Obama at the White House

With the advent of Obama to the White House I hear many Americans saying that they feel proud to be American again. And I am proud for them. I am also a little proud from me. I’ll tell you why. Since Bush came on the scene and wreaked havoc many Americans, Republican and Democrats alike have shied away from expressing their dislike of their president and at the time toned-down their American-ness (only slightly though – Americans are not ones to be thought of as timid). I even during the times of Bush (but not because of Bush) have always been fond of America. My reason for this is simple; the people. The closest and best friends I made were American. If you surround yourself by one thing, in my case; Americans; then inevitably you adopt their ways. My accent has become if not American then transatlantic; with many strong R’s and statements that sound like questions. But only slightly – people assume I’m some kind of Eurotrash-type person who spends his time between Geneva and New York. Either than or I’m some Middle Eastern who although acts all pious can’t resist the pleasures of the West.

I’m none of these. I just made good American friends, picked up their values (confidence, openness and a penchant for good times) and dropped my English values (overt-politeness) and some Cypriot values (erm… it turns out that I actually didn’t have many to begin with). And so I became default American. Not the ‘God bless America’ type, but more the ‘land of opportunity/ hard work/ get off your ass and do something/ I have something to say’ type, which for me is the real America; unapologetic and creative. So now America will come back in fashion again. To hate America is no longer fashionable. For me it never was because I knew the difference between associating Bush with America. They are two different concepts. People do not see this and often associate the leader of a country with the country, so because Obama won and people like him, America is popular again. People not only don’t hate it now but they want to love it. Correction; they need to love it because wearing an American flag on the t-shirts will be in again. I on the other hand can take the moral high-ground… maybe the ‘I was there first’ high ground; because I always liked America. I just wish I was there to cheer them all on!