Blending In, Sticking Out

The nice thing about having olive skin and living in southern Europe is that everyone always thinks I'm from the place that I'm physically standing in.  Yesterday in Tossa De Mar, the man behind the cash register spoke to me in Catalan, and I paid for my ice cream saying 'Merci' - he'll never know that I only speak about 10 words of his language.  In Spain, Italy and Greece I blend in quite well, usually until I open my mouth.

One nationality of people that I can now spot anywhere is Dominican, and Dominicans are everywhere (just like the Greeks).  When I arrived in Bilbao last week, I missed the bus {by a split second} to the city center and had to wait 19 minutes until the next one.

The next to arrive at the bus stop were 3 females.  They came up to me and asked, "Is this the bus that goes to the center?  Do you know how much it costs?" 

I knew instantly that they were Dominican, and I asked (in the Latin American 'ustedes' form - A would be proud) if they were from the DR.  As soon as I said I was moving there next month I knew that they would chat away for the next 19 minutes and then some.

Great, I hate small talk. 

It wasn't so painful after all.  They were such warm and friendly women and gave me tips on the DR, with all of the typical warnings:

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN SANTO DOMINGO?  NO, THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ANY. 

YOU NEED A CAR, RIGHT AWAY. 

NOTHING WORKS THERE, BE PREPARED.  

Yippee, can't wait.  Of all these things to think about before moving, what I think about a lot is how I can't fake being Dominican, the way I fake it over on this side of the world..  I have a feeling I'll be an obvious gringa.  Is this weird?  I'm going to be like the blonde hair, blue eyed Swedes I see on the metro when I wonder why they're here.  I know different isn't bad, but at the same time I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb.  

Source

I might as well get used to it and embrace being different.  I will, however, begin working on my Spain-ish lisp..  :D