Sometimes America's Image Surprises Even Me

Last evening my husband and I attended a visit to the only operating salt mine in either Switzerland or France. It's more than 250 years old, and when you see the tiny tools the miners used to chisel out the huge underground caverns in the 18th century, you have to wonder if we moderns would have had the stamina and courage to even try.
But, that was simply history and technology. Interesting but not revolutionary.
The evening was sponsored by a local Swiss Rotary Club, one in which my husband's cousin is president this year. What was most surprising was dinner. It was in a large underground cavern, and we were told that miners were several hundred meters below us working on pressure salinating water for future extraction and drying into salt.
We were eight at each table. I was, obviously, the only American in attendance. I always expect to be bombarded by difficult questions about President Obama, the war in Afghanistan, and why America is doing so poorly economically these past years. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
The questions were -
What's the World Series and have you ever visited San Francisco? It must be the prettiest city in America.
Why is Kennedy Airport so unwelcoming? One guest said he and his wife always try to go to Cincinnati or Chicago for US entry.
When is Hillary going to be president - yes, even in Switzerland !
With America being so big and powerful how can you be happy in such a tiny country as Switzerland?
Do you know that  Rothlisberger is Swiss? (Don't bother trying to explain that his family came to the USA several generations ago. He's on TV here because he's Swiss and so don't bring up unwanted facts.)
Have you ever seen the Grand Canyon? We'd like to someday.
Where was George Washington born?
We like Americans because they're so polite (there's a shocker for you because we're always being portrayed as Ugly Americans).
Something to keep in mind when we travel is that the world is curious about all things American. You don't need to push them, just wait for the questions to start. Then, it's time to answer slowly to make up for the fact that English is often a rather shaky second or third language for most Europeans. Don't brag. Be polite. They'll love it and you and America.