From Instant Affinity With Other Americans Abroad to Suspicion of 'Them' At Home

Living abroad for nearly a decade, my primary identity became “American” and “expat.” I was thrilled to encounter Americans in the Middle East and felt instant affinity with most of them. Political or (sub)cultural differences didn’t matter. We seemed to have an innate understanding of each other. When I returned home in 2018, it seemed I had to choose …