The U.S. is a place that can be described using many terms, the U.S. can wear many hats. However, one of the more noticeable aspects of the U.S culture can be described as diversity. The U.S. is a place where many cultures and backgrounds come together. You can walk into a bank or a restaurant or even a grocery store and find many different kinds of people. It is a place where meeting new people could also open the door to learning about a whole new culture and even someone who may speak a new language. There are many places where the residents may speak only another language or where you can find a chinatown or other places that mimic other countries and backgrounds.
Having the opportunity to live and experience the melting pot of the U.S. is truly magical. It is like getting to witness everyday the way we have changed history. All the work of the civil rights movement is shown in the day to day life. As previously mentioned, there are many places you can go throughout the states that you can immerse yourself in a whole new culture. It is so interesting to simply drive from Orlando to Miami and see the city transform into a more Spanish community. Anywhere you go in Miami you can find many new flavors to try and different restaurants that you may not find closer to home. You also can find or even create your own communities almost everywhere in the U.S. When I was younger and moved around a lot it was not too difficult for me to find a place for me to fit in wherever we went. Everywhere you go there is something for everyone.
The way someone outside of this culture may view this would most likely be positive. As previously stated, there really is no one culture in the U.S. as there are so many. It would give a person from outside the states more of an opportunity to assimilate to a new lifestyle. It would be a new experience all together but overall they could find a little piece of home somewhere. However, it may also come across as not truly authentic to others because these are American ideals blended with other cultures. If someone is used to living their lives in the culture of their home country; then coming to the U.S. may also cause some to feel less at home. So, living in the U.S. may not be for everyone but coming to experience the culture I am sure there is still a place for everyone.
Reflecting on this aspect of the U.S. culture also makes me feel more prepared to go study abroad. I know the experience will be different, but I believe coming from a place with so much diversity being abroad will not feel too far from home. I also believe reflecting reminds me to be open minded when experiencing a new place and culture. It reminds me to not go in with any judgements or ideas of what the experience will be and just allowing myself to be in the moment experiencing it. It is exciting and I look forward to learning more.