Expat for now. American always.

As I've said before, there's nothing like living abroad to make you both love and hate America.  Love it for all its wonderful opportunity, freedom, and high quality of life.  Hate it for it's arrogance, wastefulness, and greed. But at the end of the day, I am truly grateful to be an American.  There is so much privilege and blessing attached to this name.  The reality that I am an American becomes especially clear here, where I easily stand out as a foreigner.  As much as I love Russia and attempt to assimilate into Russian culture while I am here, I can never actually be Russian.  Sometimes this is very disappointing to me because I know that I will always be an outsider.  I can live in Russian and live a very 'Russian' life, but when it's all said and done, I can never be and, more importantly,  never have to be Russian.  I never have to indefinitely live through all the hardships that equal life in Russia or against my will.  When I get fed up with Russia (or vice versa), I can always go home and be American and be free and be heard and be happy.  The choice to live in Russia or not live in Russia fully embodies the idea of freedom to me.  I guess it takes not being in America on the anniversary of our independence to realize how special it is to be an American in America on this day.

Expat for now.  American always.  Happy 4th, y'all!