I Wish

I have never given much thought to my status as an American citizen. But I have come to understand that being an American comes with a lot of perks that people in other countries only dream of. 

One person we talked to explained it to us this way. Most countries welcome Americans. Our passport allows us privileges that other people do not have. With the exception of just a few places in the world, it is easy for us to travel almost anywhere we want to go. Sometimes we have to apply for required visas, but obtaining them is simply protocol. We can even live long-term in a lot of other countries, if we desire. 

But it is not so everywhere. 

For those who want to enjoy the job opportunities and the standard of living that America offers, it is not easy to get inside our borders. Over and over again, people here tell us that it can take 7-10 years for their immigration applications to be approved. And, of course, applications are not always approved. 

Not surprisingly, a person who has substantial capital and wants to start a business is accepted much faster than a poor and uneducated person wanting to achieve the American Dream.

People here in Jordan who know even a little English love to speak to us in English. We sometimes ask them, "Have you been to the United States?" Almost always, the response is a wistful, "I wish" or "It is my dream to go someday." 

This stay in Jordan has helped me see my privileges as an American in a new light. I have a fresh appreciation for my United States passport.

The U.S. is not doing so good morally and economically, and an upturn does not seem to be in sight, but it is still a country that other people long to visit or live in. Even in its deteriorating state, America's opportunity for standard-of-living improvements are far superior to those available in many other countries. When I contrast it to what I have seen in other parts of the world, America is - for now, at least - still a great country.