Americornization

"Your uuhm, tolerance for cornyness has been considerably raised..."

Quote from my best friend, the truthsayer, as few days into visiting me in my chosen city of residence, Washington, D.C.

I've been here on and off since 2007 and am here now more or less permanently for a job in media production. She, the truthsayer, hadn't experienced me in the city before and was struck by the degree to which I had americanized; getting goose bumps when hearing Obama speak of the whispers of the dead soldiers in Arlington, humming the Yes We Can song more often and with more of a passion than I like to admit and a penchant for deep conversations about life and love with random people on the metro.

There's nothing wrong with this development of course, as long as I don't end up with a fondness for questionable delicacies such as baconnaise, but it does strike my uncorny friends at home.

Being from cold Northern Europe, I brought with me an inherited lack of ability to strike up deep conversations with random strangers and a general mistrust for people smiling at me ín the street for no apparent reason ("you want money, or something, buddy?").

Scandinavians are known for being a very private people and not used to American talkativeness. Someone once said that Americans will open up their front door very fast but not necessarily to the other rooms in the house, whereas when a Dane finally lets you in, you're in all the way.

Hah, case in point, the random stranger who sat next to me at my local brunch spot just told me to have a good one...

I'm all about this American talkativity, smileability, and confidence in own relevance.

As a consequence of this I decided to launch this blog on my meetings with American culture, politics, and randomness. I wonder if having this outlet for my intensely interesting thoughts will render me less interesting to the people in my physical life or if they will be given a deserved break from my rantings.

Whatever this will turn out to be, here it is, the blog you didn't know you were waiting for:

Americornization.

Yeah!!