I was raised to tell the truth, though sometimes I can't help but say what other people want to hear: No, I don't mind waiting. Yes, you're right, I should take tango lessons.
The lie is out of my mouth before I can stop it, though, in that moment, it doesn't feel like a lie because it's what I imagine a better version of me would say.
Yet, last summer, when my honest response to an airline steward's request was met with a scowl of disapproval, I couldn't stop feeling guilty. Crazy. Right?
The incident niggled at me long after the flight. I questioned my motives, my humanity, my truth, and eventually, I wrote about the experience in the article When Did I Become the Ugly American?
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. After 15 years as an independent content creator for travel and tourism, she has been enjoying extended stays abroad for the past decade, the inspiration behind her travel memoir, "I Could Live Here" (November 2023)