Good Lord, Could We Be More Peculiar?

Away from home we become almost fearless.

Let's face it, when you live in any fair sized town or city, it is a rare day indeed when you greet someone just because you feel like it.

Isn't London notorious for the way the locals travel on the Tube? It somehow goes like this: Find a seat, clutch your possessions and keep your eyes in front....avoiding all and any eye contact ( that friendliness is mostly done by tourists and the new-in-town ).

Or just take everyday life in a big city. You keep to yourself and to arbitrarily befriend anyone, is Just Not Done...Sad, but true.

All this changes when you go on holiday or move to another country. We as South Africans, would straight away want to become bosom buddies with anyone who also hails from there. Never mind, that our worlds and ideas would have never ever crossed back there. We almost seem disappointed when no further friendship develops...

A few weeks ago, Bob and I were grocery shopping and among the Burgenland dialect, we heard a clear and distinct English one. Oh yes, aisle 3 had a shopper speaking English. In great excitement, Bob and I stopped, and couldn't help ourselves; " Wow, it is so nice to hear someone speak English ".

Naturally we were hoping that this lady would be thrilled at another English voice. Sadly, she looked at us as if we were mad. She barely acknowledged us and carried on shopping.

In fact, when she spotted us in her aisle, she quickly changed direction! Oh yes, we got the message. Bob was rather dejected, but when we thought about it, we realized that a common language is no reason for liking someone.

Yet, we still get excited when we hear English spoken and at the risk of a possible rejection, we still go up and say " Hello ".

Bob and I so love Burgenland village living and the friendliness that goes with it, that I have a feeling we will be noticed the next time we visit a big city.
In fact, just call us the " Burgenland-Dundees "... Bob & I will cause a stir for two things:
carrying a ' better ' bottle of wine and our attempt to be friendly to all and sundry...

Biggi