Retraction

In light of recent events and further reflection on the matter, I would like to amend my post from Saturday, March 11. Though the Internet would not be that hulking behemoth we know and love today, if it weren't for generalities and blanket statements about other people, it is only fair to note that the situation here is much more nuanced than I perhaps care to explain at 4am and in a decidedly fragile mental state. My point, though I may have gotten carried away with it, remains: it's super hard to immerse yourself in a culture when you're hanging around a bunch of people from your own country. That does not mean that they're not, for the most part very hang-out-with-able, or that I don't want to hang out with them. The reason I feel the need to clarify is that in the past week or so, people have begun to differentiate themselves, and true personalities have started to become evident (i.e. people have gotten past the "I like you cause you speak my language" stage). It's no longer a question of well, are you hanging with the Americans or not? It's which Americans. All of this just so you don't think I'm hiding in my room scowling at the passersby... I should be so lucky to have the psyches of my friends laid bare like this...