and I do hope that this comes from the current administration. I can't believe that the Bush Administration didn't make torture illegal (even though it is by the Geneva Convention, which we subscribe to) and still continue to do it. Its deplorable and the Administration should be held accountable for such. Clinton lied about getting his wiener polished by Monica and he almost got impeached. Bush commits the multitudes of violations of moral and ethical treatment of humans and nothing happens? I'm surprised no one hasn't tried to haul his ass off to The Hague to stand trial at the International Criminal Court. Its not genocide but it certainly is a crime against humanity.
As I said, America has a generous number of flaws at the moment but as the eternal optimist, I feel like the country can right itself and change to become the beacon we once were to the world.
Right now, I am NOT proud to be an American, and I do NOT believe that the US is the "greatest nation on earth." Instead, I believe it is the "greatest bully on earth".
I appreciate your opinion and respect it. You have reason to not be proud to be an American and even more reason to think that the Administration that runs the country is indeed a great bully. However my post pertained to the idea of not shirking your responsibility as an American and owning up to being one. Every though we are expats, we are still Americans and we enjoy the benefits of having that passport. Imagine this scenario - the 3rd world country you live is going through massive turmoil, something goes horribly wrong and you are abducted by radicals. Who do you want to come pull you out of the wreckage? I mean no ill-will towards any person, armed force, or creed when I say this - I'd want to have the passport of being an American citizen so I would know that they would do whatever it would take to get me out. If you are a captor with gringos sitting in front of you as hostages, who are you going to fear more - the Swiss, Danish, or Americans? And I don't just mean military options because we know that a lot of situations like that are resolved in diplomatic means. The eagle on our passport is clutching two items in its talons, olive branches and arrows; the head is facing the olive branches but when that doesn't work, there is a bunch of whoop-ass ready to fly. Personally, I'd want to be an American at that point in time but then again, I'm a little biased.
To wrap it up, you can be an American who has a beef with the country and a fed up with the way the country is being run or you can be an American who has a tattoo of an flag covering your entire back or you can be an American who is complacent and hasn't done anything to help the country out but just don't be an American who claims to be a Canadian, or Dane, or Swiss when its convenient. You are who you are and if you are embarrassed to be something, then change it. Whether its a personal trait or nationality, you have the choice to be whatever you want - don't be ashamed of who you are.
Hi, Expat.
I'm not sure of the qualities that the USA has for being, as you say, "the greatest nation on earth." Do you mean because we are powerful, and have more military might? How IS the USA "better" than, let's say, Canada? Or Denmark? Or Switzerland?
What I use as a premise to make the claim that the US is the "greatest nation on the Earth" comes from a few different markers.
One - economic strength. Despite the current weakness of the US dollar recently, the US economy is still the world's largest (the EU isn't a nation) and what happens to the US economy has immediate global effects. When the US markets tank, so do the Japanese, Korean, British, German, etc.
Two - military strength. In the arena of executing war, the US has no equal currently. While our exit strategies are less than optimal, the brute force of the US military is unmatched by any single nation on the planet.
Three - political strength. While there is the odd country that enjoys being the antagonist to US politicians, most of the world recognizes that having the US as an ally and maintaining good diplomatic relations with the country means that there is the possibility for good things to happen. When the US gets behind a certain political agenda, it is hard to win the counter argument, no matter how rational or legitimate that argument might be. Case in point, the Iraq War - it might not have been right and people around the world protested it (including many Americans), but the plan was still implemented.
To be clear, I didn't state that the US was any better than any other country although that is implied by my statement of being the greatest nation on Earth. I do not think that the US is better than any other place, every place has its appeal and disgrace. If I didn't believe that, I would have never left my native country to seek out the pleasure of living and enjoying other countries.
I know that being an American is important to you, and that your identity is deeply connected to your nationality.
I think everyone has some degree of nationalism in their blood. The Olympics are based nationalism (and commercialism) and the prospect of finding a common ground for people to come together - sport. In this day and age, we all belong to a country and are identified by the culture that is prevalent in that nation. I am proud of who I am - as an American, educator, and human being. Everyone's outward identity is connected to their nationality, I'm just not ashamed of mine like those whom I was criticizing in my post.
I'm of a different breed, I guess. When I look at a person, I don't see a nationality: I see a face. There are many people I know from different countries who, like you, think that THEIR country is the "greatest nation on earth", and their truth is no less valid than yours.
No arguments there. You are indeed a different breed because no one in their right mind would go for another master's degree after the perfection we shared at MSU. ;-)
Seriously, my opinion of the US being the greatest nation currently is up for debate and I gladly welcome it. I would like to hear from someone who does think that their country is the greatest nation currently and why they think so. As Shamash can attest, I am indeed open to all ideas, even if it means that I have to admit that I'm wrong.
Jingoism, though important for the armed forces and the enlisted, is actually the root for fundamentalist regimes who use the "we are better than them" ideal to rouse citizens to rally around a cause.
Once again, I couldn't agree with you more. When people start thinking that they are better than others, bad things happen. The Armed Forces do need to have that mentality for the main reason of staying alive. When you start to doubt yourself, your equipment, and your fellow soldier - the espirit d'corps goes to shit and before you know it, a lesser force rolls over your position and you're dead. If you don't believe your are the better trained fighting force, then you won't be.
To reiterate without beating a dead horse, I don't claim or believe Americans are better than anyone else - just different. Any regime that preaches they are better than another is only preaching one thing - discrimination.
Under the guise of "fighting for freedom", the war in Iraq has been about oil. Otherwise, the same military might would have helped Burma to free a leader who was elected by 80% of the vote and who, as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has spent most of the past 20 years under house arrest. As thousands of of peaceful demonstrators, many of them monks, were teargassed and shot at, where was the USA?
Point #3 that I agree with Shamash. The Persian Gulf War and subsequent Iraq War were nothing more than a father and son team ensuring that America had oil in its immediate future. Despite the attempts of the Carter Administration to get American weened off oil with its energy policy back in the late 70's (and its idiotic repeal by the Reagan Administration), Americans are using an INSANE amount of oil. Regardless of how I think about W, I imagine that he will be viewed as the President who secured an oil source for our energy needs and America's future. The house of Saud will fall sooner or later and America is going to need another oil source if the country becomes less than friendly to the US. Until Americans stop being the energy gluttons that we are, there is going to be a high demand for oil and having Iraq and Saudi Arabia (and who could forget Kuwait!) as suppliers is necessary to keep the country running.
But what about Burma? Why aren't we there bringing democracy to a country that desperately wants it so? They have elections and still the military junta is in control, where is the US? You said it earlier - there are no resources that the US wants in Burma in the moment and as a result, it is easier to ignore such a travesty. I'm not saying its right; in fact, its completely wrong and off platform for Bush. If he really wants to show the wonders of democracy and what it can do, then he would have committed troops to Myanmar soil and returned it back to the Burmese. But no natural resources means no attention. I hate to admit it but that's what is happening with our inaction.
The government of the US, has, as "the greatest nation on earth" detained suspects without trial, tortured suspects, invaded a country under the pretenses that there were "weapons of mass distruction", and killed thousands of citizens of Iraq. Rather than spending billions on education and developing better energy sources, the US has raged an illegal war which has broken international law, and awakened anti-American sentiment across the world.
The United States of America is highly flawed at this moment in time, there is no doubting that. I feel that this comes from a lack of credible leadership in the White House and thank goodness there is an upcoming "regime change". The pendulum swung WAY to the right when Clinton (Bill) left office and the radicals have been in the driving seat too long. The Constitution implies that there is to be a separation of church and state (the First Amendment states there is to be no state religion), it has not been a practiced method for as long as I can remember. Since when did a person's ability to lead come from the fact that s/he has a relationship with God? I get scared when W says that God told him to do certain things - it makes me wonder if he truly has a brain or is a mindless cretin (enter your own "W being an idiot" joke here). I can't wait to be a part of an election where religion has no bearing on who gets elected - rather the debate on personal politics and leadership ability is the main focus.
America isn't being the moral compass that the world is looking for, we are massively underwhelming the world with how we conduct our business and I do hope that this comes from the current administration. I can't believe that the Bush Administration didn't make torture illegal (even though it is by the Geneva Convention, which we subscribe to) and still continue to do it. Its deplorable and the Administration should be held accountable for such. Clinton lied about getting his wiener polished by Monica and he almost got impeached. Bush commits the multitudes of violations of moral and ethical treatment of humans and nothing happens? I'm surprised no one hasn't tried to haul his ass off to The Hague to stand trial at the International Criminal Court. Its not genocide but it certainly is a crime against humanity.
As I said, America has a generous number of flaws at the moment but as the eternal optimist, I feel like the country can right itself and change to become the beacon we once were to the world.
Right now, I am NOT proud to be an American, and I do NOT believe that the US is the "greatest nation on earth." Instead, I believe it is the "greatest bully on earth".
I appreciate your opinion and respect it. You have reason to not be proud to be an American and even more reason to think that the Administration that runs the country is indeed a great bully. However my post pertained to the idea of not shirking your responsibility as an American and owning up to being one. Every though we are expats, we are still Americans and we enjoy the benefits of having that passport. Imagine this scenario - the 3rd world country you live is going through massive turmoil, something goes horribly wrong and you are abducted by radicals. Who do you want to come pull you out of the wreckage? I mean no ill-will towards any person, armed force, or creed when I say this - I'd want to have the passport of being an American citizen so I would know that they would do whatever it would take to get me out. If you are a captor with gringos sitting in front of you as hostages, who are you going to fear more - the Swiss, Danish, or Americans? And I don't just mean military options because we know that a lot of situations like that are resolved in diplomatic means. The eagle on our passport is clutching two items in its talons, olive branches and arrows; the head is facing the olive branches but when that doesn't work, there is a bunch of whoop-ass ready to fly. Personally, I'd want to be an American at that point in time but then again, I'm a little biased.
To wrap it up, you can be an American who has a beef with the country and a fed up with the way the country is being run or you can be an American who has a tattoo of an flag covering your entire back or you can be an American who is complacent and hasn't done anything to help the country out but just don't be an American who claims to be a Canadian, or Dane, or Swiss when its convenient. You are who you are and if you are embarrassed to be something, then change it. Whether its a personal trait or nationality, you have the choice to be whatever you want - don't be ashamed of who you are.
Monday, February 25, 2008
national pride?
While on vacation this summer (that would be North American winter), my travel partner Tim and I had a lot of entertaining and spirited conversations. One that comes to mind is how poorly America treats its veterans and how there should be some way that they are compensated for putting their lives on the line. As a veteran, I completely agree with Tim and wish that there was something that could be done to recognize my service (aside from being a member of the American Legion) to my country but I'll live without it. But this isn't the topic I wanted to deal with, at least not directly. What I really wanted to write about is the lack of pride in being an American, especially amongst travelers.
We saw a lady wearing a hat with the Canadian flag on it while hiking in Torres del Paine in southern Chile. We listened to her and tried to determine where she was from in Canada by her accent but it was to no avail. It wasn't until days later that we overheard her say that she was from Ontario and then her accent became relatively apparent. But for a few days, we suspected that she might be an American incognito and was hiding behind the Canadian flag to avoid confrontations. Being an American outside of America at this moment in time can be rather tricky and many have taken to pretending that they are Canadian to avoid any problems. Spots on CNBC have even highlighted Americans buying Canadian flags to put on to their luggage to mask their nationality.
Tim and I both find this appalling. Tim's perspective was this - being an American comes with certain rights and responsibilities. If you are an American than you get the benefit of being an American just by your birth and believe me, there are plenty of benefits to being an American. So don't enjoy the benefits of being an American just when it suits you, live up to it all the time. When a President is unpopular, deal with the burden of being part of the society that elected him but don't pretend that you are something you are not.
I served in the US Navy from 1991-1995, making me officially a Gulf War veteran. Technically I didn't serve in the Gulf when we were "reclaiming" Kuwait from Saddam Hussein but I did have a part in making sure that things didn't go pear-shaped after the ground war was over. I didn't enlist in the military for some noble reason like defending the country or something like that, I joined for the same reason as a lot of others along side me - we were kinda lost and needed some direction, the military being it. People from the ghettos of Atlanta, the farms of Decatur (IL), the fishing towns of Kodiak (AK), and everywhere in between are the ones that sign up for duty. Those who don't have very much defending the rights and freedoms of those who do have a lot. The poor defending the rich, it sounds almost like modern-day serfdom.
People who don't ask for much and get paid even less, they are the ones who put their ass on the line for us and we repay them with being ashamed to be an American? When one person believes enough in an something to die for it, that is worthy of my respect. And while I do not think that the radicals of the Muslim faith are correct in their ideas about the West, I do respect their belief that they need to die for that faith. Now as for their gullibility...
As if on cue, Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" popped up on my iPod shuffled its way through the 4000+ songs that are on it and is playing in the background as I write. The lyrics are poignant as Lee sings them while I write...
I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free.
I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me.
I'd gladly stand up
Next to you
And defend her still today.
Cuz there ain't no doubt I love this land
God bless the USA.
So please, for all of those Americans who travel near and far, don't do yourself and those who died for your liberty any dishonor by claiming to be something that you aren't. You're not Canadian, or British, or whatever - you're from the greatest nation on the Earth and don't be ashamed to admit that. You're lucky enough to be from a country where questioning your leaders is not only allowed, its required. You are from a place that the world thinks is the promised land and that anything is possible. We are the example that the world looks to and sometimes we fall quite short of those lofty expectations. Even so, being an American is not easy and being a citizen can be trying at times but that's what makes being an American worth while. I'm not saying that you should be waiving the flag all the time and being an "ugly American" (which I must say there is a double standard for us, but I'll save that one for another post) when you are abroad, just live up to your birth rite.
The next time you are asked where you are from, hold your head up right and proudly (not arrogantly) state, "I'm an American."
We saw a lady wearing a hat with the Canadian flag on it while hiking in Torres del Paine in southern Chile. We listened to her and tried to determine where she was from in Canada by her accent but it was to no avail. It wasn't until days later that we overheard her say that she was from Ontario and then her accent became relatively apparent. But for a few days, we suspected that she might be an American incognito and was hiding behind the Canadian flag to avoid confrontations. Being an American outside of America at this moment in time can be rather tricky and many have taken to pretending that they are Canadian to avoid any problems. Spots on CNBC have even highlighted Americans buying Canadian flags to put on to their luggage to mask their nationality.
Tim and I both find this appalling. Tim's perspective was this - being an American comes with certain rights and responsibilities. If you are an American than you get the benefit of being an American just by your birth and believe me, there are plenty of benefits to being an American. So don't enjoy the benefits of being an American just when it suits you, live up to it all the time. When a President is unpopular, deal with the burden of being part of the society that elected him but don't pretend that you are something you are not.
I served in the US Navy from 1991-1995, making me officially a Gulf War veteran. Technically I didn't serve in the Gulf when we were "reclaiming" Kuwait from Saddam Hussein but I did have a part in making sure that things didn't go pear-shaped after the ground war was over. I didn't enlist in the military for some noble reason like defending the country or something like that, I joined for the same reason as a lot of others along side me - we were kinda lost and needed some direction, the military being it. People from the ghettos of Atlanta, the farms of Decatur (IL), the fishing towns of Kodiak (AK), and everywhere in between are the ones that sign up for duty. Those who don't have very much defending the rights and freedoms of those who do have a lot. The poor defending the rich, it sounds almost like modern-day serfdom.
People who don't ask for much and get paid even less, they are the ones who put their ass on the line for us and we repay them with being ashamed to be an American? When one person believes enough in an something to die for it, that is worthy of my respect. And while I do not think that the radicals of the Muslim faith are correct in their ideas about the West, I do respect their belief that they need to die for that faith. Now as for their gullibility...
As if on cue, Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" popped up on my iPod shuffled its way through the 4000+ songs that are on it and is playing in the background as I write. The lyrics are poignant as Lee sings them while I write...
I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free.
I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me.
I'd gladly stand up
Next to you
And defend her still today.
Cuz there ain't no doubt I love this land
God bless the USA.
So please, for all of those Americans who travel near and far, don't do yourself and those who died for your liberty any dishonor by claiming to be something that you aren't. You're not Canadian, or British, or whatever - you're from the greatest nation on the Earth and don't be ashamed to admit that. You're lucky enough to be from a country where questioning your leaders is not only allowed, its required. You are from a place that the world thinks is the promised land and that anything is possible. We are the example that the world looks to and sometimes we fall quite short of those lofty expectations. Even so, being an American is not easy and being a citizen can be trying at times but that's what makes being an American worth while. I'm not saying that you should be waiving the flag all the time and being an "ugly American" (which I must say there is a double standard for us, but I'll save that one for another post) when you are abroad, just live up to your birth rite.
The next time you are asked where you are from, hold your head up right and proudly (not arrogantly) state, "I'm an American."
Thursday, December 27, 2007
invisible man
Guess what, its been FOREVER since I've updated on here - I'm doing my own personal impression of Keyser Soze (The Usual Suspects). And from the looks of it, I'll be continuing that impression for at least another month.
I'm off for another great expedition, this time its Patagonia. I leave on the 30th of December and won't be back until near the end of February. I have a slight plan in mind but nothing too concrete - just me and a friend wandering Argentina and Chile for a month.
So while Expat Nomad is still my moniker and my website, I'm taking a little time off to enjoy the wonders of this continent while I still have the chance. More to come when I return from this adventure, stories and pictures to follow. Until then, Happy New Year and I'll see ya in 2008.
I'm off for another great expedition, this time its Patagonia. I leave on the 30th of December and won't be back until near the end of February. I have a slight plan in mind but nothing too concrete - just me and a friend wandering Argentina and Chile for a month.
So while Expat Nomad is still my moniker and my website, I'm taking a little time off to enjoy the wonders of this continent while I still have the chance. More to come when I return from this adventure, stories and pictures to follow. Until then, Happy New Year and I'll see ya in 2008.
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