As our American colleagues know...

If you're ever abroad, it's fascinating what people from other countries will think is common knowledge in your country.

Normally when asked a question about the politics in the US, or international relations, I have an answer within moments; I'm prepared, and more than willing, to talk about the affairs of my country. But here in Russia, I've been afflicted with the strangest emotional phenomenon I've ever dealt with: utter confusion.

Let me clarify: I am currently taking a class called "Theory of International Relations", as I'm an International Security Studies major, and that sort of thing is directly up my alley. What I had not bargained for is that the professor wishes to use my fellow Americans and I as encyclopedias of all things American Politics-- including things that simply are not true.

Take, for example, the second week of class. Our professor is talking about American politics, and then he suddenly says, "And would our American colleagues be willing to explain the AFT?"

Uhhhhhhh....

We all start hazarding guesses. "Do you mean NAFTA?" I volunteer, trying to imagine what AFT could possibly stand for. I mean, there's an AFT in the middle of NAFTA...

The professor looks rather disappointed in our cognitive skills. "No!" he says, shaking his head. "It is a rather powerful political party in the United States, with many members..."

SO NOT TRUE

For those who are interested, AFT stands for the American Federation of Teachers. It is a union, not a party. And it has 1.5 million members, impressive by itself, but nothing in comparison to the Democratic Party's 72 million members, or the Republican Party's 55 million. 

Of course, later within this same lesson, the teacher was outlining American political history, which apparently goes something like this:

So first, you have Ronald Reagan. Soon after that, Bill Clinton beat George H.W. Bush in the election... And then, in 2008, Barack Obama defeated John McCain in the elections.

Noticing something missing?

Apparently, it's a Russian tradition to pretend that both Bush presidencies didn't exist.  All I knew at the time was that the professor was skipping over twelve years' worth of history, wars, etc.

And this kind of thing happens every week: every week, we Americans are called out to answer some kind of question for which we don't even know where to begin to answer. For example, today, the teacher asked us which presidents practiced the Realist doctrine-- something that I should know, but that I had never really considered before.

Moral of the story? Study up on your history and politics before you go somewhere. It's important to study the politics, culture, etc. of whichever country you're going to-- don't get me wrong-- but people are going to be just as interested to find out your take on your country's history as you are going to be about theirs. 

And that way, when you're asked to do a presentation in your International Relations class and you choose the Libertarian Party, you get to smugly watch the shock registering on your classmates' faces when they realize how unlike the Liberal Party a similar-sounding party can be.