Do I have to be your friend?

Have you ever thought that you would like someone just cause their from the same state as you?

Of course not. The United States is a huge, diverse melting pot full of different cultures, regions and even accents that make us all unique. All Bostonians don't love other Bostonians. It just doesn't work that way.

That is why it tickles me when our Kiwi friends insist that we are going to be BFF's with any American in a 50 mile radius. Of course, I will be friendly and warm and welcoming but I don't think i'm going to marry my son off to their daughter because they are from Kansas.

What I have found about living overseas and being an expat is that my original thoughts on this was wrong. You do become VERY close to your fellow Americans. I would hazard to say we are more frequently social with people here than we were back home!!!

We find common ground and chat about things that don't require definitions or explanations. We also have lots in common. I've found that for anyone that has taken the plunge and moved halfway around the globe (LITERALLY) we are going to have LOTS in common.

This is usually what happens. Whenever we meet a fellow American we cover the following topics:

1) What the heck brought you out here

2) Does your family think you are crazy

3) Were we crazy for doing this

4) How beautiful New Zealand is

5) How expensive New Zealand is

6) How much it cost to get your stuff shipped here

And the ubiquitous

7) where you can find American goodies

We are now experts on the ins and outs of 40ft shipping containers, their costs and the fun dealings with NZ Customs service. I have found that when you meet a new expat expect to devote at least 2 hours to this topic. We all love to moan about the cost of the container but everyone gets the twinkle in their eye when they talk about the goodies they brought with them from home.

 It is fair to say that the people I am friends with here would not be in my normal circle back home. Not because we were elitist or crazy but because you don't usually have the chance to have such a diverse group of people around you with similar interests/views in one little suburb in the states.
For example, our closest American friends right now are:
-A couple from Phoenix

-A couple from New Orleans

-A couple from Colorado

-A couple of guys from Oregon

-A couple from South Carolina

-A couple from Chicago

-A lady from Alaska

-A guy from Utah

Seriously, it doesn't get more hodgepodge than that.
Any American can tell you that your culture varies based on where in the country you are from. I'm from the South. A true "Southern Girl". Everything I had was deep fried, I'm all about sweet tea and SEC football and a twang to my speech. I know NOTHING about folks from Alaska and even less about folk from Utah. Somehow, each of us have developed a relationship based on the shared culture of just being "American". Sounds corny, but true.

So this year when we have a big Thanksgiving potluck as we always do, we can eat, laugh, drink and talk and even watch some football and enjoy ourselves as a rag-tag bunch of Kiwi-Americans.