Long before I lived in America, I dreamed about it

I was seven or eight years old, growing up in Malaysia in the '70s and '80s. I remember a calendar that hung above our kitchen table. It showed mountains, fields of purple wildflowers and a crystal-clear stream flowing through the scene. The caption beneath read:

America

I remember staring at it and thinking, “Will I ever get a chance to go there?”

But it wasn't the landscapes alone that drew me in.

As I grew older, America seemed to find its way into my life at every turn. Much of that was thanks to my older brother, still one of the coolest people I know. For a teenager living halfway around the world who had never set foot in the United States, he somehow knew so much about the country and its culture.

Through him, I discovered the music. From Bruce Springsteen to R.E.M., Tracy Chapman and everything in between, the soundtrack of America filled our home. There was a phase where he was such a big Prince fan that he adopted the Prince look. He pulled it off pretty well.

Then there were the movies we grew up watching: Jaws, Superman and everything else that made its way across the globe. Books, encyclopedias and DC and Marvel comic books filled the rooms.

We absorbed pieces of American culture from far away.

There was something captivating about it all. The creativity. The confidence. America seemed larger than life.

Then one day, what had once been a dream became reality.

I arrived in Michigan for college.

For the first time, I wasn't looking at America through a photograph or a movie screen. I was living it.

I experienced the warmth and generosity of Midwestern hospitality. I made friends from backgrounds different from my own. I learned new customs and discovered American chili, which I think is one of the greatest culinary inventions ever created.

For much of the world, America has long represented more than a place on a map. It has been an impressive idea.

Like every nation, America has faced challenges and continues to do so. No country is without imperfections. Yet for 250 years, it has remained a remarkable experiment, continually renewed by the people who call it home. It is reflected in their resilience, optimism, and ability to dream, build, adapt and move forward.

As editor of this publication, it has been both a privilege and an honor to help bring this America 250 commemorative edition to life.

I am living my American dream.

Happy 250th Birthday, America.