-Lewis Black, "Black on Broadway"
"...And now, when you talk about America everywhere in the world, people are afraid--having fighting very strongly against, uh...the war in Iraq, I mean, fighting also against what the Bush administration is doing inside the WTO against the developing countries, the United States have to be now, have to change its policy, has to say very clearly, 'We are going to stop dumping on the developing countries, and this is not fair.'"
-José Bové, "'Death to America': Anti-Americanism Examined, Episode 1" Justin Webb, BBC
Radio 4. April 2007.
José Bové's views on America are not rare--in fact, José is a popular figure in French culture, where anti-Americanism has a strong history dating back to Georges-Luis Leclerc de Buffon in the 18th century, who "declared America a primitive place fit only for degenerate life forms" (Harriss 51).
The question that remains on my mind is: why? With global communication as easy to access as it is these days, why is the world view of America basically the same as it was over 200 years ago? Some of it is our past administration, but some of it is also due to what Lewis Black pointed out in the above quote--we simply come across to foreigners as arrogant and obnoxious. There is an easy way to fight against that stereotype--go abroad! Explore cultures outside of your own and gain a new perspective on your world. This is made easier in American colleges and universities through their various study-abroad programs. My argument is that despite the obstacles--finances and fear of being away from your family chief among them--the benefits of studying abroad are invaluable.
According to Karin Fischer in her article for The Chronicle of Higher Education, "over the past 10 years, the number of students participating in overseas-study trips...has increased nearly 150 percent." Due to the economy being as slow as it is today, people are worried that the number will start to go down again, with costs increasing around the world in general.
That does not have to happen, however--as Fischer makes clear, there are many programs around the world that are cheaper than the traditional Western European programs. In the university I graduated from, Heidelberg, many programs were available in places ranging from Mexico and Argentina to as far east as Japan and their costs were actually cheaper than a semester at Heidelberg itself!
Also, even if the school itself does not offer as much financial aid as most students may expect, there are many places to find grants and scholarships--the country needs worldly people and they will do what it takes to help you. Also, look for sponsors--many people are willing to give away their money for what they see as a good cause. It may be more work than most students expect to put in, but if you are determined enough, that will not matter in the long run.
What about the people who are afraid of being on their own in a foreign country? Look, it happens--when you are in a big city alone, you run the risk of being targeted by criminals or nationalists. That goes for here, as well--unfortunately, that's the world we live in...deal with it. The fact is that the same students who make this their primary concern are going to be on their own in 1-2 years anyways--the landscape of our country is not much better off in that regard. Take the risk and experience something new! After a couple of months on your own in a foreign country, life after education and away from your family is not going to seem quite so tough.
I feel that I can talk about this subject with experience, since I spent the fall semester of my junior year studying at the University of Oxford in England. While there, I heard from many people who lived in the city about how they view Americans--loud, rude and prejudiced.
In order for us to understand why they view us in this light, we have to look at their geography--Britain is little more than the distance from Ohio to South Carolina. It is also grossly overpopulated. Their attitude is that if you don't bother me, I won't bother you. Most Britains will not talk to you on the street unless you invite them to. Between gossip magazines and media, America is obsessed with everyone else's business. I have to say, after spending a couple months in Oxford and coming back home, their view on our behavior is not that far from the truth.
I was also teased by my Shakespeare tutor on a nearly weekly basis about how little I knew about geography. As she says, "Typical American, doesn't know the land outside his own borders." Again, is that really wrong? The "Brits" I made friends with could tell you nearly all of the 50 states that make up the US, but most Americans probably couldn't tell you which is the Pacific Ocean and which is the Atlantic.
I feel I know more about myself than I knew before the trip and I made memories abroad that I will never forget. In fact, as soon as I feel I'm financially comfortable, I want to move and live in England for a period of time. I love the culture.
I guess the main point I am trying to make in this blog is: study abroad. It is also to remind Americans that we are not as great as we make ourselves out to be--just because we live in America does not make us any better than a Brit or an Asian. By taking the opportunity to study abroad, you will get a chance to see how rich culture is outside our own borders and gain new perspectives on just what it means to be an American.
Works Cited
Fischer, Karin. "For American Students, Study-Abroad Numbers Continue to Climb, but Financial Obstacles Loom." Chronicle of Higher Education (Nov, 2008). 55.13.
Harriss, Joseph A. "Finally, A Brit Who Gets It." American Spectator (Feb 2009). 42.1. 50-51.
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