Where Are We?

So let me start off by saying I am absolutely thrilled to be going overseas this summer. I’ve never been on a plane, never been out of the country, and I’ve definitely never traveled on my own before. It’s been on my bucket list to go to London for years now, so with graduation looming in the not-too-distant future, I thought I’d take the opportunity that UNCW offers, and study abroad in London during the second summer session. I am so excited to start the program, to head over to England, hear some great accents and experience some pretty awful food (or so I’ve been told), but I have to admit that I was completely unprepared for what studying abroad would actually mean. To help anyone else interested in studying in a foreign country avoid the same problems I’ve run into, I decided to include some of the more noteworthy issues you deal with when leaving America and entering the “real” world.

#1: The “Death To America” Issue

So obviously I read the news, but even if I didn’t know we had just killed the number one terrorist in the world (thank you Navy Seals) I still know many people have less than warm feelings for America (and subsequently) Americans. But I definitely didn’t expect anyone other than Muslims and those in the Middle East to hate us (sorry for stereotyping, I know not all people of Middle Eastern descent hate America). So imagine my surprise and wariness when the director of the orientation program for studying abroad informed me that it’d be best to not “act like an American.” Now you may be wondering what that means (I know I was). Apparently, we Americans have a reputation in most parts of the world for being rude, obnoxious, loud, too patriotic, and completely ignorant of the world outside our doorstep. Most countries have this preconceived notion of Americans because of what our media portrays. In fact, the director said, “Most foreigners are going to expect you to act like one of the cast members from the “Jersey Shore” reality show, so don’t.” So how exactly do we do this? UNCW’s advice for masking our nationality is as follows:

• Don’t wear college t-shirts, hoodies, or shorts. Apparently it’s only Americans who like to represent their university or be bums for the day by wearing sweatpants labeled “The Dub.”

• Learn the cultures and customs of whatever region you’re visiting.

• Be quiet. There’s nothing foreigners hate more than a loud American tourist asking where the nearest McDonalds is.

• Don’t drink yourself into a stupor. Drinking in many parts of the world is allowed by age 16 (or earlier) so foreigners don’t drink to get drunk. Instead, they see drinking as a social activity and one to be used in moderation.

#2: “Calling Collect”

I have an iPhone and it is permanently attached to my hand at all times (sad, I know). It’s great for making calls, checking e-mails, or downloading millions of gaming apps so you can play them in boring English classes as the teacher drones on about Shakespeare. But sadly, I will be parted from my iPhone for the length of my trip. Why? Because paying the outrageous roaming fees to dial home, or data charges to surf the internet in Europe just aren’t worth it. Instead, it was suggested by UNCW that I get a “global” phone. While a “global” phone may sound high-tech, it’s really just a trac-phone with an extremely long calling number (you have to dial based on what country you’re in and who is being charged for the call). It’s half the size of my iPhone and feels like it would break if I held it too tightly. Luckily, the internet offers other options for staying in touch with family and friends. Instead of calling collect, try skyping, e-mailing, blogging, or Facebook chatting from your laptop. It’s cheaper, easier, and much more reliable.

#3: “Hey Washington! You’re Worthless!”

America may be the most powerful nation in the world, but our dollar is pretty weak. Apparently, Mr. Washington isn’t liked too much in other parts of the globe. If you’re dealing in Euros, you’ll find that one dollar will only get you 69 cents in Euros. Pretty sad in and of itself. But, if you’re like me and you’re traveling to the UK, you’re in for even more of a shock. One dollar in the US is worth 59 cents in the UK. It might not sound like a lot, but when you calculate the cost of food, living expenses, and those shopping trips you’ll be sure to make, it adds up quickly. Another money issue comes when you use credit and debit cards. Unfortunately, any place you charge to your card in Europe or the UK will tack on a 3% conversion fee to your purchase. Again, it doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you’re adding an extra 3% to your total for every meal or item you buy overseas, it means more money out of your pocket, which is never a good thing. Instead of charging, it’s better to find a bank in your host country (the bigger the better) and take out the amount you need. Or, if you love plastic as much as I do and carrying large amounts of bills makes you uneasy, apply for a Capital One credit card. Capital one charges no international fees, so when you pay $18 for a salad at a restaurant in London, you’re really just paying $18.
There are plenty of other differences between American and other countries which is why it’s so exciting to travel. Even though the readjusting can be a pain (I’m annoyed already and I haven’t even left yet) the exciting thing about visiting foreign lands is that they are completely foreign. You never exactly know how things will be or how you will react to them. Planning to study abroad has been stressful and has definitely tested my patience, but I know it will be worth it in the end. Cheers!

Coo Coo for Celebrities

America has become a culture obsessed with celebrity and fame. I challenge anyone to go to their local grocery store and pick out a magazine that doesn’t feature some kind of news on the “Hollywood scene.” Whether it’s the newest baby Angelina and Brad have decided to adopt (isn’t there a limit on how many Cambodian babies one celebrity can have?) or which rehab center Lindsey Lohan checked herself into this week, the public can’t seem to get enough of celebrities. And while it isn’t a big deal to pick up a magazine in the store and browse it while you shop, more and more people are taking this obsession to a whole new level.

The Teen Fangirls

Probably the scariest fan out there is the teenage or more recently the pre-teen girl. These are the girls that cover their walls in in Jacob vs. Edward posters, dedicate shrines to the Jonas Brothers, and only wear clothing from the Miley Cyrus line at Wal-Mart (who knew being Hannah Montana qualified you to be a fashion designer). Teen and pre-teen girls go insane for celebrities, male and female, but they generally pursue the younger Hollywood crowd. One reason for this is the fantasy that comes along with celebrity obsession. When you’re a pre-teen, life may be dull or boring. One way to escape reality is to obsess over a celebrity. By imagining their first meeting with Zac Efron or that one day you’ll be married to Taylor Lautner, teens create an entirely new world for themselves. According to many articles, obsession with celebrity, to some degree, is normal. Frank Sinatra had his band of “bobby soxers” and The Beatles had American girls swooning over them as soon as they crossed the pond. But the problem with teenage celebrity obsession today is two-fold. For one thing, there is no comparison between musicians like Sinatra and The Beatles to that of Demi Levato and Selena Gomez. It’s sad when the youth of America thinks that Justin Bieber is the greatest musician to ever walk the planet (not that he isn’t talented; I wouldn’t want to upset anyone currently suffering from Bieber fever). The second problem comes when these girls focus more on the life of someone they’ll probably never meet instead of their own. When a girl is dyeing her hair to match Miley or trying to lose weight so she looks like the anorexic Olsen twin, obsession becomes a problem.

The Moms

What’s even sadder than a teenager obsessed with a celebrity, is a fully-grown woman who mirrors her obsession. How can the teen girl ever grow out of her fixation with Joe Jonas when her mom’s favorite outfit includes a t-shirt with his face on it? While it’s normal to be crazed about celebrities when you’re young and impressionable, it’s not so great to have that same fascination when you’re middle-aged. Stories of women asking Robert Pattinson to bite their babies, or fainting when they see Justin Bieber in concert (why are they even at that concert by the way?) are ridiculous and a little terrifying. No wonder celebs are afraid to come out of their homes or walk down the street. It’s one thing to have 13 year olds running after you but to have a grown woman clawing at your clothes and screaming for an autograph is something straight from an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

I understand why it’s so easy to follow the life of celebrities; with social media like Facebook and tons of entertainment television shows and blogs, it’s hard not to know what’s happening with the Governator and his love child or Palin’s plastic surgery. But when our lives become more about a select group of people than ourselves, it’s time for a change. We, as “normal” people have to remember that being a celebrity is just a job, and we all have one of those. Pattinson isn’t really a 100 year old vampire (and even if he were, he’s in love with Bella Swan, not you) and Bieber is just a boy who hasn’t gone through puberty yet. Distinguishing the people from the personas they portray is something we all need to do so we can lessen this obsession with Hollywood, and start living our own lives again.

picture from mamapop.com