The Experts Weigh In: From The Outside Looking In

BY: BENNETT GOLDER, CONTRIBUTOR

Well, here it goes. I've been asked to write a guest blog post for Strictly Nutritious, which is surprising because I'm not terribly interesting. Before I begin, I must point out that I don't trend towards the nutritious, so this post will be more about feeding your mind - probably not so much your body or spirit.

I'm an American who lives abroad. I've lived in London now for just over two years. I say 'American living abroad' intentionally because I dislike the seeming finality of saying 'ex-pat'. Saying ex-pat seems to preclude the possibility of moving back (I might) and also seems to indicate that I'm not proud of who I am and where I came from (I am).

However, I've found the experience of living abroad to be quite enlightening. In fact, I think the distance of the Atlantic Ocean has given me a great opportunity to cast a more critical eye on the wild, wacky place that I call my homeland.

I hate to say it but America is an angry place. Having worked in politics for four years in Washington, D.C., I know this firsthand. Our office fielded hundreds of angry calls every day from people all over the world. We use violence to get our points across - even IF our only point is: 'I'm angry'. To make matters worse, politicians and talking heads lob ad hominem attacks on 24 hour cable news talk shows without thinking twice.

"Barack Obama is a socialist dictator bent on destroying everything we hold dear"...

"George W. Bush was, quite simply, Hitler"...

I could go on all day.

When did this become OK? Why have we gotten to this point? Just why are Americans so angry?

OK, to be fair, the majority aren't so angry, but here's one thing I've noticed about the UK. People here aren't so angry. 'Keep Calm and Carry On' isn't just a hackneyed poster that tourists buy on Oxford Street. Brits tend to keep their wits about them. Politics here are carried out with a bit of humor and a healthy dose of British self-deprecating wit. People protest, and sometimes the government listens. People whine and complain, but typically they do so with their legendary stiff British upper lip.

I can't say why for sure that it seems less angry here, but I think the biggest reason is that people just aren't that stressed.

If you lose your job, it's tough, but there's a safety net to catch you and help you until you're back on your feet. If you get sick, you don't have to worry that you'll get dropped from your insurance or your co-pay will be too high. The National Health Service - the kind that some politicians will tell you has ruined Britain - takes care of everyone regardless of whether they're a British citizen or not. On top of that, nobody is that overworked because you get about 25 days of holiday every year. University educations are also inexpensive and accessible to all.

It's an amazing thing just how much stress can ruin your life and make you unhappy. I'm not saying that socialized medicine is the panacea, but it's a start. I'm not saying more holiday will make Americans suddenly stop killing each other, but it's a start. Brits have a healthy distrust of the state, but when all is said and done, they know the state will take care of them should any accident occur - it's that underlying comfort that makes people rest a bit easier at night over here.

Now, in the interest of proving that I'm still quite proud to be an American, I must mention a few things the Brits could learn from Americans...

1. No, you don't need to put butter on EVERYTHING. Some foods' original flavors like to shine through without having to fight through a thick film of fermented cream.
2. America is multiethnic. Britain is not. You're not getting overrun by immigrants and you don't need to close off your borders. America gains its strength through its diversity.
3. We get British humor. We just don't think it's that funny.
4. For the last time, I know rugby players don't wear pads, but there's no way they could beat up our football players. It's not even close.
5. It's a vitamin, pronounced 'VYE-tuh-min', not 'VIH-tuh-min'. Because it's VYE-tul you eat VYE-tuh-mins, not VIH-tul that you eat VIH-tuh-mins. Case closed.

Bennett Golder lives and works in London, England, but hails from Marietta, Georgia, like myself. He received his BA in Political Science from Vanderbilt University and his Masters in Political Sociology from the London School of Economics. But that's not all! He still managed to fit a career in politics in Washington, D.C. in there somewhere too! On his day off, you can find Bennett doing lots of walking and eating - exploring all the different neighborhoods and culinary fares that London has to offer (but he still likes his collard greens best, as any good Southern boy will tell you). When asked what his favorite part of London is, he replied "I've never been in a more dynamic city than London. Every neighbourhood has its own distinct feel, its own edge. It's massive but not overwhelming, beautiful but not imperfect, and exceptionally diverse in every sense of the word. The author Samuel Johnson once said, 'If you're tired of London, you're tired of life'."

Advice From The Experts: Pond Hopper

Tomorrow's guest contributor and I go way back... ten years to be exact. I met Bennett Golder on the very first day of my freshman year at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia. It was kind of hard not to notice Bennett's snarky sense of humor and bubbly personality. If it wasn't for Bennett, I probably wouldn't have made it through Mrs. Frazer's Freshman English class without stabbing a pencil through my eye (yes, it was THAT fascinating). Bennett sat behind me and spent the entirety of the movie Romeo and Juliet cracking jokes into my ear and scrawling notes to me on his textbook - a textbook we later learned would be returned to the same Mrs. Frazer at the end of the year. Yikes. We didn't call her 'Frazer like a razor' for nothing.

A few years ago, Bennett crossed the big pond and made a life for himself in London. While I've taken up short-term residence in foreign countries before, I have always dreamed of jumping ship and actually doing it long-term! Tomorrow, Bennett is going to share what he's learned from his experiences in London and how living there has given him an outside perspective on his red, white and blue roots. It'll be a fun read for sure! Stay tuned for Bennett's article tomorrow!

Overcoming Obstacles: The Olympians Who Shine For More Than Their Talent

Image courtesy of morethanshipping.com

My father has a quote pinned up by his desk. It's by Henry Ford, and it says, "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right".

When we were kids, we were told we could 'be' anything. The world was our oyster. We heard this over and over again growing up, but somewhere along the way, we started to doubt ourselves and our abilities. Maybe it's because we grew more realistic with age and started to notice other people's failures and fears. Today, I wanted to focus on confronting these fears with courage.

I watched the Olympics this weekend and was amazed by story after story of athletes who overcame obstacles large and small to compete. It reminded me that even the impossible is possible if you keep your eye on the prize.

As you start this Monday (with all the challenges that Monday's bring), I wanted to highlight the stories of just a few athletes in the 2012 London Olympic Games who have overcome intense obstacles to become the athletes that they are today. My hope is that by reading their stories, you too will be inspired to face your fears and challenges.

Image courtesy of peruthisweek.com

GLADYS TEJEDA - Gladys is probably the most unlikely athlete of all at the Games. She grew up the youngest of nine in a farming family in a rural area of Peru. Throughout her teenage years, it was obvious that Gladys was a natural runner, but her aspirations never went beyond local races. During her very first race, Gladys actually had to borrow a pair of running shoes because her family couldn't afford a pair. In 2007, Gladys's family acquired their first TV, and in 2008, they were able to watch the Beijing Olympics. As they watched the track competitions, Gladys's brother suggested that she compete in the next Olympic Games. Shortly thereafter in 2009, a trainer in Peru heard about her talent and offered to train her in the capital city of Huancayo, 100 miles away from home. It was the first time she had ever been away from her family. Now, just 3 short years later, Gladys is representing Peru in the women's marathon. It is only her third marathon EVER!

Image courtesy of poptower.com

JOHN OROZCO - John received a lot of press this weekend. At only 19 years old, he is the standout from the USA's gymnastics team. John grew up in the Bronx and began his gymnastics career when his father, a sanitation worker, saw a flier for free gymnastics classes and enrolled him at the young age of 7. John instantly took to the sport and by the time he was 10, he told his parents that he planned to be an Olympian one day. His family sacrificed for him along the way, often spending more money than they had for his training AND driving him an hour north to practice every day, sometimes twice a day. John was even ridiculed in school for 'wearing tights', but nothing could stop him from attaining his goal. Now John has made it to the Games and is even considered the USA's best chance at winning an individual all-around medal.

Image courtesy of athlonsports.com

HIROSHI HOKETSU - At the age of 71, Hiroshi is the 2nd oldest athlete in Olympic history. He competed in his first Games in 1964, representing Japan in the equestrian category. He wakes up at 5 am every day to train and the hard work has clearly paid off. He has surpassed people more than half his age to secure a spot in the London Games. Hiroshi has been nicknamed 'the hope of old men' in Japan, and he deserves every inch of that title. He is defying the limits of age and showing the world that it is never too late to do what you might have done.

Image courtesy of petside.com

DOTSIE BAUSCH - Dotsie is representing the USA as a cyclist. Looking at her now, you would never guess that she has overcome an eating disorder and a drug addiction to be where she is today. Dotsie was a model in New York City in the mid-90's. Like most models, she was under extreme pressure to be thin. She developed an eating disorder and cocaine habit to meet the demands of her career. During the worst period of her disorder, Dotsie weighed only 90 pounds (and she was 5'9"!). Her family was eventually able to get her to therapy for her disorder. As she started to heal, her therapist allowed her to workout again, but advised her to choose a new activity that had no connection to her past. She chose cycling. Today, Dotsie is representing the USA on the women's long track cycling team. She is the healthiest she's ever been, and she is using her position to make others aware of the dangers of eating disorders.

Image courtesy of timeslive.co.za

TAHMINA KOHISTANI - Tahmina is a shining example of persistence. She hails from Afghanistan, a war-torn country where women do not have the same rights as men. Tahmina started running only 8 years ago, and every day she is faced with challenges that most of her competitors could never dream of. Her daily training in Afghanistan is marked by intense verbal abuse. The men in town gather to jeer and taunt her, saying that this is no activity for a woman. One time when her coach confronted the crowd, a brawl even broke out in the stands. Faced with so much opposition, Tahmina considered quitting at one point in time because the conditions were so unsafe. But she continued to train, and is now representing her country in the 100 metres. She hopes that one day her strength will give other Afghan women the courage to follow their dreams.

Here's to believing you can do whatever you put your mind to! Happy Monday!