Indonesian flag

It’s appropriate, although entirely coincidental, that I address this topic on the 63rd anniversary of Indonesia’s independence so before I get to anything else, Happy Indonesian Independence Day, everyone!

Before I left the US to come to Asia, many of my friends and family members suggested I sew a maple leaf on my backpack.  They were concerned I might be at risk from terrorist attack in my travels due to my American nationality and thought that claiming Canadian identity with the maple leaf would keep me safe.  I now think that it wasn’t a bad idea, but it’s not terrorists or Indonesians from whom I’d like to hide my identity.  I don’t believe I’ve met any terrorists so far and most Indonesians think I’m Australian (guess they get more white folks from that country here than from the US). When I tell the Balinese I’m from the US, and particularly from Kentucky, the universal response is “Ah. Kentucky Fried Chicken!”  I won’t go into how very sad that is since my beautiful state has so many better things for which I wish it were internationally known.  The point is, the Balinese I’ve met don’t care about American politics. Either that or they’re too polite to discuss them.  In fact, many of the Balinese I’ve met want to move to the US. Either way, I’m eternally grateful.  

No, the only people from whom I’d like to hide my identity are other white touists.  Two women from Slovenia moved into the bungalow below me yesterday. We met at breakfast and afterwards I helped them find several things around town they were looking for.  I introduced them to “my Balinese family” who are, as a result, including them in some local, non-touristed Indonesian Independence Day events.  I ran into these ladies before dinner tonight and discovered they had been horribly overcharged for a tour guide they had hired for the next day.  I helped them cancel that guide and hooked them up with one of my friends for a much better rate.  Then I took  them and their two Canadian friends to the most fabulous restaurant in Ubud … a restaurant that seems to be a secret from all the other tourists!  For all this, I was thanked by being treated to a round of US bashing over dinner … a dinner that lasted two and a half hours! 

Yes, I will readily admit that this is a case of “I can talk about my sister, but you can’t.”  I have many problems with US foreign policy and don’t mind discussing it with others … A LITTLE BIT.  I’ve discovered that my time limit for discussing it with other Americans is much longer than my tolerance for discussing it with non-fellow countrymen.  And it’s cumulative.  Perhaps if one of my Canadian friends here hadn’t already spent several hours the other night telling me how her national identity was defined by being “NOT American”, I might not have gotten touchy so early on in the conversation tonight.  I must confess that it didn’t take long for me to have my fill this evening.  And when I was told that “all of Europe thinks the American government organized and was behind 9/11” I got downright pissed off … after, of course, being completely flabbergasted.  Has anyone else heard this crazy conspiracy theory?

Now I’ll tell you in advance that this is partly a rhetorical question.  I am interested in knowing whether other Americans have heard this but I’m in no way inviting a political discussion here.  I had enough of that over dinner, thanks, and I will reject any comments along those lines in this blog (yeah, my blood is still a little hot on this topic). 

my sweet brother, John, and his lovely fiancee, Maria

My darling brother John got engaged recently so I spent Fourth of July this year with my family in Pittsburgh where we met John’s future in-laws (or “in-loves” as the sweet Angelini’s like to say).   On the night of the Fourth, we had dinner at the beautiful restaurant where John and his delightful Maria will hold their wedding reception next July. After dinner, we had a perfect view of the amazing fireworks display put together by the City of Pittsburgh.  What put it over the top, however, was the music. 

We enjoyed a mix of live and recorded music that was all very patriotic.  The restaurant singer sang “God Bless America,”  “America the Beautiful” and “The Star Spangled Banner.”   A recorded Louie Armstrong crooned “What a Wonderful World” and a country artist sang “Proud to Be an American.”  Surrounded by my “old” and new families, listening to those patriotic songs and watching the fireworks, I was moved to tears.  For me, those songs as a whole summarized the ideals for which the US strives and they were like a magic mirror that reflected the amazing potential or our great nation, not necessarily the reality.  Being addicted to CNN or Fox as many Americans are, we’re mired in reality.  It was nice to be lifted above all that for a change and be reminded again of our gleaming potential.  

Of course the US is not a perfect country.  How can it be?  A country is, after all, only a group of imperfect individuals.  Would I like to change some things about my country and her foreign policies? Absolutely.  But am I still proud to be an American? You bet.  So scratch that thought at the beginning of this entry … I’m not putting any freakin’ maple leaf on my backpack. I’ll just take a page from the book of the French people I’ve encountered here and minimize my contact with fellow tourists … at least those whose past-time is to bash my dear country.  

“There ain’t no doubt I love this land. God Bless the USA!”