Blinded

Not until this weekend did it really hit me how naive and close minded Americans can be.  Please don't get me wrong, I am proud to be an American, I realize that I have been blessed to live in such a place and have been very fortunate to receive so many opportunities, and this would only have happened being in the states.  However, America is by no means perfect, let alone superior to other nations as so many seem to believe.

While my grandparents were visiting I met a mother and daughter who were on their tour.  After they learned that I was studying here in Greece for the semester they had a line up of questions for me.  The first being "Why are the Greeks so rude...."  As much as I tried to hide my shocked face, I don't think I did a good job.  In my whole 6 weeks of being here I have not once experienced a rude greek.  They have expressed nothing but hospitality and have welcomed me to there country with open arms.  My jaw dropped after she asked me this and I immediately went into defensive mode and felt compelled to stand up for Greece, my temporary home.  My first response was "it is a completely different culture."  She looked at me like I was dumb, she had the "duh" look plastered to her face and said "well I know that."  At this point I am pretty sure I returned the "duh" look and didn't really know what else she wanted.  It is a completely different culture, that is the bottom line.  Of course Greeks are going to have different standards for being polite, and that isn't a bad thing.  That doesn't mean that they are any "less polite" than anyone else. They have a different interpretation, thats all.  So many Americans expect the rest of the world be just like us.  I am sure that if any one of these Greeks were to step foot in the states they would argue that Americans were just loud, selfish and obnoxious!  And to be honest with you, they probably aren't too far off.  

I was literally appalled by this ladies attitude towards different cultures and different ways of life.   She even was upset that there was a language barrier and that she struggled to get her point across.  It baffles me that so many Americans EXPECT everyone else to speak english.  We came to Greece, we are in their country, they should not have to know english, instead we should be making an effort to learn their language.  Its such a double standard.  So many people get so frustrated when immigrants are in the US and they cannot speak our native tongue, yet as soon as the roles are reversed we complain when they don't speak english.  I have been very very blessed that so many people around here do in fact speak english, however, I do have to say that I am embarrassed that I am in their country and they are speaking to me in English. 

Why is it that Americans believe we are so much superior than everyone else?  Yes I understand we have many opportunities that are only found in the states, and I am grateful for that, but it doesn't make us better than the next country.  In fact America could learn a lot from the way the Greeks live life.  Americans are so set in their ways that we are blinded by the wonderful lessons we could learn from other countries.  Here in Greece they aren't nearly as wasteful as we are.  They appreciate what they have and don't take things for granite.  Kids can play in the square with a soccer ball for hours and not get bored and ask where there x box is, they enjoy the little things in life and don't expect things.  The Greeks take pride in their hospitality and value family time.  They are willing to give up anything to help those around them.  They treat people like people, no matter their background.  They find wealth in so many other things besides money, such as the people they surround themselves with, whether it be family or friends.  

It saddens me to see such close minded and blinded Americans.  No wonder there is such a bad rep on us.  We barge into someone else's country and expect it to be just like ours, when in fact the beauty of another country lies within the differences.