"To me America is both magical and scary"

31. Days that is. And I'm pretty much there.

Where you might ask? Well, I'm finally admitting that I'm stuck at that spot, teetering over the prospect of almost going home and then traveling/working/staying for another month. As much as Europe has been a life-changing experience, I'm itching ever so slightly (and now maybe a little more) to return to the place I know the best. So, will my homecoming be perfect? Hardly so. In that sense, I'm going to take some time to reflect on why America, the land of the free and home of the brave, is "both magical and scary."

For starters, the quote. I found it while tumbling on my Tumblr blog (because that's what you do on this type of blog) from suhhweetenedtea and it really struck me as fitting. Not only because I'm becoming awfully reflective as my semester winds down and my perspective has changed, but because it is just plain true. And it is the type of phrase that allows for individual interpretation, which in my opinion is the best kind. Here's mine.

America, in a magical sense. A perspective based on a semester abroad in Europe.

After being away from the everyday things I take for granted in the States, especially at my liberal university and college town I call one of my homes, many things in America are quite magical. Dryers, mounted shower heads, A/C, free bus system, US dollars, fresh vegetables and red meat are some of the things I long for daily here. America is magical to me in the sense that I have the opportunity to live in a diverse community, full of many ethnicities and lots of culture (which ultimately provides a delicious array of food I am lacking here--not to be shallow or anything) that is accepted. America is magical because I get to go to a fantastic university and receive a fantastic education that tries to promise that although jobs are tight, there will at least something to do postgrad. America is magical because iced caramel lattes cost less than $4 and I can find PERCOLATED coffee just about anywhere. America is magical because I get to spend afternoons at friends' houses, doing just about whatever. America is magical because of our freedoms. America is magical because of the tradition, but mostly the tradition of creating new traditions.

But it is true that America is scary. America is scary because of the rising rate of obesity and unhealthful eating. America is scary to me because of the country's inability to not meddle in world conflict (especially when our involvement boils down to solely personal gain). America is scary in how it addresses topics like gay marriage and abortion, fueled by hatred and the perverse ultraconservative religion that some believe should dictate all of our social policy. America is scary because of our own struggles with poverty and homelessness; its not just an exterior problem. America is scary because of rising gas prices and the lack of public transportation. America is scary because of its pop culture, and how it has come to influence many other countries around the world. America is scary because we constantly put ourselves at risk. America is scary because it is entirely unpredictable.

Those are just some of the stream of consciousness objects/ideas that I've decided to pour into this post. I think it has been completely helpful to step back and finally see both sides of the gun, with America being the gun in this situation. I can't lie that I've have been quick to judge several of the cultural/political/whatever practices here in Spain (and often ended up comparing them to the US, feeling a slight since of superiority), but sometimes it is hard to accept the differences. With the difficulties I've been having in my home stay as of late, sometimes my frustration with Spain overflows, despite the fact that my frustration is only with one aspect of Spain. But I'm using this post to remind me that not all that glitters is gold in the States too, and although I'm eager to get back in some ways, my time here in Europe, including the less thrilling parts, will be irreplaceable and a lifetime experience. So until these 31 days run out, I'm going to keep on adventuring as much as I can. Because in the scheme of things, my beloved home can wait a little longer.