On Blending-In

Even with the national stereotypic blonde hair and blue eyes, I somehow sometimes still manage to put off a vibe that I’m foreign. And one thing about being foreign in a country is that you are sure to meet other foreigners. It’s a connection that we can’t deny; being around other foreigners makes you feel less… foreign.

Today I took a train to Malmö to finalize my work visa. All I needed to do was to have a picture and some finger prints done, but it still felt great to finish this. It was about a thirty minute walk from the Malmö Central Station to the Migrationsverket Office, and that walk takes you down several small streets, and my map didn’t necessarily have all of the street names on it. I am very proud to say that I didn’t get lost once! I am getting much better at my navigational skills in large cities. Once I got there, I only had to wait about fifteen minutes, and then it was my turn to get the picture and fingerprints done, so I went in, did it, and walked out. It surprisingly took much shorter than I had anticipated.

On the way back to the train station, I didn’t even have to use my map! I was feeling very accomplished and confident! I was in a completely new city, but somehow I felt like I had been there a hundred times. It was around noon by the time I finally reached the central station, so I headed to the café to grab a coffee and some kind of baked good. As soon as I walked through the door, a tall, built African man widened his eyes at me and smiled, and said “Well , Hello!” I was kind of embarrassed, but I said hello back to him, wondering if he was on drugs, or perhaps a bit drunk, a mental problem? As I walked into the café, I sensed that someone was following me, and it was him. I stood in line, and he was right behind me, and immediately started conversation. The kind gentlemen bought me an iced coffee and took me to the corner of the café, where we held about an hour long interesting conversation. He told me basically everything about him, adding bits of flattery and charm into each topic. Talk about an ego-boost! Apparently he has a love of travel, cultures, and language- just like me. He used to be a handball professional but after his career he traveled around Africa, introducing the sport to different schools and bonding with children. With only a backpack, he made his way to Scandinavia and is now quite a successful cleaning service owner, and part time DJ. (His name is DJ King Lion- know of him?) The more he talked, the more intently I listened, it was very fascinating learning about what he does and such. Well, after the coffee was done we parted ways, promising to look each other up on facebook.

I have made a few of my own friends already! (Including the people met on my train ride from Germany to Denmark) I have met a girl from California (Caylie), her brother, and some other people who I met at a party, and now DJ King Lion. It’s hysterical what kind of people someone can find. And take notice that over 95% of the people I have run into have been foreign to Sweden. Explanation? I must put off a vibe.