An interesting observation...

Toronto, being Canada's largest city and foremost destination for new immigrants, has consulates from all over the world scattered throughout its downtown core. Two in particular that I happen to pass by every day, the Italian and American consulates, I think are quite interesting to compare and provide a great deal of food for thought.

Allow me to elaborate:

The Italian consulate is in a classically-styled, soft-yellowish house that watches over Beverley St. behind a fluttering pair of Italian and European Union flags. Every morning, all sorts of people can be seen smiling and chatting outside, sipping coffee and casually waiting in line just shy of the consulate's wide-open doors. In the warmer spring and summer months, I have even seen children playing on its lush green lawn.

The American consulate, on the other hand, is in a large, monolithic concrete-and-marble slab that watches over University Ave. behind an unfriendly looking armed guard. There is no one around the building save for the guard, the heavy uninviting doors are shut at all times, bulletproof plexiglas adorns the windows, and large spotlights shine over the barred side gate (keep in mind this is in Canada, of all places). Needless to say, there's absolutely no one chatting or playing on its cement "lawn".

Now, this is definitely not intended to be an American bashing node (though good-natured teasing can be fun occasionally ;), but I think it's worth thinking about, especially for our American noders. For such a friendly and generous people (at least in my experience), your official image presented internationally can seem anything but.