Could I Be?

I've been blessed with the opportunity to travel to several countries around the world. Despite my best efforts, I have been repeated reminded that I am an outsider. The language barriers I faced in Mexico and Italy, despite the fact that I studied both of those languages in school. The red carpet treatment that I received in Romania simply because I was an American. The immediate recognition by the Brits that I was an American since I was inadvertently wearing jeans and "trainers" (sneakers). The quiet chant of "white people" by Jamaican kindergartners when they streamed out of school at recess. So while I planned to be respectful of Danish culture, I knew I would stick out like a sore thumb. As I was packing, I debated if I should take my Carolina trucker hat or my camouflage Carolina hat. "Do they even know what camouflage is?" my wife asked me. The answer: yes, they know it and they wear it.

What was a big surprise to me was how comfortable I felt amongst the Danish people. I guess I had this image of the stereotypical Scandinavian: tall, blond, flawless skin. And while those people were there--and surprisingly over-represented in service workers at the Copenhagen airport--there were a lot of people that looked like me: brown hair, fair skin, rosy cheeks. These were my people. My heritage may be 100% English, but a student of British history may know that a strong Danish influence came with the Jute invasions of the 4th and 5th centuries.

I've previously mentioned how English-friendly Denmark is and how I encountered the smallest language barrier that I have ever experienced in a foreign country (I can't explain how hard it is to decipher some of the accents in Britain.) But my favorite language moments were when I approached a sales counter and the clerk began speaking to me in Danish. Could I pass?

Very Danish. Dressy casual. The bike = #1 Danish accessary.

More Danes. Drinking an American Coca-Cola. (Side note: I was not a fan of the Danish version of Coke. Not enough carbonation.)

Dane? Oh no, that's me.

Me and the Little Mermaid. How much more Danish can I get? Umbrella = #2 Danish accessory.

More Danes

Professional Dane

The decision = trucker hat. Notice the lack of blue parka for me and Lindsay--hard-core Danish.

Leading my people

Danish kids. Please note the camouflage pants. Yes, they're camo man-pris.

More Danes. My female colleagues noted that this appeared to be the official teen girl wardrobe: black tights worn under shorts or a skirt. I believe that this is simply recognition that this country is too cold for warm weather attire.

Danish man in tunnel.

Danish man in tunnel?

Okay, I may be comfortable around these folks. But I'm only visiting in the summer.