Things that make America so attractive yet so obnoxious

This country has always called itself and been known as the land of freedom and opportunities. As a foreigner from a country which America went to war with (Vietnam), and as a student who received British education for years before coming to the U.S, I’d say I have a love-hate relationship with this nation.

A huge sense of nationalism

I haven’t seen anybody so proud to be a citizen of their own country more than an American. Not even the British. Their nationalism is probably also equivalent to their school spirit, for the number of people wearing school T-shirts representing their colleges everywhere they go is almost shocking.

However, this is essentially two sides of the same coin. I’m not saying that I’m more cultured than anyone, but even some Americans admit themselves that they seriously lack of knowledge about the rest of the world. Many people didn’t even know what Brexit was. The media and education is very much America-centered.

The education and college life

This is the home to many of the best universities and biggest firms in the world. This country’s media industry and journalism schools have taught me the best lessons about journalism. From ethics code to practices, I don’t think I would be the journalist I am today and who I aim to become without the education.

Yet, do any of you non-Americans get the whole hype about the so-called ‘Greek life,’ a.k.a. fraternity and sorority, or is it just me?

The food

The unauthentic, Americanized ethnic foods. I promise you, real Chinese food is nothing like the orange chicken you always have, or Taco Bells tastes like a different cuisine from the real Mexican food. It doesn’t even come close. But seriously, why are they so bad yet so addictive?

The highly ridiculous legal ages

You can get a driver’s license at the age of 16. No other country does that. I’m not sure if it’s a bad or good thing.

In addition, the alcohol legal age is 21. Who does that? As far as many other non-Americans I agree on, we guarantee this is the reason why kids go crazy once they come to college, because they have been so restricted their entire adolescent life.

The living costs

The cheap living costs are almost too-good-to-be-true, but not in the big cities. I have a heart attack every time I travel to Europe, especially to England and Switzerland, for the prices of every item almost double those here. But why only in the U.S. do I go out for a $15 meal and end up having to pay $20? The taxes and tipping culture are horrendous. Yes, I understand that it helps workers who earn below the minimum wage, but why is it that people in one of the most developed countries in the world still have to depend on tips for a living?

Social and political issues

The apparent racial disparity and racism, granted that these two issues exist everywhere. And of course, one cannot simply write about America in 2016 without mentioning the superb 2016 presidential candidates. I just can’t exclude politics from this list.

Last but not least, this is the land of opportunities

America is so large that there is almost abundant job supply for people, provided that they meet the increasingly competitive qualifications. However, even this has become a controversial concept as the notion of the American Dream is already so outdated.

We as citizens, students and immigrants can only do our best to improve the place we’re living in, though it is a work in progress.