I've been living overseas too long.
The sight and sound of so many Americans in one place is disconcerting. All I can do is sit back and observe, how loud they are, how upfront they are, and how completely comfortable they feel around each other. The confidence they show around one another and in any given situation is fascinating. They're not obnoxious when they're loud, that's just how they are; it shows their confidence. I just don't know how to respond in kind in such a situation. I know how to be loud in my own circle of friends (and usually in private), but being in public is another matter.
I feel introspective whenever I see Americans outside of America; like an outsider watching a new culture. But isn't that telling? Have I been gone too long that I don't know how to be "American"? Even now, after being in Oregon for over a month, interacting with local, everyday Americans on a daily basis is jarring. I still feel like an outsider.
Perhaps it's because I am.
The sight and sound of so many Americans in one place is disconcerting. All I can do is sit back and observe, how loud they are, how upfront they are, and how completely comfortable they feel around each other. The confidence they show around one another and in any given situation is fascinating. They're not obnoxious when they're loud, that's just how they are; it shows their confidence. I just don't know how to respond in kind in such a situation. I know how to be loud in my own circle of friends (and usually in private), but being in public is another matter.
I feel introspective whenever I see Americans outside of America; like an outsider watching a new culture. But isn't that telling? Have I been gone too long that I don't know how to be "American"? Even now, after being in Oregon for over a month, interacting with local, everyday Americans on a daily basis is jarring. I still feel like an outsider.
Perhaps it's because I am.
