One of the first things I learned living in Spain is that when I introduce myself as “American,” it’s not technically correct. People here usually say estadounidense (basically “United States-ian”). To be honest, I don’t think I had even heard that word until I moved abroad. But that’s the beauty of immersion, it teaches you things no textbook or blog post ever could.
And to be fair, they’ve got a point. Canada is America. Mexico is America. South America is… well, also America. So technically, saying “I’m American” could sound like I’m trying to claim the entire continent. That’s a lot of real estate for one girl with a cheetah purse.
But here’s the thing: in the U.S., we’ve always called ourselves Americans. It’s in movies, it’s in music, it’s in how we were raised to introduce ourselves. Think about how many times you’ve heard the phrase “the American dream” or “American girl.”
If you grew up singing along to songs about being “proud to be an American,” you don’t just casually switch gears and start saying “proud to be a United States-ian.” Let’s be real… United States-ian Girl Meets World doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Try saying it three times fast. I’ll wait.
I get it, though. The term makes sense geographically. And I respect it. But here’s where I land on it: I don’t think it’s that deep. If I say I’m an American girl, most people already know exactly what I mean. My voice, my accent, and let’s be honest, probably the way I order my coffee give me away instantly. Nobody’s confusing me with a Mexican, trust me.
At the end of the day, I think it’s perfectly fine to call ourselves “American.” It’s literally in our country’s title, United States of America. Meanwhile, when you look at Mexico or Canada, they don’t really use “America” in the same way to describe themselves. And when most people around the world hear “America,” nine times out of ten, they’re picturing the U.S., not a geography lesson on the continents.
That said, I’m not here to defend the word like it’s my hill to die on. What I’ve learned is this: cultural differences exist, language shifts depending on where you are, and sometimes the words we grew up with don’t translate the same way abroad. And that’s okay. I’m not going to shrink away from it either. I’ll always be proud of where I come from, and for me, calling myself “American” is part of that.
So, to my fellow Americans who might study or live abroad: expect little differences like this. Be curious, pay attention to local slang, and make sure you actually understand your own background, too. That’s part of the fun; it makes the whole experience richer.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not really about the label. It’s about what you carry with you: the pride, the quirks, the accent, the little bits of home you bring wherever you go.
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
‼️ Estadounidense pronunciation is (ehs-tah-dohoo-nee-dehn-seh)
