Borat in Peru....

Oh my….this movie is ridiculous at home….however, watching it in Peru, at my hostel, brought on a whole new level.  Must say it was interesting being the only American and watching it with people from all over the world including a bunch of Israelis….Just imagine all the parts that discuss Jews, the overly patriotic parts, and all the parts about our ‘war on terror.’ (sort of wish I understood Hebrew – so I knew what they all thought of the movie, they definitely have a lot of comments….)

I always find it interesting to imagine the perspective foreigners have of the United States….Our television shows and movies find their way to all corners of the globe and way too often people assume things in the states are just like they are portrayed on television.

Even foreigners who have visited the States often have a jaded view of the country – usually they only visit Miami, New York City, Las Vegas, LA, Chicago or some combination of major cities.  I often find myself trying to explain (to people who have traveled to major cities in the USA) that people are incredibly different all over the country and that where I come from (the beautiful Pacific NW!) people are very different than they are in New York City, etc. – and that all women are not like the characters in Sex and the City…. 

I have also discovered that I always have to be sure to specify I am from Washington State, not the capital (often people have never heard of Washington State and assume I’m from DC).  Furthermore, I have found it really helps to explain that I live 20 minutes from the Canadian border and that where I live people are more similar to our northern neighbors than anyone on the East coast, etc.  No, I do not lie and say I am Canadian….while a lot of people dislike the United States for numerous reasons – they usually realize not every American supports what our government does and they are pretty open to discussion......