About to begin a new chapter of my life in their country, I was utterly convinced that very few Americans were normal according to the standards on which I usually judge people. In addition, the country [...] maybe even a little dangerous. The usual reaction I get when talking to people at home about studying in the U.S. is something like this: “I don’t think I could live there, it’s just too far away, and isn’t [...] Living the American Dream!” In the reality of what is the United States, I have not yet encountered this dream. And I doubt if I really believe in its existence. It’s simply too intangible an idea. To me