Usually, the answer is: "my friends and family, yes. The rest, not really." But the classically American holidays of Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July always leave me a little homesick. So as friends and family on that distant continent wake up to prep their turkeys, I'm thinking about the things I do miss.
1. Optimism
I took it for granted that everyone believed that if you worked hard enough, you could achieve anything you want. Then I left the USA and discovered that in many parts of the world reality has either beaten that optimism out of people, or society never let it grow in the first place. The American belief that all things are possible is character-defining.
2. Can-do attitude
One of my early lessons in British management. A more senior leader in our London office pulled me aside and advised: "when you give an order, Americans will get to work. Brits will pick it to pieces, question your authority, complain about all the reasons you're doing it wrong, then ... after you've listened to them moan enough ... get to work. They'll both get to the same place in the end, it's just a different process." I keenly missed can-do attitude in the 15+ years I worked for British companies. Back under American management again ... even though I mostly work with Brits ... I notice and appreciate the shift in corporate culture.
3. Customer service
When I first moved here, this may be the thing I missed most. Service was surly, or incompetent, or haughty, or non-existent. But it was rarely cheerful, delivered with a smile and concluded with "have a nice day." Thankfully, the gulf on this one has narrowed significantly.
4. Road trips
It was 22 hours from St. Louis to our annual summer vacation spot in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida. Seems a long way. But those hours on the open highway, in close proximity to my parents, stopping at roadside diners and pestering for stops to see Rock City and Ruby Falls were precious. European friends tended to travel short distances or get on planes. They missed the magic.
5. Patriotism
Flag-waving, cheerful, unadulterated pride in your country and its principles. A whole holiday devoted to it. And below that, the deep passion for being a Missourian (or a Virginian, Texan, Californian...) and a St. Louisan. I relish that deep sense of belonging that ties me to one particular version of "home" wherever I go, and the fact that in America I don't have to be embarrassed to feel that way. I still have an optimistic belief that the crazy experiment in liberal democracy that the founding fathers kicked off in 1776 is worth fighting for.
6. Baseball
I've come to appreciate cricket. I'll even admit that it's much more strategic. But I still love my home game. MLB.com brings it closer, but not a summer goes by that I don't think wistfully of hot, sticky nights in Busch Stadium.
7. Space
Walk-in closets. Two-car garages (in which you can fit the cars and all your other junk). Enough room between tables in restaurants not to be overheard. Enough personal space that nobody feels the need to press against you in a queue. The vast, cozy sprawl of suburbia, where we could ride our bikes for miles and roam the woods in complete safety. I've always suspected that a big land breeds big ambitions and big desires.
8. A hunger for history
Don't laugh. Europeans often denigrate Americans for their lack of history. But it's precisely this lack that makes them appreciate it more. Consider the American obsession with the British royal family and costume drama. Many Europeans couldn't tell you about their families before their grandparents; many Americans can take every branch back to the immigrant boats. My love of the past is what first brought me to London. The rest is ... history.
9. Alumni networks
These exist in different forms in Europe. (Certainly some form of the "old boys' club" must go back to pre-history.) But there's nothing quite like the American university alumni organisation. Ties back to Northwestern have eased my entry into every new city I've moved into, helped me find jobs, introduced me to some of my best friends and generally provided a steady backbeat to my life.
10. Thanksgiving
A holiday that's simply about coming together to give thanks for all you have. No religious affiliations to exclude anyone. No gifts to add pressure and expense. Just a time to be grateful. And humble ... in light of all of the blessings we have.
While these elements may not be unique to the land of my birth, they are highly characteristic of it. At least of the American of my memories, c. 1964 - 1999. Each is part of my cultural DN. This is the stuff inside of me that is still proudly American, despite a second passport and residence elsewhere. Thank God for that. Now, bring on the pumpkin pie.
No comments:
Post a Comment