How To Be Lawrence of Arabia, and Other Reflections

This is the question of the foreigner struggling to live, and, at the most basic level at least, function in a different country. How do I adapt to a different manner of living, and how do it in a way that is appropriate and, at best, subtle. For example, if I were in Africa and decided suddenly to dress myself as one of the Bushmen, I would look ridiculous, no?

But this raises an interesting point about physical appearances, which are the most obvious, in that it stems from the thought that at least if I dress or appear like everyone else, I will be able to adapt easily.

In one sense, you cannot “blend in” in many parts of the world because you just do not look like everybody else. Without extreme plastic surgery, you cannot look Chinese or Indian, and even if you did the result would probably a strange, artificial ghoulish looking creature resembling Michael Jackson. You cannot expect to fit in with humans if you do not even look like one.

People can already notice little things about you that you would never expect that give you away. This is the case even in Europe. Some people in France would immediately speak French to me out of habit, and then would look at my hair, face, eyes, soft-spoken tone of voice, accent and mannerisms and immediately assume that I was English. However, to an Englishman, I look Canadian (An angle did actually tell me that, and I’m not really sure if I should be offended).

Effectively, there is nothing really that you can do to change your outward physical appearances, just as Lawrence cannot magically transform into an Arab, no matter how hard he wants to. In truth, with all appearances aside, your level of being accepted or “blending in” to a foreign society depends on your ability to speak their language. If someone has to talk to you in a different form because of your ability in the language, that generally is a problem. You can notice this yourselves. Think about talking to someone whose English was not the first language that they learned, and compare this to how to talk to another American.

Recently, I found language important when I came into the realm of German speaking peoples. When I was in France, I used to say, “My God, this paper would be so much better and clearer if I could write it in English”, but when I came to Germany I said, “ How well can I say everything in French! I don’t even know the cardinal numbers or how to say excuse me!” And admitting to people that I don’t know a word of their language is rather embarrassing. I noticed a huge difference between the way people treat me here than in a Francophone country, or maybe its just the Austrians themselves, I can’t tell.

There are ways to adapt to the manner living in a foreign community, but what is the extent? Somehow Lawrence managed to shed off seemingly everything of his European natures and habits, and adopted those of a completely different society and culture who may or may not have treated him as an outsider from time to time. Is this really possible? We are constantly reinventing ourselves from one moment to the next in order to create some sort of identity. But what is the extent of that change? How does one really become Lawrence, and is this change really credible?
And on that note, I end this note on going into Christmas Day 2006, alone here in my hotel room in Vienna, Austria. I am more than a little jealous of all of you who are home.

On The Road

A lot of people have asked me why I’m doing this, and really, why I’m doing this by myself. Really, why not? Most people have gone home for Christmas, and while I would have done the same, this is the one chance I will have to do anything like this. But really, I feel like I do this sort of thing all the time. If there’s something that I really just want to do, I’ll just go and do it. And yes, it is hard travelling by your self, but at the same time it is also a little easier. There’s no one to yell at me for getting lost, or the choice of restaurant, rather anything you do wrong is your own fault. There’s no one to blame for what happens to me except myself. And that, I must say, is liberating, and exciting. You have to be very vigilant and keen on your surroundings because there is no one here to help you, and that’s a thrill for me.

I’ve been on huge group trips before, and there’s always someone who gets into a fight with another person because travelling, lets face it, can be a stressful process. Stress produces irritation, irritation produces…well you know. Not that I’m exceedingly anti-social. I enjoy the company of a fellow human being just as much as the next person. The first two nights in Switzerland I met a couple a people who were just travelling around, like me, who were really great and a pleasure to talk to. Sharing rooms in a youth hostel is in truth, an incredible way to meet people and exchange travel stories. It’s really good if it has a kitchen as well, and you can just sit down at a random table and meet an Aussie, a Brit, a Chinese, a German, and a Frenchman. And they were all great. Anyway let me recap since Saturday.

I’ve finished up my leg in Switzerland for this trip, and I’m writing this in Munich. The first couple of days I spent in Bern, which is really nice little medieval town. The first night I got there, I discovered to my horror that absolutely no one in the German speaking part of Switzerland speaks French. So its time to whip out my English! So I wandered in and around the town, and got some hot spicy alcoholic punch at the Christmas market, which was really strong! I was tipsy at 10:30 in the morning, and had to eat 3 crepes to filter it all out. So I saw the town, and the river, and a bear pit they have there. They had the saddest looking bears there. One thing that’s striking about Switzerland is the abundance of clocks, watch stores, banks, and the overwhelming sense that there is an awful lot of money in the country. Then I went to Zurich, where there was a nice view of a lake, and even more clocks and watch stores. On the way there I met this guy in the Swiss army who was 21 also, and he said that while the service is mandatory in Switzerland, most of time he spends playing computer games and trying to pick up girls with the uniform on. Doesn’t sound like a bad life.

Today, I got on the train, and I’m writing this in Munich, which resembles New York in an eerie kind of way. This is the birthplace of the Nazi party, and I’m sad to say that’s all I know about the city. But I will explore the Baroque castles and beer halls. Jake, I dunno about the stein, I’ve seen some that are 60 70 bucks a piece, and it might break on the way back. And I can’t fucking speak German. I’ve tried studying it on the train, but its horrendously complicated. And I’m really tired...much more later.

les Choses

Hmm…yes…this is probably going to be my last post for while seeing as how the semester is ending next week. I can’t believe finals are next Friday. Yikes! And I’m having to write papers all through this weekend into next, and for god knows what. I’m so exhausted, I don't know how I could go on like this. The semester here is really weird because normally the university school system goes from October to January, with two weeks off for vacation. However, the IES classes go from September to December, with no breaks for anything. So, basically, I’ve been working straight since September with them, and I’m ready for a break. My god its just quiz, after paper, after test with the IES people… I think if I had to take all my classes at the center I would go completely insane. If not already...

My grammar professor gave us a test on thanksgiving and I wanted to punch him square in the face, motherfucking goddmamn goat-loving cow-hating little pompous arrogrant squirrely annoying blasphemous evil John Denver-loving Suddam Hussein-humping incroyable merdre mangant pisse de vâche boivant boot licking Emperor Palpatine aimant fils de Satan fils de Trent Lott et Richard Nixon baisant baisant baisant baisant baisant baisant baisant son of a fuckin' bitch.

Jake: "But Adrian, tell us how you really feel!"

But it was okay, because I went to Cannes later that weekend.

And even then, I’m not going home for Christmas. Instead, I am making a grand trek from Paris, to Bern (in Switzerland), to Zurich, to Munich, to Salzburg, to Vienna, to Bratislava, to Budapest, to Venice, to Milan, and back to Paris. Then, Kathryn is actually coming to visit me when I get back, and we are going to Tours, and then maybe Cannes if there is time (Funny how she won’t visit me in Conn, but will go to Paris, isn’t it). Finally coming back to the states on January 15th.

Its really exciting, and I’m really glad I’m doing this. On the down side however, I’m spending Christmas alone, in a hotel room in Vienna. It is Vienna, but ah well...its my one chance to do something like this. À toute à l'heure, mes amis