Being an American

When we were asked to prepare an outline for what it means to be an American, I thought it was going to be really easy. I later had the paper sitting in front of me and had no idea what to write. I tried to think like I was one of my cousins from London. I thought about what they thought about how we dress, talk, act, and then I knew what I was going to write. I've never been to London yet, but whenever my cousins come here, I'm always able to pick out what they do differently, and it would seem like they were weird, but that's what they were use to. When my cousins try to do an "American accent", it always comes out sounding like they are from the south. Even though they know they have family in Chicago, they think of Texas and the south when they think of America. Whenever we would go out to eat they would never order anything else besides a hamburger or steak. The food is another thing when they think of America that comes to mind. They all eat sooooo much when they're here it's crazy! Even if they were walking somewhere they would take the time, never hurry up, and someone in my family would ask them to pick up the pace. Thinking like I was my cousins helped me with this assignment. It showed that even though my uncle was originally from here and moved to London where he started a family, he no longer really remembers how to be American after he has been there for so long. I never realized how different we look to other countries, but I guess I haven't really been out of my fishbowl.