Last weekend’s shootings in Arizona have trained the world’s attention once more on America’s attitude to guns, and its charged political atmosphere.
To many outsiders, me included, America’s fixation with its guns – and the ease with which people can buy them – is incomprehensible.
Gun advocates, meanwhile, argue their case by referencing America’s frontier past, their constitutional rights and the defence of freedom.
Bridging the Cultural Divide
This divergence of opinions on the issue of gun control illustrates the cultural divide expats often have to bridge when trying to make a new country their home.
For those heading to the US, the actual question of gun ownership is one aspect. But it is understanding and living with the underlying beliefs that support such positions which are likely to prove the bigger test.
Personally, I loved living in America. I loved the landscapes, its space, the optimism and can-do attitudes. And I met nothing but warm, generous, friendly people.
Nevertheless, the country’s political environment, its commitment to capitalist economics, and prevailing sentiments around healthcare, education, religion and a host of other factors may prove insurmountable obstacles for some.
Global Challenges
And it is not just America. Such political, economic and cultural considerations should feature in your decision, whatever your intended destination.
For example, Europe offers an abundance of cultural delights, with untold historical riches, beautiful architecture, and a culinary smorgasbord from which to sample. But can you cope with Italy’s red tape, French workers’ proclivity to strike, or the famous British reserve?
It is never easy to know until you are on the ground in a country, facing the life it offers day after day.
But if you ask yourself the testing questions on how suited you are to a life abroad before you go you will be better equipped for the changes ahead.
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