If I could, I'd ask the world to dance
The great thing about working in a bar is being totally sleep deprived during the week.
Well, it's not so bad. It gives me an excuse to over-indulge on caffeine [today: Bewley's, then Harbourmaster].
Being in the cloakroom isn't that bad--apparently, gay boys & lesbians adore me dearly and they love my glasses.
And the staff of the bar itself is interesting--as in, nice. China, Latvia, India, Lithuania, Poland, Ireland, Scotland, Colombia. The reactions of people are interesting--as in, curious--when they realise where I'm from. Of course, they assume I'm studying here. When I explain that I'm not, that I'm working for an educational charity, they wonder why the hell I'm not living in America.
I don't even know where to begin in response to that, so I stick to the easiest answer, which is that I love what I'm doing here. Then I tell them a bit about AIESEC and the subject is dropped.
The reaction that I like the most is the surprise, like I'm certifiable for leaving America--not The United States, but America. That, in and of itself, drives me up the wall. To not have a continental identity--since being called American without being from the US seems to be Enemy Mistake No. One. The opportunities that are perceived.
People tend to completely overlook the advantages of being an EU citizen. Being able to move and work anywhere, at the drop of a hat. The fluidity of borders. I fully acknowledge that the States is a diverse, expansive country--but it's still not living and moving between countries. Often, travelling from one area to the next can feel like it, but the fun of moving from one coast to another is not so great as from one country to the next.
I'm not sure. It's interesting. The response like I'm insane to ever live outside my borders--like considering another country is not an option because it is so ridiculous. It certainly is something different to come from a place that is both ridiculed heavily, while idealised at the same time. The most frustrating part is the idealisation. Because the culture is everywhere, because so much money is made from its promotion, but those funds aren't shared. The popular culture doesn't appropriately represent anyone. What is known as American is exploited from communities and a society that are further damaged by the image promoted and indulged.
But I suppose that is true of anywhere. Many of the problems are found elsewhere--but somehow the US has managed to maintain a PR scheme of epic proportions.
This, I'm sure, all sounds horrible. It's difficult to articulate the thoughts that emerge about home and the reactions to it.
Well, it's not so bad. It gives me an excuse to over-indulge on caffeine [today: Bewley's, then Harbourmaster].
Being in the cloakroom isn't that bad--apparently, gay boys & lesbians adore me dearly and they love my glasses.
And the staff of the bar itself is interesting--as in, nice. China, Latvia, India, Lithuania, Poland, Ireland, Scotland, Colombia. The reactions of people are interesting--as in, curious--when they realise where I'm from. Of course, they assume I'm studying here. When I explain that I'm not, that I'm working for an educational charity, they wonder why the hell I'm not living in America.
I don't even know where to begin in response to that, so I stick to the easiest answer, which is that I love what I'm doing here. Then I tell them a bit about AIESEC and the subject is dropped.
The reaction that I like the most is the surprise, like I'm certifiable for leaving America--not The United States, but America. That, in and of itself, drives me up the wall. To not have a continental identity--since being called American without being from the US seems to be Enemy Mistake No. One. The opportunities that are perceived.
People tend to completely overlook the advantages of being an EU citizen. Being able to move and work anywhere, at the drop of a hat. The fluidity of borders. I fully acknowledge that the States is a diverse, expansive country--but it's still not living and moving between countries. Often, travelling from one area to the next can feel like it, but the fun of moving from one coast to another is not so great as from one country to the next.
I'm not sure. It's interesting. The response like I'm insane to ever live outside my borders--like considering another country is not an option because it is so ridiculous. It certainly is something different to come from a place that is both ridiculed heavily, while idealised at the same time. The most frustrating part is the idealisation. Because the culture is everywhere, because so much money is made from its promotion, but those funds aren't shared. The popular culture doesn't appropriately represent anyone. What is known as American is exploited from communities and a society that are further damaged by the image promoted and indulged.
But I suppose that is true of anywhere. Many of the problems are found elsewhere--but somehow the US has managed to maintain a PR scheme of epic proportions.
This, I'm sure, all sounds horrible. It's difficult to articulate the thoughts that emerge about home and the reactions to it.
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