Since I obtained the Italian passport I’ve been asked a couple of times if I am going to renew my U.S. passport or let it expire and just use my Italian passport. I have two citizenships therefore I have to have two passports. I am not going to renounce my American citizenship. If my Italian husband and I were to move to the States and he were to obtain American citizenship, I would not expect him to renounce his Italian citizenship.

I’ve heard #6 a couple of times. Then again, have heard from an English student who went to New York City and a couple of other East Coast cities and he said he found people rather cool/indifferent. Had to explain that the USA is a HUGE country, and like anywhere else, there are friendly people then are also rude people.

Have also met people here that they are so “excited” to meet an American, I being the first American they’ve met.

Europeans who have not really travelled in the States or have never, it is hard for them to fathom how big the country is. When one can hop on a low-cost airline from say Milan to Glasgow for $60 round-trip and 2 hours later you’re in a foreign country. Whereas in the States, in two hours you’d be lucky to fly from NYC to Chicago.

I agree with you that some generalizations have some truth. I don’t find the US to be the best country in the world. While I am a proud American, I also realize that we have problems in our country.

And I don’t know why people in other countries can’t see either that most that DO travel ARE liberals!! It never ceases to amaze me why they have trouble with this.

Anyway, great post! Oh, and if you ever do pick up and travel again, go to Japan. I used to live there for many years, and it’s an AWESOME country and the people are very kind and polite there. It’s also rich in culture and very entertaining at the same time. I don’t know who parties more… the Japanese or people in NY?

I really want to say welcome back to Chicago but I hear the weather is so horrible I am not sure why you picked this time. You should have come in September. Still, welcome home.

I will amend rather add what I think. #2 All Americans are rich, I get America is paved with gold and everyone that ends up there set for life. I am tired of explaining how much I work and that is so completely not true. America is the best land for opportunity for those who seek but are willing to work for it.

I am black and I am tired of the assumption that I know Michael Jordan. Or that I know how to play hoops or like rap. I have lost track of people that come up to me that chirp out the latest Snoop ditty expecting me to chime in. Not going to happen!

Right now, I routinely get asked how I feel now that Barrack Obama has won the election. I am getting to the point of hating the primary process, how long it takes and the amount of time I am wasting explaining that he has not even won his party’s nomination leave alone the presidency.

This is tied to your point regarding the size of the country. I was born in Ethiopia but it seems every transplant to US gets this one where they say, do you know David or some other guy? He went over to US 4 years ago? That is WHEN I have to explain by saying imagine a country that is of a landmass larger than some 40-50 African countries combined and with cities the size of the capital all over the place coupled with a population that is about 5 times that of Ethiopia! Sad part is that sometimes that does not get the point across as they proceed to tell me he is slightly balding and a bit taller than me, as if that added piece of information further nails down the issue. Most of the time these questions come from folks that are elderly and talk of people related to them so opportunity for snide remarks are not there.

For every thing that is a US policy that ill affects whichever country I am in, the locals tend to believe that the average Joe citizen had a say in that. I get asked stuff like how do American’s allow this to happen? I often have to explain that the president has the power to do things without Congress knowing or approving things leave alone the average citizen. That shocks people. They feel the “democracy” of America grant us the power to “stop” the bad things. I wish someone will put out a website that says we do not control the leaders.

I try to not show people that I have an American passport. No matter how much I try to explain and present a story that I know the truth, I notice many prices automatically increase the moment someone finds I am a US citizen. Due to my complexion, I have the option of hiding that fact that the moment that document shows up, SERIOUS markup in pricing kicks in.

I have to stop now not to make your blog way too big, but do I have a list for you?

Thanks god Lisa changed my mind and now I’ve a flatmate from Conneticut!