Being American is a skill

A while ago, when I met up with one of my tutors she asked me if I would be interested in doing some part time work. I said I might be. Last year I did some part time work teaching English to the managers and engineers at a company. I didn't take a part time job this semester even though I have a very easy schedule mostly because my job allows me to be lazy, and I have become accustomed to it. But, the job the student was talking about was only for two sessions of two hours a piece, so I said why not. I was instructed to give a presentation to some 12-14 year old students about American culture. These are middle school students who have extra classes on Saturday morning because their parents have the money, and recognize just how competitive the Chinese educational system and job market are.

The class went really well, I was amazed at the students' English level. They were obviously from wealthy families and attended the best schools in town. A few of them could've given some of the shy freshmen I taught last year a run for their money. I gave a pretty general presentation each week covering some big points in American history and demography that shape how we as Americans see ourselves and our place in the world. Furthermore, I touched on major themes in American food, TV, music, films, places of interest, and literature. I was also pretty impressed with their knowledge of various American figures and places. This is representative of a general condition I notice seeing America from the

outside. Foreigners will invariably know more about America than we do about their home country. Many attribute this to American hubris, and that may be a small factor. Yet, I think it's much more due to the fact that America is the greatest producer of the film, music, television, and literature in the world, due to many, many factors. I'm not saying the greatest in magnitude or importance, America may not lead in either of these measures in many of the aforementioned mediums. But, combined, America simply makes more of the most important or popular forms of media than any other country, by a large margin. So, while both Chinese and American female college students are watching Sex and the City; the former is learning about another culture while being entertained, why the latter is just being entertained.

With that in mind, being an American, at least here in Changzhou (and most of China) is a skill. By simply making a quick Powerpoint about things I learned in elementary school or already am interested in, I can make very good money, and be treated with the courtesy and respect given to a guest lecturer. I was kind of like, really? is it really that easy? Even in a the most developed part of an increasingly advanced and developed country, talking about where I'm from (usually reserved for cocktail parties and the first day of school) is a marketable skill, in reasonable demand. My job here is to teach English, the value of which being a native speaker goes without saying. It's certainly nice to be regarded in high esteem as educators are here, when in reality, I'm just stoked to be able to be paid to engage in a cross-cultural experience every day. I don't really know if I should write a letter to the descendants of the business magnates and Army officers of the 1920s-1940s who established America's dominance in the world, or send some of my pay to people like Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs, who have helped America maintain its preeminent position in the information age (but I think they're doing okay). I guess that just inherently being skilled and in demand goes against the American idea of justice and work ethic. It's a pretty sweet situation to be in for sure, and hopefully it won't go to my head (see picture).