ususbaby.com Blog

OK, there’s really no “us.” It’s just “me.” And I’m a 20-something writer and editor who knows that I’m not getting any younger. I figured now was the best time to take a year to see the world, try my hand at more freelance writing, and use my energy to volunteer for causes that interest me.

I grew up in rural Missouri and had a two-hour drive to the nearest mall; as an adult I’ve lived in Los Angeles’ South Bay and worked in East L.A. I’ve also lived a couple of short stints in New York City’s Upper West Side while working in the Bronx and Harlem. I have a Bachelors of Journalism from the University of Missouri, and during my two-year commitment to Teach For America, I completed a Masters of Arts in Secondary Education. I’ve traveled through much of the U.S. — on family vacations, to watch college basketball and football games, and on a 2005 solo cross-country road trip.

The thrill of traveling, for me, rarely comes from seeing landmarks, bringing back kitschy souvenirs, or even having self-discoveries but much more so from discovering things about other cultures and humans.

Back when cassette tapes were the way to go, I couldn’t get enough of Vanilla Ice. But as CDs became more popular and spiky-haired white rappers lost their novelty (and before celebreality shows brought them back again), I forgot about him. That is until I studied abroad in Australia.

Tuesday karaoke nights at one of Joondalup’s local pubs always brought me back to earlier times in my American childhood. The Aussies loved waxing nostalgic with Guns ’n Roses, the Grease Soundtrack, and “Ice, Ice, Baby”…which always left me wondering how they knew this music and why they liked it so much.

During my time in Australia, I came to be awed by how much we Americans export our culture and values — through music, movies, television shows, sports, government policies, and even human travelers — to other countries and was just as awed by the aspects of our life that hadn’t been consumed by others.

And that still fascinates me. And that’s what this blog will be about: how the U.S. and Americans have touched and not touched other parts of the world (as seen by me on my travels). Because if Vanilla Ice can bring back nostalgia to my Aussie mates, then I figure it’s time to take a look at us (abroad), baby…and give a little “A1A Beachfront Avenue” allusion in the meantime.