Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.
- Mark Twain
Monday, February 29, 2016
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Trolling Houses
Years ago, during one of my overseas sojourns, I read a magazine article which was devoted to interviews with the spouses (in practice, the wives) of local prominent expats - diplomats and business leaders, mainly. This article was surely meant to be sympathetic, but the wives themselves managed to confirm every negative stereotype you might have about people in their situation. These women were, without exception, spoiled, arrogant, unreasonable, and proudly ignorant, while their every complaint was tinged with racism and condescension towards the 'locals'.
As you might expect, the Foreign Service generally attracts people who are open-minded, adaptable, and relish new experiences rather than dwelling on hardship. So where are the Ugly Americans to be found?
Well it turns out they mostly hang out on a Facebook group called Trailing Houses.*
Look upon its posts, ye rational, and despair. Complaints about the free luxury housing (only two guest bedrooms!). Whining over the lack of Trader Joe's in Namibia. Demands that the State Department cater to their every whim and desire, from providing a car (and driver!) for all spouses to having an on-site veterinarian for the family pets.
This doesn't even begin to cover the airing of personal dirty laundry, the thinly-veiled racism, and the thousands upon thousands of posts which consist of nothing but questions that could easily have been answered with a three-minute google search
Mostly, though, the group acts as an endless source of validation. Any whine of self-pity is instantly approved and reinforced by dozens of do-nothing brats.
I suppose this is selection bias. Happy, well-adjusted, or stoic people don't spend a great deal of time kvetching on the internet. Still, it's sad to see people who would be miserable in any and all situations.
*The name is a pun on the old, pre-PC term for the husbands and wives of foreign service officers, 'trailing spouses'.
As you might expect, the Foreign Service generally attracts people who are open-minded, adaptable, and relish new experiences rather than dwelling on hardship. So where are the Ugly Americans to be found?
Well it turns out they mostly hang out on a Facebook group called Trailing Houses.*
Look upon its posts, ye rational, and despair. Complaints about the free luxury housing (only two guest bedrooms!). Whining over the lack of Trader Joe's in Namibia. Demands that the State Department cater to their every whim and desire, from providing a car (and driver!) for all spouses to having an on-site veterinarian for the family pets.
This doesn't even begin to cover the airing of personal dirty laundry, the thinly-veiled racism, and the thousands upon thousands of posts which consist of nothing but questions that could easily have been answered with a three-minute google search
Mostly, though, the group acts as an endless source of validation. Any whine of self-pity is instantly approved and reinforced by dozens of do-nothing brats.
I suppose this is selection bias. Happy, well-adjusted, or stoic people don't spend a great deal of time kvetching on the internet. Still, it's sad to see people who would be miserable in any and all situations.
*The name is a pun on the old, pre-PC term for the husbands and wives of foreign service officers, 'trailing spouses'.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Viajes Mexicanos: Tequila
Yes, Tequila is a place! Like Cognac or Champagne. Only agave spirit which comes from Tequila can be labelled as such; everything else is mezcal.
Tequila, of course, is distilled from a blue-grey variety of cactus:
Traditional tequila is made from agave harvested by hand, which is incredibly tiring work to be performing six hours a day in the desert sun.
Mexicans generally turn down their noses at the American style of drinking tequila (with lime and salt) and won't go near the brands that sell best among the gringos. Good tequila is meant to be appreciated, the same as any fine scotch or brandy.
There are generally five grades of tequila:
Plata/Oro (Silver or Gold) - Unaged. The tequila that has been bottled immediately or aged for less than two months in a neutral container.
Why have I put these two in the same category? Because they are the same thing! Gold tequila, as it is frequently sold in the US, does not exist. It is simply silver tequila that has been colored.
Reposado (rested) - Aged between two months and a year in an oak barrel.
Anejo (aged) - Stored for at least one year in an oaken barrel. Usually gold in color.
Extra anejo - Stored in oak barrels for at least three years. This is a fairly new concept, and opinion is divided over whether extra anejo tequila actually tastes better or is simply more expensive.
I still prefer a good scotch, but tequila is a fine accompaniment to seafood or anything spicy.
Tequila itself is a quaint little town which bases most of its economy on tourism and the sale of tequila (and other liquors). As one woman proudly told me, "We make the best tequila in the world here!" Yes, also the only tequila...
Still, it's charming enough:
Tequila, of course, is distilled from a blue-grey variety of cactus:
Mexicans generally turn down their noses at the American style of drinking tequila (with lime and salt) and won't go near the brands that sell best among the gringos. Good tequila is meant to be appreciated, the same as any fine scotch or brandy.
There are generally five grades of tequila:
Plata/Oro (Silver or Gold) - Unaged. The tequila that has been bottled immediately or aged for less than two months in a neutral container.
Why have I put these two in the same category? Because they are the same thing! Gold tequila, as it is frequently sold in the US, does not exist. It is simply silver tequila that has been colored.
Reposado (rested) - Aged between two months and a year in an oak barrel.
Anejo (aged) - Stored for at least one year in an oaken barrel. Usually gold in color.
Extra anejo - Stored in oak barrels for at least three years. This is a fairly new concept, and opinion is divided over whether extra anejo tequila actually tastes better or is simply more expensive.
I still prefer a good scotch, but tequila is a fine accompaniment to seafood or anything spicy.
Tequila itself is a quaint little town which bases most of its economy on tourism and the sale of tequila (and other liquors). As one woman proudly told me, "We make the best tequila in the world here!" Yes, also the only tequila...
Still, it's charming enough:
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
A Trickle or a Flood?
Without getting overly political, I'd like too discuss the idea of illegal immigration.
Recently, the chattering class was aflutter over a report that roughly half a million visa holders overstayed their visas last year.
Sounds like a lot, right? Well...
Keep in mind the scale of the non-immigrant visa operation. Mission Mexico alone issue over 3 million tourist visas a year. The dreaded visa overstays account for less than 2% of visa holders.
Of course, '500,000 visa violators walk among us!' is a pleasantly scary headline; much better than '98.5% of visa holders abide by all regulations.' Among those 1.5%, surely some are simply mistakes or are otherwise harmless; not all of those violations imply intended immigration or any other nefarious purpose.
And of course, those the most scandalized by the prospect of visa overstays have no solution whatever for how to resolve it. Their responses always seem to involve building a Fortress America and withdrawing from the international system. The US has endured illegal immigration for the past 150 years. I think we'll be OK.
Recently, the chattering class was aflutter over a report that roughly half a million visa holders overstayed their visas last year.
Sounds like a lot, right? Well...
Keep in mind the scale of the non-immigrant visa operation. Mission Mexico alone issue over 3 million tourist visas a year. The dreaded visa overstays account for less than 2% of visa holders.
Of course, '500,000 visa violators walk among us!' is a pleasantly scary headline; much better than '98.5% of visa holders abide by all regulations.' Among those 1.5%, surely some are simply mistakes or are otherwise harmless; not all of those violations imply intended immigration or any other nefarious purpose.
And of course, those the most scandalized by the prospect of visa overstays have no solution whatever for how to resolve it. Their responses always seem to involve building a Fortress America and withdrawing from the international system. The US has endured illegal immigration for the past 150 years. I think we'll be OK.
Monday, February 1, 2016
The Foreign Service on Screen: 13 Hours
So apparently Michael Bay, blower-upper of things and ruiner of many a fond childhood memory, has turned his sights to the attack on the US diplomatic compound in Libya that killed four Americans:
Admittedly, I haven't seen the film. I'm not big on action movies in the first place. What I d know, however, is that the movie reinforces some of the more unfortunate misconceptions both about what happened on that day but more broadly regarding the US and its envoys abroad.
In the film, the only really good guys are the mercenaries. The diplomats, the intellectuals, and the experts are all namby-pamby effetes who are too naive and cowardly to understand the danger in Libya or react to it. Ambassador Stephens, in particular, is portrayed as preening and narcissistic, decorating his bedroom with photos of himself. If this was how Bay wanted to honor those who gave their lives for their country, he's doing it wrong.
Add to which, the movie had to recycle some of the more easily debunked myths about the attack itself, such as the CIA station chief forbidding the mercenaries from rushing to the Ambassador's aid ("Stand down!") or that there was air support less than an hour away. Both of these have been disproved even by the relentlessly partisan Republican investigations of the incident.
You can't always preserve complete honesty in a fictional medium. Still, how sad that such a tragic even did not receive a more respectful treatment.
Admittedly, I haven't seen the film. I'm not big on action movies in the first place. What I d know, however, is that the movie reinforces some of the more unfortunate misconceptions both about what happened on that day but more broadly regarding the US and its envoys abroad.
In the film, the only really good guys are the mercenaries. The diplomats, the intellectuals, and the experts are all namby-pamby effetes who are too naive and cowardly to understand the danger in Libya or react to it. Ambassador Stephens, in particular, is portrayed as preening and narcissistic, decorating his bedroom with photos of himself. If this was how Bay wanted to honor those who gave their lives for their country, he's doing it wrong.
Add to which, the movie had to recycle some of the more easily debunked myths about the attack itself, such as the CIA station chief forbidding the mercenaries from rushing to the Ambassador's aid ("Stand down!") or that there was air support less than an hour away. Both of these have been disproved even by the relentlessly partisan Republican investigations of the incident.
You can't always preserve complete honesty in a fictional medium. Still, how sad that such a tragic even did not receive a more respectful treatment.
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