An ignorant American

In Paradise, we all fly the courtesy flag of our host country.

It's a gesture of respect, that we will honor the traditions and the culture of the people allowing us to visit...

while we drink their water, feast on their food and loll on their bitchin' beaches.

Most cruisers seem to be pretty cool about respecting this.

It's those other little flags hanging off the stern, that seem to cause more rubs than anything else.

Your HOME country carries more weight with other cruisers and their presentiment of you, than you might expect.

It's a weird thing, being judged by one's Nationality before one's PERSON-ality.

I'm not saying it's undeserved.

America has totally been blundering her big, flabby, bottom around all corners of the globe, squashing  and squishing, everyone and everything in her path.

We are the big-gulp Nation and many, many, other nasty, ignorant, things to boot...

resentment is understandable.

But, Hey...

we don't need to be pointing fingers, way out here on this tiny, Pacific island haven, do we?

There are plenty of other flags flying in this anchorage, who's own countries have been tyrannical little shmucks, as well.

And just to be clear, the grief we get, is never from our host country. 

Mexican's and Marquesasns alike,  treat all of us tourism-friendly nations swarming onto their idyllic paradises, with equal courtesy.

The worst stink-eye we get is from many of the European boats. I don't even think they realize how intense they are about it. It's almost a knee jerk reaction, within about two seconds, they will say something really derogatory about Americans to your American face. 

I'm like...

Geeze, who raised you?

That's not very nice.

I'm a good person.

I didn't vote for any Bush's or support any wars....

and Obama's pretty cool, right?

How 'bout that UN?

Jon keeps reminding me,  this is EXACTLY what it feels like to be a Canadian around Americans.

He's right, of course. 

I do think it's an excellent wake-up call, in terms of the reality of the world, and a good lesson for our children.

Americans have totally blown our image and we REALLY need to get out there in the world and do some PR control, our reputation is Sh--t. 

I highly encourage all awesome, bright-eyed, friendly, helpful, Americans to start traveling RIGHT NOW and spread some industrious, vigorous love out there.

The Mormons were onto something with the whole go out there and visit the world-maybe just not so much on the religion. I think we can, all of us humans, give the converting thing a rest for awhile. 

Like, maybe a millennia or two.

My heart goes out to all the Muslims, Seiks, and anyone of any Middle Eastern descent, living in America these days...

being painted with a big brush really blows.

Pura Vida does her best to represent, with as much helpful, friendly, cheer and goodwill as possible.

And I will say this, in our big fat-ass, American defense, so far, in our limited cruising experience, wherever we have been, when there is a problem in an anchorage...

It is always the Canadian AND the American boats who are first to launch their dingys and come to the aid of whoever is in trouble.

I know, we might suck, on an international level, our French isn't perfect, but we are the land of quarterbacks and cheerleaders and if your skinny European banana-hammock is in a pickle, you can count on us to gladly break our backs hauling your stuck anchor out of the blue mud, or lend you our Jerry cans, or re-stitch your torn sail... 

and we are more likely to do it for a cold beer and a handshake rather than try to get paid for it.

So how's about cutting us wanker-chumps a little slack, huh? :).

Love... American style.