When coming from Europe, visiting the US seems like letting sunshine coming in your heart. People are open, nice, genuine helpful and friendly, always ready to look without fear or suspicion into your eyes and tell you something that brings a smile on your face. I love traveling in the US. "Yes, but you know, they are superficial" sounds the European stereotype answer when I speak enthusiastically about Americans. "So what?" I reply crankily, "I don't need to marry them! I just enjoy a smile and a good mood for a few seconds and that's enough to make me feel happy. In Europe this is rare."

Compared to the US neither Switzerland nor Romania offer to a traveler so many spontaneous smiles, the lightness of being, the simple care for a general pleasant atmosphere in any public space be it the street, a lobby, a shop, a restaurant or even a public restroom. In Switzerland people are mostly distant and reserved. In Romania they are often frustrated, sad or mad and they show it to spoil the ambiance. In the US people see and treat each other with a sort of disinterested kindness, which is neither intruding someone's privacy, nor does it look for gossip. It is just an attitude which tries to make the best of the present moment - here and now. I like it.

The ending gala of my husband's conference was organized in the Sea World, the famous amusement park near San Diego. The "Shamu show" of the killer wale was the big attraction. Along with other several hundreds of people I was following the acrobatics of those beautiful sea creatures. On the screen behind the pool one could see the show in magnified images. There was fun in the air, loud music and everybody was relaxed and happy.

At one point, with no relation to the show, everything stopped and on the screen appeared the image of an airport where people turned their head in one direction: the gate were a group of American soldiers were coming out. Looking at them people in the airport started clapping their hands in admiration. The magnified images of the soldiers were running slower than normal, a glorious music started on and impressed, some of the audience clapped their hands. I did not. I was impressed, too, but in another way.

I was disgusted. Images of the dictatorship I lived through in my first 30 years of life in the communist Romania kept rushing through my mind. I remembered Ceaucescu the "great" political leader who destroyed the economy of the country, impoverished the population, banished among many other individual rights the freedom of speech turning all of us into scared rats who do not dare to speak out their mind about the political situation because they would be immediately imprisoned and killed.

I remembered his megalomaniac shows, were he was celebrated like a hero and everybody in the audience had to clap their hands under order because they were under surveillance and if they did not clap they were punished, while at home and in small trustful circles of friends the same clappers would complain about the disaster "the hero" brought to the country.

While some were applauding in the audience, I started repeating loud "Boo I don't like this, I do not agree with this". I was alone and perfectly aware of how ridiculous it looked one woman suddenly protesting among clapping people but I went on. An elderly lady turned back to me and said "you might not like it madam but my son is there" I swallowed down with mixed feelings and only had time to say, "I'm sorry for you". As quickly as it came, the spot finished and the show went on as if nothing happened.

Of course, the show must go on, but for how long I wonder? How long do the sons of these friendly and open people have to fight a war that had no proven grounds? How long do they have to let themselves dehumanized, to kill or be killed, torture or be tortured under drugs, indoctrination and war propaganda? How long will they volunteer for a fight which destroys just as much as the previous dictatorship without bringing any freedom and democracy what so ever? How long will it take until all Americans (as people around the world attending an international conference) will be forced by spots like this to clap and endorse the war, without being able to express another opinion?

Alina Mondini,

Switzerland

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