Wine, Cheese, and Philosophy

After talking to Shayna about wine and cheese for an hour online, i knew exactly what I wanted to do with my day. I met with my friends Ida and Pierre Antoine and went to Canal St. Martin for a waterside picnic. It was a beautiful day out (finally) and it was nice to explore a new area of Paris.
We bought a bottle of Bordeaux, a baguette, and three French cheeses: Roquefort, Morbier, and Comte. Sure, it was a bit cliche, but made for a wonderful afternoon. I can't believe I not only ate this, but enjoyed it:

Ida invited me to her new apartment tomorrow for a welcoming party. She mentioned that our mutual friend, Jasper, was coming. To my surprise, she joked that Jasper said he would attend if I was the only American that would be there. I didn't really know how to react to this. In a sense, it was good to know that my international friends thought of me as an exception to the "stupid American" stereotype, but at the same time it made me feel uneasy. It made me feel like I had to be cautious in my actions. What if I was with some of my American friends, what if I said some comment that was too American? How can I be myself if I am worried about acting "American"? After several hours of thinking about this, I realized quite obviously the stupidity in my friend's comment. While I may not be "typical" in their eyes, I am very much American and a product of my country. I feel like in making this comment, my friend was committing the same actions that annoy him about Americans. It was as if I was the one tolerable American out of millions.

When a man rudely bumps into me on the street without apologizing, it is all too easy to think to myself about how rude the Parisians are. Naturally, this is how people think. However, I realized today that during my time here, as I experience this new culture and meet new people, it is important for me to be careful and conscious of what can be generalized and what cannot.