We all have a love-hate relationship with where we live. The politics get us worked up, the weather blows, we might not live in the most exciting neighborhood, you name it. But visiting environments you’re not accustomed to might make you realize how much you appreciate staying where you are.
We tend to complain about our ethnicities being stereotyped but also can’t help but make fun of ourselves for them. The very things that are stereotyped about our cities, or nations, are what we use to represent and even defend where we’re from. Sick of people asking if you know a certain celebrity from your country? You might just be telling outsiders that they’re a close pal. Hate the signature food of your city? You’ll probably be telling others that it runs through your veins.
A recent Twitter trend had users bashing the US state they lived in but they then wrote the different story of what they say about it when they’re traveling elsewhere.
https://twitter.com/tomas_portier/status/931248468659703808
me in georgia: god i hate the south
me anywhere else: yall havent lived if you havent been to WaHo at 2am. im from like, just outside of atlanta. lmaooo did u just pronounce the second t? we have the rainbow crosswalk so were pretty lgbt friendly. i miss sweet tea and fried chic https://t.co/TipxTIL3Ah
— baxter (@baxterronquillo) November 23, 2017
The trend elevated to the international level and it wasn’t just Americans who were speaking out.
me in ireland: wow this sucks
me everywhere else: i bleed barry’s tea & eat 32 packs of taytos a day. my middle name is bainne. i ride a tractor to school singing amhrán na bhfiann everyday. i knew niall horan before he was famous. bono is my uncle. aifric should be aired on rte https://t.co/Qmcq95tUiy
— kate nadine🦋🍓 (@kate0sullivan) November 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/Naa_Cheese/status/935227083873247233
Me in Canada: why is winter 9 months long?
Me anywhere else: I bleed maple syrup. I rode the Maid of the Mist before I could crawl. I knew Drake before he was famous. The beaver is a beautiful and majestic creature. https://t.co/7w0C2H7H5R
— Lauren (@Lauren_deOlive) November 25, 2017
Me in South Africa: South Africa is a racist, corrupt, violent mess.
Me everywhere else: My blood is green. I was baptised by Desmond Tutu. I used to come second to Wayde van Niekerk in high school. We invented streetlights. I taught Elon Musk everything he knows. Vaseline! https://t.co/XaxAAc3sp3
— Breakfast (@sivbreak) November 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/persianstripper/status/935542190104772613
Safe to say that we can drag where we live but if you’re not from that place, you don’t share that right. Home is still home and there’s nowhere else quite like it.