American, Malcontent

Though I am officially an ex-patriot, I cannot refute the fact that America has given its citizens the right to be malcontents. Every day I’m in China– or in any other country– I witness the star-studded reputation my country enjoys worldwide. People stare. Those brave enough attempt to use their English skills by something simple as “Hello!”
I just sat in on a class taught by a Kiwi, hoping to soak up some wisdom from his teaching experience. Even there, the difference between Western countries overall and America was striking. A male student I sat beside took the opportunity during the break to ask me where I’m from.
“America?” he nearly yelped, and across his face there arose an intrigue I thought reserved only for the likes of Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise or President Obama. It’s that fascination that causes Chinese (and people of other cultures) to stop eating to watch the Americans eat. It causes them to stop their breakneck pace when shopping to take a few steps back and observe the Americans. It’s what causes even babies to stop toddling altogether and stare with large, innocent eyes.
The very idea of their utter amazement baffles me in my own classes. For instance, this morning I asked my English Tourism sophomores what topics they would like me to cover, the answer came loudly, irrefutably: “America!” Music, sports, culture, scenery, attractions, movies! They want it all. “We want to hear what you experience when you live there,” “We want to know what you do for your life there,” “We want to visit America and so we want to be able to talk to Americans like you do,” they tell me.
Surely not everyone across the world thinks so highly of America as America itself, I’ve thought for years. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish evil upon my homeland. I do wish it would learn a lesson in humility to refrain from such arrogance and materialism. However, even though it’s caused the global economic crises, it would be hard pressed to learn from its mistakes when everyone around the world continues to tell it of its admirability, its greatness, its desirability.
I have the right to go to countries like China and India with ease. It’s the communal sentiment I seek in travel. I also love to get away from the high and mighty, affluence-infected, more-powerful-than-though demeanor of The World Police America takes itself to be. Don’t get me wrong. I do not seek approval for my decision to travel the world, searching for a less arrogant experience in life; I do, however, not wish to be reminded on a regular and constant basis that the very elitism I left is the very essence that people desire in America.
It’s hard to sympathize with an heiress who’s thumbed her nose at the upper crust and opted to try something less... well, less desirable... but I feel that’s what I’ve done by leaving America. At the heart of the matter is that I could never enjoy America and being an American if I don’t know why it has earned the reputation it has.