Month 13.5. Importation of foreigners.

I have a lot to say this month, and this week in particular. Here's a short one.

I've long been a supporter of the "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" advice. My Spanish roommates know I roll my eyes when they insist on ordering ice cubes with their espressos, or when they'd rather starve than have dinner before 9 p.m. I still urge travelers to take the "When in Rome" advice. If you go to a foreign country for a few days or weeks, then you won't really experience the culture unless you embrace it. Locals may also take it as an offense if you resist their habits.

But I take back the advice if you're moving to a foreign country. (And so, my roommates can take this as an official apology.) "When in Rome" will work for the first few weeks, maybe even months. But beyond that, it actually becomes a bad idea rather than a good one. As a foreigner, you have something unique to offer the community. You have the ability to teach people about other ways of life, and other parts of the world. You will help no one if you stifle your upbringing. If you are constantly wishing that you were doing something else, behaving in some other way, then you will feel like an outsider. So you will be treated like an outsider. Then, no one will be able to learn from each other. Moreover, you'd actually be dishonouring your own traditions, even if you'd thereby be honouring someone else's. In the end, "When in Rome" gives way to "Be true to yourself." The "Be true" advice works for everyone: you, your peeps back at home, and your new crowd abroad.

And so I dedicate this blog entry:

To the No Damn Good crew, including those who have left (such as the Cow-Town people who all want to come back anyway), and all of your associates who may not be No Damn Good but who are damn great anyway: c'tte ville-ci, là, y'est ben full hot, but me I miss you en estie, v's'autes!