I recently made a trip to the United States. There are many Canadians who now refuse to travel to the US, and in today’s political climate, it feels almost taboo to even discuss plans to do so. And what a shame, because there are so many interesting, amazing and beautiful parts of the country, with much of it steeped in intriguing history. This is what drew me to Charleston and Savannah, and I was particularly interested in how the shameful legacy of slavery was currently being presented in museums and walking tours. I have to say that I was very impressed with the openness and honesty with which such topics were being addressed.
Throughout my travels, I was also privileged to meet so many kind and helpful people, from the accommodation that let me check in early and leave my bags late, to welcoming singers of a very musical choir, from a cashier who let me use her points card, to a woman who gave me an impromptu tour of her church where Martin Luther King had once preached. Nearly everywhere I went, people were friendly, courteous and wanting to help.
I think it’s a big mistake to equate the people of a country with its politics. Political systems can be hard to change, especially peacefully, and there are a great many Americans who don’t support the current administration and are adamantly upset and ashamed of its policies. One day, I happened upon a ‘No Kings’ protest, which consisted of several hundred people demonstrating peacefully and listening to uplifting speeches calling for unity and collective responsibility.
Of course, there are many terrible and violent things going on in the US, as there are in other parts of the world. But there are also many people countering injustice and inequality with acts of great courage and compassion. I prefer to evaluate a somewhere based on local initiatives, and I find that talking to people is the best way to discover what’s truly going on in a place, beyond its depictions in the media.
I think it’s worth remembering that humanity is the same wherever you go. You will meet decent, kind, honourable people, as well as those who aren’t very honest or nice. While exercising caution, I recommend venturing into new places with an open mind and heart and to give people the benefit of the doubt, until experiences prove otherwise. This has always been my approach travelling solo throughout the world, and it has generally served me well.
I learned many things from this trip, most especially that beyond the hype and hysteria exist a great number of Americans who are like everyone else, trying to live their lives peacefully and asking to be given a fair chance.