I’ve noticed a lot of things when it comes to the mentality of most Americans. It’s a nation of over 320 Million people and there are as many issues that you can possibly imagine, but no matter how desperate or how tough times may get, they still have such a passionate pride for their country that unless you’re a citizen of it, you wouldn’t understand. I certainly have tried to wrap my head around it, but there’s no concrete answer lying around that holds a true definition of their pride. The history is not a great one, some would say that it’s downright ugly, but they still try to move forward and shape the scope of their country into being a progressive leader for the world to see. Mind you, they may be far behind from Canadians in some areas, but there’s also much that I can learn from my neighbours as they can from us (good luck with all of that). When I speak to them, they are fuelled with knowledge and pride whether for politics, sports, entertainment or their history. They’re never shy about their opinion, and more often than not, they’re very engaging. For Black & Hispanic Americans, America is a country that doesn’t always look like is for them in any way, shape, or form. There’s a particular attitude when it comes to how they view the country known as the land of the free and home of the brave. It’s really the home of the underdog because there are so many people who are labeled as heroes for embodying the American Dream: starting from nothing and working hard to have everything go for them. That’s the passion. That anyone can strive to survive and thrive. As much as I value being a Canadian, in 26 years of life, I still don’t know what that means. The ideals of freedom of speech and the belief that you can make the most of your life if you work hard, no matter what, that isn’t passionately taught or expressed to everyone. It’s everyone for themselves and the ‘Canadian Dream’ doesn’t feel like it’s intended for everyone. That’s just me though.