America - Spencer Bartok

Hallo! Mijn naam is Spencer Bartok en ik kom uit Los Angeles, California. Ik ben achttien jaar oud en mijn verjaardag is op 21 maart.   Ik ben een student aan de Universiteit van Michigan in de stad van Ann Arbor.  I studeer Engels, bioscoop, wiskunde, en natuurlijk Dutch, maar ik wil economie studeren.  Ik ben ook in een broederschap hier op school. Het heet Sigma Alpha Mu of "Sammy."  Ik hou van films kijken en sporten met mijn vrienden. Ik vindt de Nederland prachtig en een dag ik wil daar studeren.

                            Dit is een foto van mijn broers en ik in Brazilië voor de World Cup.

Zwarte Piet and the issues thereof is a foreign concept to me and most likely a majority of Americans. As an American, I find this tradition most definitely a form of racism.  If one were to paint their face black in this country, he or she would upset a lot people as the history of slavery and racism in the United States still haunts us like a specter.  Racism is still a hot issue and everyone here is a lot more conscious about purposeful or accidental discrimination as a result.  Many, including myself, would be uncomfortable with a character such as Zwarte Piet, especially if he was involved in such a joyous holiday as Christmas.  However, as it is a long-standing tradition in your country, it is easy to see why most Dutch people would shrug it off and claim that Zwarte Piet is not an icon of racism.  A country's history, especially one as rich as your's, is important to maintain, honor, and respect; however, I believe that Zwarte Piet could and should be turned into a much more diverse character. Instead of all Piets being black, why not have them all be different colors? There is no need to completely eradicate a beloved tradition, but changing how this tradition is handled would make everyone feel included and a lot more comfortable.

My question for you is:
What is your favorite part about living in the Netherlands, and what is your least favorite part?