A Different Perspective

[Antisthenes]

To be honest, I don't think there IS a "typical" America. The country is so varied, there is no one place you can say "THIS is America!"

I was raised in the Appalachian mountains in Southwest Virginia. I left at 17, and everywhere I went - I mean EVERYWHERE, was a foreign land, in which I was treated like any other foreigner. I saw no real difference between South Carolina and Panama, New York and Amsterdam, Kansas City and London, etc. All were "foreign" places, and although folks spoke differently in every one, they all talked as funny from my perspective as I talked from theirs.

Every place, wherever you go on Earth, has it's own character stemming from culture, language attitudes, etc. It doesn't matter if it's just across the state or around the world, every place one goes will have a different character.

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I did love the article. It gives one a new perspective on just how much stuff of world-shaking impact can happen in small areas of a big world.

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Maybe because no matter where I went, I was the odd one out, but I learned to adapt very quickly. You are right that the accent was a dead give away, so I learned to pick up the local accent in just a few hours.
 A trait that I still have to this day, that I have to fight to keep in check.  A few seconds talking with someone and I start to adopted their accent. Unchecked I will have it down pack and almost flawless.

It saved me a lot of grieve as a child, but it can be kind of embarrassing as an adult.

The ability to be a chameleon like that must be an incredible and blessed asset when travelling. I envy your ear.