Lessons Learned at the Halfway Mark

5/14/10

Location:  flight from Cairns, Australia to Hong Kong, China

Another travel day today—a nearly eight hour flight on Cathay Pacific from Cairns to Hong Kong. We didn’t even arrive in Hong Kong until 8:20 pm, and then by the time we went through customs, retrieved our bags, and drove to our hotel it was over an hour later. We were all exhausted and weren’t going to explore Hong Kong on our first night in the dark, so we just went to bed. All I did on the plane was work on my journal, sleep, eat airplane food and my own peanut butter M&Ms, and watched The Blind Side, complete with Chinese subtitles. So, I really don’t have much to say about Hong Kong yet, so I thought I would take this opportunity to discuss all of the things I’ve learned about the US, while being outside of the US. Besides learning about other places, I’ve learned just as much about my home country. It’s amazing how many things are universal, and on the contrary, how many things are seemingly unique to the US of A.

1. Americans really, really have an affinity for ketchup like nowhere else I have traveled. Fast food places in New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong all do not have condiment stations where you can pump little paper cups full of tomato goodness. I asked for a ketchup packet in New Zealand at McDonald’s, and they looked at me weird and gave me ONE. As if one little packet is enough for my container of fries. Also, you have to pay extra for dipping sauces (like my fave sweet & sour for chicken nuggets) everywhere fast food in those countries, too. In New Zealand, my little sweet and sour sauce cost 75 cents USD. So, be thankful you can get those for free at home and have ketchup at your disposal. However, New Zealand always had garlic mayo with their fries at restaurants and that was delicious!

2. Americans are, sorry, just not as trendy or stylish as other people across the globe. Everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve felt a little sloppy because everyone I see on the streets is so well-dressed and put together. In New Zealand, it was autumn and it was all knee-high boots, smart trench coats, and light scarves. In Australia, beach culture reigns supreme, but still, most people look like they stepped out of an advertisement for Billabong or Rip Curl. In Hong Kong, there’s absolutely everything from floral dresses and sky-high heels to skinny jeans, Chuck Taylors, and graphic Ts. All I’ve been wearing are simple T-shirts with jeans, khakis, or capris, and my flip-flops, Keen sandals, or Nike tennis shoes. If I’m feeling crazy, I’ll wear a necklace or bracelet. Maybe it’s more of a Midwest thing then a US thing, but we were lacking in the fashion department compared to the locals. It’s not necessarily the fact that I am living out of a suitcase for a month, either, because almost everything I brought are things that I would wear at home on a daily basis.

3. The US’s number one export is definitely media and culture. The US controls almost half of the world’s grain exports, but I don’t know if that holds a candle to the amount of American media and culture across the world. Everywhere we’ve been plays almost strictly American music, with an observed attraction to the bubblegum pop genre. New Zealand is in love with Justin Bieber and Australia music television still plays songs by Hanson and Sugar Ray. In Hong Kong, I heard a lot of Lady Gaga music in the stores in their gigantic IFC mall. The TVs in the hotel play American movies and television shows, although they may be a season behind. American celebrities still have their faces plastered across tabloid magazines halfway across the globe. Everywhere we’ve traveled, there are advertisements for American clothing brands, jewelry, and restaurant chains. It’s strange to be bombarded by your own culture when you’re not even home. It’s especially strange when American advertisements are displayed in a different environment then what you’re accustomed to. For example, in Hong Kong, huge ads for American Apparel clothing and Oakley sunglasses would be displayed with Chinese character text and above traditional Chinese restaurants and shops on the street below. I’m a double major in journalism and communication mass media, and one of the things we’ve discussed extensively in my communication courses is the domination of American culture across the world, and how it’s altered other countries cultures, dramatically in some cases. I’ve known about it, but it’s very different to see it for yourself. It’s a classic case of classroom theory and the real world I suppose, but I was surprised to see how widespread our culture is a hemisphere away despite my prior knowledge. To stand on a street in Hong Kong, surrounded by people who don’t look like you, looking at cars driving on the opposite side of the road, and hearing a language you do not understand, and then look up and see a glossy advertisement for Sex in the City 2, is surreal.

4. US airlines like Delta, United, and American have some work to do. Every airline I’ve flown this trip, besides the first legs of Minneapolis to Denver and Denver to Minneapolis, which were both United, have been superb. Air New Zealand, Quantas, and Cathay Pacific have had really good food as far as airplane food goes, movies, TV, and games to watch and play on your personal screen, and ultra-attentive flight attendants. Safety demonstrations do not consist of watching the flight attendant 20 rows down demonstrate the oxygen mask, but slick videos. We’ve flown economy class every flight, but it always feels like first class when you’re having tea and biscuits while watching Dexter.

5. Gelato is probably the best tasting thing on this planet, and I’ve had it in Wellington, Cairns, and Hong Kong. I’ve never, ever had it before this trip. It’s a plain fact that the US needs gelato shops. If they already do, they need them in the Midwest because I’ve never seen one in our area. I would gladly give FM’s Coldstone away for a Belissimo or a Patagonia. Patagonia’s boysenberry strawberry apple is my fave, FYI. It’s a mouthful, I know. A mouthful of sweet berry heaven.