All-American Girl

My grandmother got the notion when I was young that I could be a model. I took modeling lessons and learned how to strike the right pose, walk a runway and hold a smile. I went to a modeling casting call in Orlando and a swimsuit company offered me an opportunity to move to Miami and pursue a career. I was 12 years old, skin and bones thin and 'beach' blonde hair from my days of growing up in Florida. I remember the director telling me in a very thick french accent "You are the girl next store, an all-american girl." I blushed with pride.

Twelve years later I can't think of a bigger insult. I know that may sound very strange but I can't help but wish I was more worldly. I have a dream account which I work on a very large global client with my company. I spend mornings on conference calls with my european colleagues and often late nights with the asian ones. (This sounds very glamours but I usually am just taking notes.) While on a call the other day with German, French and British colleagues I spent most of the call wondering how do I live in the greatest nation in the world yet feel so inadequate?

Don't get me wrong -- I'm a good 'ol southern conservative girl through and through. I like to watch football and drink a cold American beer while wearing pearls and a polo. But, I also am envious of the children growing up around the world - speaking two or three languages, learning world history by taking field trips to the actual historical sites and viewing the world as a whole. Americans are so fixated on American pride that we alienate ourselves from the rest of the world. It's really a shame.