My host brother and I recently went out for burgers. Our meal felt quite American, down to the paper our burgers were wrapped in; the only difference was the Inca Kola instead of Coke in our hands.
“You weren’t in a fraternity, were you?”
I confirmed I wasn’t. It differs a lot from school to school, I said. Kevin had this idea that most American college students were in fraternities that had crazy parties. I conceded that I’m sure those exist, but some fraternities are more relaxed. It was an odd experience to be consulted as an expert on American culture and to then be so unsure and unfamiliar with something that Kevin saw as a central pillar of American college life.
My experiences in San Francisco and Cambridge may not be mainstream, but are still American nonetheless.