Change of Scenery

I love the USA, I really do. I think it has a lot of great qualities, and it will always be my home first and foremost. The more I compare America and Europe, the more I think about how different they are. I am very happy in both places, but when I compare them, I start to see imperfections in America that I never noticed before. Until I studied in Spain when I was 20 years old, I thought America was perfect. I was quite happy with where my life was headed – I was an undergraduate student studying Spanish and enjoying college life. However, once I moved across the pond and started thinking beyond what new drink I would try at the bar next weekend, I realized that America has some serious flaws. For example, 45 million people are without health care because they can’t afford it. Another example – many Americans cannot afford to go to college, and thus do not attain an education level higher than high school and cannot make as much money as their more competitive peers who went to college and graduate school. These problems do not exist to nearly the same extent in Europe; there is more equality. I believe that America is oftentimes too capitalistic and inward looking, and has forgotten to care for the poor and hungry, or whatever shpeel the Statue of Liberty says. Life in the USA is not as good for many Americans as it was for me, and this bothers me. I want everyone living in America to live well, because that, to me, defines a perfect country.

So, I no longer believe America is better than any other country. It has some major flaws that could quite easily be worked out, if it weren’t for that obstacle we call politics. But don’t worry! I will still constantly be comparing America to other countries I learn about, more specifically, the Czech Republic, in the entries that follow. Why? Because I have moved to Prague! Read on for more details.