FSUW/AM influence making a better person?

[Diplomacy]

The current topic as to Puritan and American views being projected on other cultures.  Jacks post kind of inspired this thread.  So what are the views on the other side?

FSU views

We are stupid, and they are much better educated.

We dress like slobs and they are disgusted by how we take care of ourselves.

We do not care to learn their language and expect everyone else to speak English.

We are kind and that makes us suckers, easy pickings for the much more astute and refined FSU mind.

We are all rich and live in the land of milk and honey.  It is the resources we have that makes us a powerful nation, not the creative thinking or the possibility of becoming rich that inspires advances in the Medical, Technology, Military, and plethora of other industries we have improved as a Nation.

American Views

They are poor and therefor can not be happy in their environment.
 
The men are all tyrants, abusive, leave children behind, drunks, and all around not good men.

The women are saints and have somehow beaten the odds of flourishing in an environment where you often have to lie, cheat, steal, and have sex with men to survive.

Well this is a good two sided list of over generalizations and feel free to add more.  My question is do we become people after we have gone to the FSU, married into another culture, lived in America, and become more tolerant of other people?  In what ways do you feel if any that you or your spouse has improved themselves in this process?
 

[ECOCKS]

For me: 

Certainly my world-view expanded.  New foods, social customs, philosophy, points of view, etc.

My appreciation of my fellow expat countrymen and some other English speaking countries changed for the worse. On the flip side, I learned a lot more things about Canada and have to say of all native-speaking expat groups they seem to enjoy the greatest positive reputation.

Somehow the female side of the gene pool in this area of the world was blessed.  How?  Not a clue, but it is fun to watch and enjoy the results.  The other side wasn't cursed, but perhaps suffers by comparison.

Learning a new language gets harder and harder as you get older....sigh.

For her:

Her world-view is also expanding with new possibilities emerging everyday.

Planning ahead, what a concept!

Developing a new language to the point of fluency, her fourth, is challenging but apparently worthwhile.

Personal growth through education (lifelong learning) is still possible even after you turn 25.

While we (Americans) have considerable material wealth, we work(ed) hard for it.

Different people are not really better or worse as a group, just different.

Perhaps no one system has the full answer to everything all neatly wrapped up in a box with a bow just waiting to be opened.

Not all questions are accusations or searches for who to blame.  Some are just questions.

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A couple of these are individual to her but several are clearly evident in the entire culture to many, both local and foreign. 

I am sure more will occur for both lists!

Interesting topic!

[ScottinCrimea]

What I believe from  my experience and what I have taught my children, including a son now living in Peru, is that no culture is better or worse than another, just different.  Learn to appreciate and enjoy the differences.