'Murrica

**This was meant to be posted on the 4th, but I decided complete positivity is what that holiday deserves, so I waited**

Not that this is negative! :)

Anyway - continue reading

I love being from the good 'ol U S of A. It is the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I have always found that abroad, being American (8 times out of 10) is a good thing. Despite what you read about people feeling like we're the loudest and the worst; truth is, we (in and of ourselves) are a talking point. There is always some kind of celebrity drama that people know of and want to hear your two cents about. There is always a TV show that stems from the US that people want to compare notes on. There is always that feeling of happiness and genuine curiosity when someone asks about New York City.

Anyway, during most of my travels I have had nothing but a positive reaction for being American (sans Barcelona - story to come soon).

Skepticism, however, was a new sentiment that I felt on my last two trips abroad. In one instance, my friend and I had met a few people on the boat / bus ride back from a long hike: a girl from France traveling on her own, a woman from South America also traveling on her own, and dammit, I forget the last one... but there were 5 of us. The long trek through land and sea left us ample time to talk about anything and everything from our past travels to the current political climate in the world.

It had been after the attack on Bataclan in Paris, France, so we asked the French girl how things were mending in her hometown. She explained at great length, and we listened politely. It was definitely interesting to hear her take on all the things happening right outside her window versus what the media hypes. We sympathized and felt for her.

Then, as my friend and I had been dreadfully anticipating, the conversation turned toward the strange political happenings in our own country. Please note that it was the summer of 2016. The small group was suddenly all about how in the world a certain someone could run for office (and at that point, he was only a candidate). They freely shared their thoughts without filter, while my friend and I tried to calm their irate, but not irrational feelings.

But then they continued on and on with his audacity to run and how could the American people let him get that far. It was quite blunt. We were left on the "defense", I suppose through much of the rest of the trip.

...And for the first time in all my times of traveling, I felt somewhat ashamed.

I, obviously, LOVE America and bleed red, white, and blue; however, this need to defend my great country was new. Everyone always wanted to be us, not talk against us... and this dejected feeling was weird.

I eventually shook off the negative vibes long after parting ways with the unique group of mixed nationalities. I chalked it up to concern for us, rather than distaste. And I am very much aware that people have to defend their own countries all the time for similar political happenings. So it's not like it was only our problem.

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Anyway, now almost 2 years in (politically), and traveling abroad again - I somewhat feel like I have to be on my guard yet again. And I don't like it. I don't want to have to play defense, when there is nothing to defend about the core of our country:

America is much more than the person behind the desk. We are a band of brothers and sisters who came from different walks of life across the world. We are compassionate, proactive, vocal, loving, and strong people. We carry a presence with us wherever we go, whether we're aware of it or not. That is a presence of pride. Pride, because in our country, we are not afraid to say how we feel. We are not afraid to stand up for what is right. And we are certainly not afraid of those who try to belittle it.

So on this 4th of July, I put those nay-sayers in the back of my mind. I know there are people out there like them, and that is fine. Freedom of speech. But today is all about celebrating the beauty of our country and how we got to this point. It is thanks to those who have sacrificed. Those who have broken the mold.

Those who are proud to be from the good 'ol U S of A.

Today, I say -

Cheers xx