Lucky charms

Last spring, I took a leave of absence from the IDS to study abroad in Ireland. There were a lot of European cities I considered traveling to, and many factors to consider. Paris has baguettes and romance, Milan has pasta and fashion and Dublin has alcohol and pots of gold.
Sadly, the first things that might come to our minds when imagining another country are strange, unrealistic stereotypes. The closest many Americans come to understanding Dublin is the leprechaun mascot on the Lucky Charms box.
Upon arrival in Ireland, I was greeted by no cartoon leprechaun (sadly), but instead gray weather and a currency exchange rate that was less than thrilling. A few of the ideas I had in my head seemed to be in some sense correct – lots of stunning greenery, good-natured attitudes and, of course, lots and lots of Guinness.  
One night, my friends and I went out to a bustling pub to drink and see the town. It was crowded and full of young people scrambling to drink more, throw up, or hook up – a very familiar scene to an IU student. But despite my IU experience and our attempts to say words like “pub” and “top o’ the evenin’ to ya!,” my American friends and I found ourselves sticking out like sore thumbs.  
As I was walking by a group of young Irish men, one of them spotted my noticeable American swagger and said, “You’re from America! Is it really like ‘The Hills’ and ‘My Sweet Sixteen’?”
I stared at them for a moment.  
“No...no, it’s not.” I could have gone into an explanation of our economic crisis, I could have named countless friends who are on student loans and working their way through college, and one look at my wardrobe would certainly assure them I am not shopping the way Lauren Conrad is able to.
The guys seemed disappointed, and we parted ways.
Later in the semester, I relayed this conversation to one of my newfound Irish classmates. She laughed and said that the American television and movies they see creates a very distinct message of American wealth. She continued to say, “It’s like you probably assume that all we do is eat potatoes and drink Guinness. It might be based in some small truth, but it’s generally just ridiculous stereotypes we have of each other.”
It seems simple enough to acknowledge that we have biases, but it was eye-opening to hear what another culture thinks about Americans face-to-face.
I got asked countless times in Dublin about “The Hills” and other shows that depict the “real lives” of our country’s youth. The messages these shows send out do have an influence, and the way we view other countries may be more simplified than we take time to acknowledge.
I found this to be one of the most important lessons from my time abroad, and the other important thing I can tell you is this – drinking five pints of Guinness feels like eating five loaves of bread, and I personally recommend shots of Jameson instead.