The American Invasion

As I've very easily gathered over my past two months here, Australians have a love/hate relationship with all things American. While they love our music, they hate our politics. While they absorb our celebrities, Hollywood films, and all things pop culture, they shun many aspects of our government leaders and policies. While I've had a thirteen-year-old girl excitedly ask me if I know Britney Spears (if I know her personally, that is...supposedly we Americans often gallivant around with once-innocent popstars), I've also had a man berate me for my country's idiotic election of a man named Bush.

So what will these Aussies think when six bright-eyed Americans step off the plane this coming week? Yeah, that's right. My two friends Dane and Daniel from Stanford, as well as the four other members of the Strand/Sylvester family are coming to this marvelous not-actually-emerald city of OZ.

So what will Aussies think of this American invasion? My guess is this: first of all, I doubt they'll even notice. Secondly, if they do happen to notice the crew of American tourists strolling their streets--or hear the American accents, they'll smile jovially and say something along the lines of, "Ah, you're American! Whereabouts are you from?" While this love/hate relationship may exist here Down Under, Australian hospitality and amiability far and beyond comes first. All will be fun and dandy.

Ah, people are just so friendly here...