Look at me, I'm an American Idiot.

There are several times in your life that you realize that you are surrounded by idiots. When travelling to a foreign country with a group of individuals of which you don't really know that well, this is one of those instances.

When I am in a foreign country, I like to think that my presence represents the American culture (and of course is bullshit, but go along with it.) Everything that I do in public is seen as a reflection of the American society and her values.

The list of acceptable procedures in foreign countries includes, but is not limited to:

1. Yelling on the bus or underground transit system.

2. Making a complete drunken fool of yourself.

3. Obnoxiously telling the people of the country that they are rude, etc.

4. Somehow obtaining the accent of the country you are visiting after only having spent about 3 days there.

5. Falling asleep in meetings with officials at large press syndicates.

The list can go on for longer, but I am choosing not to continue on the grounds that I can't afford to have a stroke. (well actually I might be able to now, with the healthcare reform, I'm not really sure)

All of the things that I've numbered, I've seen in the past week. I don't understand the lack of respect or common sense that people have anymore. It drove me insane. There were times that I had to get away from it.

What I don't understand is, how did we get to this point? There was once a time when men in the United States of America all wore suits and women wore beautiful dresses. The women would be courted in a very courteous manner. There would be a sense of respect for others during that time. Then all of a sudden, we have this problem where we can't wear pants normally and it is impossible to hold a conversation longer than 2 sentences without swearing.

So where do we go from here? From here on out, I'm calling it like I see it. This might go against being a courteous and polite person, but it will only serve the greater good by trying to reform the masses into becoming a more hospitable society. I will also start to use big words.

Cheerio.

-Nick