It didn't strike me until I was browsing through Salling, Aalborg's "Everything" store, that my whole life I've taken language for granted. I've taken for granted 'ease' at the supermarket. I've never had to think about where in the store I would find Cocoa powder or what it would look like. And applying my knowledge of how supermarkets are set up back home was of no use yesterday. I assumed I'd find cocoa powder with the baking things, and because the signage is in Danish, I also had to assume that the section I was looking in was the only section for baking things. When I didn't see it, I asked a clerk. He took me up front to the chocolate section which had chocolate frosting and candy bars. Still not what I'm looking for. When I finally found it 2 stores later, it was with a small coffee section beside the wine.
Now this small instance of language frustration points to a larger question of identity. Am I stuck being an American forever? Am I somehow bound to that place because of my competence in its language and customs? I'm not sure that I would ever be able to completely identify with this place. Sure I could and am learning Danish, but in the next 4 months its highly unlikely that my danish competence will exceed the english competence of my peers. I have no chance to completely, whole heartedly identify with this place or these people, and it frustrates me to no end. I hate being an outsider, and yet I have to resign myself to it. It is what it is.I suppose its still somewhat exciting and challenging to be forced to notice things like grocery shopping, and I know I'm growing immensely as a person from it. So its good. Tiring and frustrating, but good.
Here's to another dreary day in Aalborg. ;-)
2 comments:
Kylie,
Don't even worry about not knowing about how to get around in the supermarket. I can't find stuff here and I do speak the native language. Like about a week ago, I wanted to buy apple juice. I swear to god I looked for about 15 minutes and couldn't find the danged juice isle. I'm still not convinced that there was one. And I was only in a Kroger, which is a good bit less exotic than Denmark. And you ended up with the cocoa, right? So it all worked out. I still haven't had any apple juice.
I second Ross.
My problem is bread. Really. There's a Food Lion a minute from my apartment (note: Food Lion is much less exotic than Kroger ... let alone Denmark), and I swear ... no bread. Not white. Not wheat. Not even a pack of hot dog buns.
I've been eating peanut butter with a spoon for a week.
(On a more serious note: the point is to expand your experiences. Right now, you have all your life experiences [which were shaped to a large degree by the culture you were raised in] that have made you who you are and brought you to where you are. You are still building on that right now, no matter what language you speak.)
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