My American flag "tattoo”

After a few weeks en France I am slowly starting to get used to always being introduced as “C’est Diana, elle est américaine” (This is Diana, she’s American).  It’s funny because everywhere I go, whether I’m at a campus event with my landlady, introducing myself to other assistants, or participating in high school class observations I feel as thought there is an American flag on my forehead that gets bigger and bigger every time I have to state my nationality; obviously I know I’m an American but it is  just so weird to be constantly reminded of it.  This is especially true when my landlady introduces me…she gets very excited and really emphasizes the “she’s American” part of the introduction, which in turn, makes me feel a little embarrassed. (Not because I’m American, just because it makes me feel extra-foreign.)

Aside from generic introductions, simply meeting the other English language assistants from the United Kingdom has also pointed out my “American-ness”.  It sounds silly but I never realized just how different British and American English are…it’s more than the difference in accents, or adding a “u” to words (colour, favour) or changing a “z” to an “s” (organise, realise) but sentences have completely different structures and so many words/phrases are vary between the two.  Of course this is highlighted when I’m speaking with my fellow Anglophones from the UK but it also become quite obvious during classes at my lycée.  The students are straight up learning British English-  their books give reading scenarios about England,  the recordings (as well as the teachers) have British accents, and so when I speak my American accent sticks out like a sore thumb. There was a lesson on school rules where students had to list the rules they did not like…. Can you imagine anyone in the States saying “I musn’t use my mobile phone” or “Shouting in the corridiors is forbidden”?  Sure at first they seem simple but I feel that I’m at a slight disadvantage because my accent makes it more difficult for the students to understand what I’m saying and in return it makes it a bit more difficult to understand what they are saying.  After school rules we moved on to chores at home: try figuring out “I must tidy up my room” but imagine it is said in a quickly, mumbled, fashion, with a heavy French accent to boot!  As an American I am used to hearing “I have to clean my room” (again I’m at a disadvantage as I’m used to American phrases/structures) …I joked that I needed an English-English dictionary in a previous post but it may actually be beneficial to brush up on some British English phrases.  I’m not about to start attempting a British accent or dropping British words in my everyday life but it could make life in the classroom slightly easier. 

My biggest “American moment” to date here was when 9/11 came up in a class.  The teacher wrote “The USA” on the blackboard and students had to say things that came to their mind (stereotypes, music artists, cities, dates, etc.)  Well, one student said Ground Zero and another said 9/11.  Of course they then asked me questions about it to get an American perspective.  I have never experienced being the only American in a room and discussing that awful day.  It was also bizarre to be in a room of 14 and 15 year olds who were only 4 or 5 when it happened…so 9/11 is really only a date in history to them, they didn’t experience it the way others did.  As soon as 9/11 was mentioned I instantly went back to where I was that day in 2001- 7^th grade study hall, my teacher turned on the TV and we saw the awful images on the news but nothing was explained and utter confusion consumed my classmates and I.  I attempted to explain in simple English to the students how sad and hard that day, and the months, and now years after have been.  How do you explain something that changed so much about American life, politics, views of the world, and the world in general in simple phrases and in a way that really expresses how much of an impact that day still has…?  It was tough, but in all honesty I think the change in the tone of my voice paired with my stiffened body language conveyed much more to the students than any words I said.

It’s interesting- before leaving I mentally prepared for the culture shock that comes along with moving to a different country, yet, the exclamation point on my "American-ness" has been more shocking than anything else.  I can start to feel my imaginary American flag "forehead tattoo" appear when I pronounce “can’t” the American way, or I do a double take and have to ask what a pigeon hole (a cubby) is, or by simply stating I’m an American for what feels like the umpteenth time.  I know I am here to not only share my language but also my culture, I just wasn’t prepared for how strange it would feel!


This is what I feel like sometimes:

(although I'm pretty certain my profile doesn't take on Obama's hahaha)

Word of the Post: le drapeau -- the flag