I arrived in this country thinking I had a very good understanding of Americans and American culture. After all, I grew up with the Brady Bunch, MASH, Happy Days and Cheers and almost every movie I saw as a teenager came from Hollywood. On the nightly news there were always stories about the US and I studied American history in high school.
But all this knowledge never prepared me for living in the US. While I could speak the language (for the most part), everything else was new. I remember going to the supermarket for the first time after moving here and taking an hour and a half because I didn’t recognize most of the brands. In many ways I had to start from scratch.
Now, after 18 years here, there are still many things I don’t fully appreciate about Americans. I have come to realize that the impact of growing up in Australia has made me fundamentally different from Americans, and that will probably never change. For example, I never fully understand American patriotism. Americans demonstrate their love for this country all the time and in very demonstrable ways. Most Australians I know also deeply love their country but prefer few outward demonstrations of this love. An American kid recites the Pledge of Allegiance every day, while growing up in Sydney we had no such ritual. These small things leave large imprints on our character.
One of the constant curiosities of my life is trying to understand the American psyche better. This is part of the reason for this blog. I want to explore the differences and similarities between our two countries. Most Australians and Americans claim that their respective countries are the greatest ones on Earth. Sometimes, I believe, this love of our own country prevents us from fully understanding and appreciating the other country. I know I was guilty of that for many years.
I don’t know if Aussies and Americans will ever fully understand each other, but I am certainly going to give it a try.
