Happy Belated Thanksgiving! And Merry Premature Christmas! It is officially the Christmas season (commence Elf quotes), and I will be home in a week to bask in candy cane glory. But before I pull out Michael Buble's Christmas album, I still want to express my gratitude for America.
You see, I am not one to blindly assume that the country in which I was born is the best country in the world. But I am also not one to deny truth....perhaps I should be more diplomatic. Every country has its merits! But living in a foreign country truly helps you appreciate your homeland and reminds you not to take your privileges for granted. And you shouldn't take them for granite either.
So, while last Thursday's stuffing and turkey is merely a drop in the dark abyss of whatever part of my brain holds memory, Thanksgiving is not officially over until you've read the last word of this post. Here are some things that make me proud to be an American:
1. Non-Smoking Areas. After living in Jordan and Argentina, I realized that people smoke like it's their job. In fact, smoking is still quite popular in a large part of the world. And it really is awful. Because not only is smoking bad for you, but is bad for everyone around you.
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| Pure Artwork |
Honestly, I used to think "secondhand smoke" was something the government made up- like landing on the moon or Canada. But oh ho ho, it's real. And thanks to Ohio's (and other states) ban on smoking in public places, children nor old people nor Anessa have to deal with its effects. Best piece of legislation since women's suffrage. (Insert feminism here). I am glad to live in a country that has made efforts and has had some success in combatting cigarette use. Please watch this anti-smoking propaganda and share it with your wayward hipster siblings:
2. Unlimited water. Take a look at this map of Jordan:
What do you see? Water, right? WRONG. Dead and Red Sea are pure salt, and Israel takes most of the water from the Jordan River for itself (classic Israel). Thus water is very limited in Jordan, and my apartment of 7 girls gets about 530 gallons of water a week. That seems like a lot until you take into consideration that the average American uses 80-100 gallons of water every day.
Now, I know that I probably waste a lot of water as an American, but I am grateful for it! I love leaving the kitchen faucet running when I'm doing the dishes and I LOVE taking long, glorious hot showers. So, the next time you take a relaxing bath, sing "America, the Beautiful". From sea to shining sea...
3. Mexican food. This isn't a joke. I love America for its Mexican food. Let me put this in perspective. There are no Mexican restaurants in Jordan, nor are there any Mexican restaurants in Argentina. (Contrary to popular belief, tacos aren't the only thing eaten south of the American border.)
Let me put that perspective under a microscope: NO TACOS, NO BURRITOS, AND NO TAMALES. AMERICA! I can think of at least 5 Mexican food establishments within a 20 minute drive of my in-the-middle-of-nowhere house in Ohio. Thus, the first thing I'll do when I get home is greet my family eat Mexican food.
4. Women's Rights. While the United States is still struggling to fully represent women in the public sphere, we have still come a long way as far as women's rights go. In Jordan, rape charges can be dropped against a man if he marries the victim, and there are still ideas that sexual harassment is the woman's fault for not covering up. And in Saudi Arabia, men are trying to protect women's precious ovaries by forbidding them to drive cars. (So thoughtful.)  |
| Tina Fey is American. Hoorah!
Now, there are people in America that still hold some odd ideas about women, but there are thousands of Upworthy articles and socially-aware male bloggers to remind you of feminism. I am proud to be an American woman, and I will have my cake and it too and not feel guilty thereafter because that is true feminism.
5. Freedom of Religion. I underestimated the magnitude of this freedom, but I grew to appreciate this right in its fullness while in Jordan. I didn't realize how important my faith was to me unless I wasn't allowed to talk about it. Correction: I am allowed to talk about my religion but I know that some...members of a particular religious group..would get upset, potentially uprooting the presence of the Mormon church in the country altogether. I am thankful for the right to share my religion, change my religion, or even chose to not have it.
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| Future Anessa featured on the left..or even the right. Kind of a rock and hard place. |
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