Guilty as charged; American.

As I lay my head to sleep.... 

This is honestly the furthest away from home I have ever been. I  currently staying at the Rennisance Marriott, Vienna, Austria.  

As I watch the movie, 'The Village' on one of the only English speaking channels, I can't help but feel like I was held in a bubble simillar to Ivy's. I know my Christian faith, but accept no others as valid reasoning. My English language should be spoken throughout the globe, and my superiority should be recognized by all others. Wow. Such an American standardized way of thinking.

The subtitless are in a language that looks to be a form or Arabic, this in itself coupled with the recent attempted attack on my American soil gives me the feeling of the right to be an American and feel better than anyone who understands these foreign words. Just my birth in my home country gives me the right to speak my mind, be an independent female and do as I please, and to perdue a future as I see fit for myself. These so-called rights are coupled with such a jaded perspective on our surrounding world. A jaded perspective that so many of us 'Independent Spirits' see as a privlage to be born into, and not earned.

To say I'm a little bit jaded is an understatementd. My parents were by no means 'well off' while I was growing up, but I always had a full tummy, a roof over my head and clean clothes. I was raised with strong morals, deeply rooted in my mothers steadfast faith and my fathers strength. We were taught to give, and never judge. Enjoy life without going overboard. Explore our world using all senses, and never be scared to ask questions or turn the most simplistic outting or item into a learning experience. 

I find it hard as a young adult, as I attempt to navigate my own path and define my personality as an individual to hold true to these believes that have been instilled deep within me. As I wander the dreary and dank streets of Prague, or Paris, I cannot help to feel that American superority that is so sterotypical of our peers. That because I speak English and come from a country that stands for democracy, I am better than those who walk and live these streets. The bums who sleep on the streets of San Diego are better than those kneeling in front of the national monuments near the great church of Notre Dame, or the Chatles bridge. What in the world is wrong with me?
  
Laying here, on the other side of the globe, for the first time in my existance is helping to pull me back to the ground. I'm travelling the world, a dream I've had since I was a little girl. I should not only be greatfull for the opportunity, but also be thankful for the many people who speak 'a little bit of English' rather than expecting them to be fluent. I can not be upset when there are no onion rings on the menu to satisfy my craving. These desires are minute when you compare them to the 'big picture'. 

We come from a culture of want, need, and instant gratification. I've always prided myself on being able to know the difference between want and need... I feel that every day away from home and each step further outside my comfort zone that line gets fuzzier and less defined. I think this little adventure of ours is opening my eyes to more things than the amazing sights we've seen and experienced.

As in previous year, in a completly different time in my life I experienced the thrill and wonder of this brillant movie for the first time , never knowing what was really around the corner. I feel as if I'm experiencing the world, my world, for the first time. I may only be a legal citizen of America, yet I am a child of the globe. I have the right and privlage to explore each nook and cranny each city has to offer. This all thanks to that wonderful word we take so much for granted... FREEDOM.  

This is not my country, or continent, it's time to set aside my American arrogance and be a true visitor of the awesome cultural experiences I have the honor of being a part of.