Ever seen an American before?

I have LOVED my time here in Ashton.  Everyone has been so welcoming, even those not in the church.  One thing I have really grown to enjoy is the obvious difference in my accent.  Just by saying “hello” or “good morning” people know that I’m not from here and are immediately intrigued as to why would I be in Ashton of all places I could be in England.  They’re even more surprised when I let them know that I will be here for an entire year.  At first I thought I might get annoyed of the constant questions about being an American, but after this week, I’m convinced it’s a blessing.

It all started last Friday at my first Drop In.  The youth that were at this event were obsessed with my accent, thinking of various words for me to say, including the word dollar – figure that one out, and trying to talk in an American accent.  They were asking me so many random questions from American music and movies to food and candy.  It was really fun for me, but by the end of the night I was finding myself getting tired of being asked to say certain words over and over.

 Monday I went to my first assembly at the Primary school.  These assemblies are about 30 minutes long.  They consist of an activity, game, or video, that accompany a lesson/bible verse, and it is all wrapped up with a song at the end.  Sue was introduced by Ali, one of the teachers who also attends St. Thomas.  Once Sue was up front she introduced herself and Jeremy, the Vicar, for those students who may have forgotten from the past year or were new, and then Sue introduced me.  She said, “We also have Sarah here with us, and Sarah will you tell everyone where you’re from,” “I’m from South Carolina in the United States.”  Once I had finished I heard all these little whispers going around saying “wow,” or “cool.”  Then Sue proceeded to let them know that I would be with them for the next year, and after this you could hear these little whispers of “yes” and excitement.  This was funny to me only because I realized none of them really knew me, but they were still excited.  While Sue was upfront teaching the lesson, I could feel all these little eyes staring at me, and as soon as I would turn my head to meet theirs, their heads whipped around and were giving Sue their undivided attention.  I started to wonder if I looked that different.  Was I that much more tan than them?  Did I wear different clothes, or have something in my teeth? No, other than sticking out for obviously not wearing the school uniform, I looked no different from them, but they were enamoured with the idea that there was a real American in the room.  I can only imagine the thoughts that were running through their heads, I wonder if she knows anyone famous, I wonder if she’s heard of Taylor Swift, I wonder if she’s like the girls we’ve seen on American TV shows?

On Friday, I was walking home after my second Drop In and there was a group of five teenagers walking towards me.  They looked like they were going out for the night and for some reason they were talking about Family Guy, the TV show.  Just being teenagers, and trying to be funny, as I passed they asked me if I liked Family Guy, my response, although not the important part was, “I love Family Guy.”  It wasn’t whether I liked the show or not, honestly it’s hit or miss to me – Jonathan, don’t be upset, but the point of my response was to say more than yes or no so they could hear my accent.  So instead of continuing on walking, like they would have for any local, they stopped and said with a lot of enthusiasm, “You’re not from here!  Where are you from?”  My recent go-to response has been “China” just because that’s fun, and unexpected, but I felt bad because one of these girls really believed me.  I assured her that I wasn’t from China, I was actually from Germany.  At this point her friends were having a laugh.  The lone guy of the group said, “Where in America are you from?  Illinois?”  I should have inquired as to his obsession with Illinois, but I said no, “South Carolina, in the south-eastern part of the states.  Two up from Florida.”  Fun fact:  Florida is the state that all the children are familiar with because that is where Disney World is.  Anyways, they asked what I was doing in Ashton, and I told them that I was going to be here for a year and that I was volunteering with a church working with their youth.  One girl asked, with a snarl on her face, “Why would you do that?”  I said “because I really wanted to work with youth ministry and I got placed here through the program I’m a part of.”  The next questions were about which church I would be volunteering with.  I let them know St. Thomas, and the guy said, “Oh, I do Duke of Edinburgh there.”  “Well then I’ll be seeing you again.  I’m going to be hanging out with that group some.”  It is hoped that I will get to know some of the youth in that group, form relationships with them, and then hopefully encourage them to get involved in the church.  They then realized that they needed to get going because they were going to be late for their ride, said goodbye and I said “come on down to St. Thomas, we’d love to have you.”  As I started to walk away I could hear the one girl say, “She’s actually from America, that’s dead cool!”  Whether they come to St. Thomas or not, they at least know that’s where the American is.

So at first I was trying not to talk in public places, because I knew people would ask questions, but after this past week with the Drop In last Friday, the Assembly Monday, and my random run in on Friday, my accent may be a blessing.  I’m ok with the conversation starting over something as silly as “you’re not from around here are you?”  It’s those conversations that are giving me an opportunity to invite people to church. I’m ok with the youth asking me to say “dollar” over and over again, if that’s what it takes to get them to come back the next week.  If they want to continue to come just to hear me talk that’s ok, but I’m sure at some point the conversations will turn in another direction, and they won’t want to be my friend because I’m American, but we’ll be friends and I just happen to be American.