Retrospect.

When the idea of coming to England was finally starting to morph into a reality, I thought that I would find myself missing the United States and all things related. I expected myself to become severely homesick within the first few days. I expected myself to want to come home within the first week. I've found that all of those things have failed to take place.

Listening to people talk about how much they miss the US only made me realize how little I miss it. Now, don't confuse the place with the people. I miss my family and my friends, of course, more than anything. I miss my pets. I miss all of those things that make a house a home. But I don't miss the country.

So many people here, meaning the Britons, have such prejudices against us. And while so many people have gotten insulted and wanted to fight back, I could only sit and nod at what they were saying. Unlike most people, I don't immediately retaliate. I want to know and understand why they believe what they do, just as I would hope they would take the time and energy to understand my beliefs. I don't immediately dismiss them as being ungrateful for past help, or for being arrogant. I believe that not working to understand how another person's mind works is one of the most arrogant things to do in life. It is dismissing a person's opinion as faulty and incorrect and is stating that you only believe yours is right. I cannot condone actions such as those.

There is such a misconception (however accurate it may be) about Americans being arrogant. I have tried my hardest to show that not everyone from the States is rude, impolite, obnoxious, loud, and conceited. I have tried, even when service at a restaurant was horrible, to stay polite. I know that I am in another person's country, one that has many differences from my own. I cannot expect them to change all of their customs and traditions just because they are different from what I am used to. I do not expect an entire country to bend over backwards for me. I am a guest, and though that demands some sort of respect on their part, I am staying in someone else's home. They deserve respect from me for allowing me to stay here for three weeks. One would never be rude to the host or hostess, and now is no different.

So, the basic point of this post was just to say that coming to England has given me an entirely new perspective on so many things. I was truly humbled by the fact that I was in another country. My beliefs and customs were not shared by everyone, and I had to swallow the things that I thought were correct in order to assimilate into another culture. I found a new sense of strength in myself and in the things that I hold dear to my heart. I had my beliefs and morals questioned and pushed, but I have come to know myself better. I have become friends with people who I might not have known or become friends with otherwise. I have conversed and interacted with cultures that were not only my own, but also not British. I have managed to broaden my understanding of culture and respect for all types of it.

And though I am horribly saddened at the idea of leaving this beautiful place tomorrow morning, I can only look back on this experience with a smile. It has been greater than anything I could have ever imagined. Had someone asked me three weeks ago today, I would have told him or her that I expected it to be fun, but that was it. I never would have thought that I would be changed in so many ways from such a short period of time here. But what a pleasant surprise.

Cheers, everyone.