Stereotypes

As I'm getting ready to go over to Spain, I keep thinking about what I'm up against once I get there. Just like Americans have ideas and stereotypes about other cultures they do to us as well. So a few that really seem to be popular stereotypes about US Americans are that we are materialist or money-hungry and that we are uneducated and gullible. Many people think Americans are very economic materialistic and that we care too much about money. I think this stems from the American Dream to be happy and have the "perfect" life. Well you cant have the "perfect" life without money or so some may think. However, I definitely think you can. I am a broke college student who is living life to the fullest and happy without a doubt. Not every stabs people in the back to get to the top. People also think that Americans are uneducated and gullible. They think we are uneducated about other cultures and countries beyond our own. And since we don't want to find out about other countries, this also makes us lack intellectual curiosity which makes us ignorant. Keeping all these stereotypes in mind and how they are so far off from who I am makes me want to keep an open mind in Spain and not stereotype them. It also makes me want to show them how different I am from these stereotypes without coming across as trying too hard.