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What struck us: we saw more than one America
During this trip we spent relatively little time in big cities, but as soon as we got into an urban environment, one thing immediately stood out: the enormous diversity of the population.
Spanish-speaking America
Especially the number of inhabitants with Latin American roots seemed much larger to us than during our previous trips to the United States.
In many places you hear as much Spanish as English. Billboards, menus, information panels and even announcements and brochures in tourist centres are often bilingual.
The influence of the Spanish-speaking community is visible and noticeable everywhere.
Does the American dream still exist?
I had one of the most engaging conversations of the trip on the return flight.
Next to me sat a young American in his early twenties, Myra. She was born in Mexico, but had lived in the United States since she was five.
We got to talking about her studies and her origins.
At one point I asked her if she thought the American dream still exists.
Her answer came without hesitation:
For her and her sisters, that dream has definitely become reality. Had her family stayed in Mexico, her life would have been very different, she thought. She would probably have become a mother at a young age and would have had far fewer or no opportunities.
Now she is studying to become a dentist and can even do internships abroad.
For her and her sisters, emigration has not only been a geographical relocation, but above all a social and economic opportunity.
It was an open and pleasant conversation that gave a human face to a debate that is often conducted in numbers and political positions.
I enjoyed talking to her. She made an intelligent, motivated impression and radiated a confidence in the future that was contagious.
Different population groups, separate worlds
At the same time, during our trip we got the impression that the different population groups often live side by side without really mixing with each other.
That observation was in line with what my neighbor girl, who had emigrated to the United States, had told me earlier.
Of course, our impression is based on only one month of traveling through America, but in different places each community seemed to have its own social circle, shops, restaurants and meeting places.
We also had that feeling in areas where the Indian population plays an important role in tourism.
Navajos
In and around the Navajo Nation, which includes places like Cameron, Monument Valley, and the Page area, many tourist activities are in the hands of Navajo entrepreneurs.
Especially excursion companies, guide services and souvenir shops are often operated by members of the Navajo community. For example, a visit to Antelope Canyon is only done through tours organized by the Navajo.
The presence of the Navajo culture is also visible. Along the roads you will regularly see stalls selling handmade jewelry, pottery and other artifacts.
The prices are usually not cheap.
Remarkably, we often found similar pieces cheaper in the Grand Canyon Gallery in Williams, a store with a particularly fine collection of Native American art and craft objects.
Moreover, we were helped there by perhaps the friendliest salesgirl we met during our entire trip.
Monument Valley itself is also managed by the Navajo Nation and is one of the most famous tourist attractions of the reservation.
During our visit in June 2026, the Scenic Drive was only accessible to 4×4 cars.
Wealth and poverty
The most striking illustration of the America of different worlds was found in Reno.
Barely a hundred meters apart were situated three completely different realities.
On a square, musicians and enthusiasts were making music together.
A little further on, the terrace of a trendy restaurant was packed with tourists and young people.
And a little further on was a square where people hung out who were visibly struggling with addiction and poverty.
Emergency workers handed out material and the atmosphere was vastly different from that on the terraces and on the music square a little further on.
What was particularly striking was how close those worlds were to each other without really touching each other.
Everyone seemed to move within their own circle, as if different versions of the same city existed side by side.
Diversity in grocery stores
We also saw this diversity in the grocery stores.
On one side of the checkout are people with an overflowing shopping cart, behind the checkout are older employees, people with disabilities or people who are visibly trying to create new opportunities in life.
It is a humbling experience.
Perhaps that is one of the most striking features of contemporary America: its enormous contrasts.
Wealth and poverty, success and setbacks, opportunities and difficulties literally coexist. Sometimes separated by a street, a square or, in this case, a cash register.
Mosaic of communities
The image of one uniform American culture hardly exists anymore. Rather, the country seems like a mosaic of communities, stories and backgrounds that together form a complex society.
And behind every encounter you will find another American reality.
Emma
One of those impressions had everything to do with the people we met along the way. Discover next story.