This is a scenario that plays out over and over while I'm traveling. This morning in a cafe, in fact, when my waiter asked where I was from he didn't believe Canada. "No, I understand you live in Canada, but where are you from?" "Toronto?" The reality is, that, whatever country it looks like I'm from, few people would guess America -- and no one guesses Canada. This has been true in almost every country I've visited: Argentines assume I'm from Argentina; Turks assume I'm from Turkey; I even got close inspection in Japan and China. It's not that I look particularly Turkish, for example, but I suppose the reasoning goes like this: (a) He's in Turkey; and (b) where else could he possibly be from?
It's both a blessing and curse. The obvious upside is that it helps me fit in, blend with the locals and not draw too much attention. Or, at least initially. The camera in my hand and confused look on my face when I'm spoken to in a foreign language eventually gives me away. But sometimes you want attention. Sometimes you want to be treated like a stupid tourist who has no idea where he's going and needs help. Or needs you to speak just a tad slower so that he can understand. And, perhaps the biggest downside: Canadians are very popular on the international scene. As one Kiwi told me: Every Canadian she's ever met prominently displays a maple leaf when traveling. So it's too bad my Leafs hat has become too dirty and gross for public consumption.
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| Taken during a Skype chat, and thus my inability to focus on the camera. |