Everyday it seems more and more difficult for me to think optimistically about the United States. I won’t delve into the numerous problems I have with the country that I am supposed to call “mine,” but I will say this: just as I’ve learned to critique the United States, I’ve learned through my first semester being back from studying abroad in Latin America that it is equally important to notice its intricacies in all forms. It’s much easier for me nowadays to make assumptions about people in the U.S., especially concerning how they think in regards to certain political topics. For example, I make the assumption daily most U.S. Americans know nothing or close to nothing about politics or current affairs in Latin America, or even beyond. Obviously that is not true, I’m literally enveloped in a community of students that are capable of proving me wrong. But the point I am trying to make is that recently I made the realization that I was conditioned to “dislike” people that disagree with me and immediately dismiss them instead of engaging them within a productive and civil discussion. Continue reading →