"I could tell you're American, you're so assertive when talking to government officials"

It is interesting to me when people point out things about me as an indicator of "being American". Since a big part of this experience for me is identifying what my culture is and defining what part of "American culture" I represent.

Since I started my community sports club and am planning a volleyball tournament in September of this year I have started working closely with the Department of Sports and Recreation (SRSA) at both the Municipal and Regional level. My first contact was with M.S. Legoathi, the Regional Chief Sports Officer. I sold him on the idea of the tournament and then he introduced me to B.G. Mahlangu (Big), the sports co-ordinator of Thembisile Hani Municipality. He in turn introduced me to B.N. Mtsweni, the Regional Head of Sports, Culture, and Recreation.

When introducing myself to B.N. Mtsweni I told him that "I am a Peace Corps Volunteer from the U.S.,....and I'm starting a sports club and want to hold a volleyball tournament to encourage social sport". He told me that he could tell I was American because I was so assertive when talking to government officials. I later explained to M.S. Legoathi why I was so assertive. I've realized, which is one of the things that makes me effective in what I'm doing, that it doesn't matter how important a person's job is or their title, they are above all a person.

In South Africa, as with many other countries, it is a culture that dictates with age comes wisdom and authority comes power and you don't question either. This is part of what stunts progress is when young people with new ideas are afraid to stand up and take action on their own. I realize that You need to respect someone's position of authority and speak to them in a respectful manner but they can be reasoned with like anyone else. I think that the people in the government find it refreshing that someone who is young is bringing new ideas to them and assertively sharing them. This shows that you don't have to be in a position of authority to affect change.

Now the question that I have to ask myself, what is my position here? It seems that my thoughts and ideas seem to carry more weight and get more people's attention. Is that because I do a good job of articulating them? Or is it because by being a White-American male educated in American schools, it is assumed that I know what I'm talking about thus granting me authority?