Nationalism

Our homework for class today was to write a composition about how living in a different country and speaking another language is like having another identity. Judith and I were discussing our composition and she told me that she has never felt more American than here in Italy, which contrasted some of our discussion in class. I pondered this idea on my walk home and it is indeed quite interesting. With America themed parties and American flag print clothing all the rage these days and the great ease with which one can start the well known U S A chant, it seems that Americans are bubbling over with pride for their country. But if you cannot know hot if you don't know cold, and cannot know good if you don't know evil, well how can you ever truly know what it means to be American if you have never experience another culture? Many Americans are quick to jump up and aggressively defend what is it to be an American, but how can you ever really be sure you really know what that means?