One major feature of the expat life is that beggars can't be choosers when it comes to home country friends. One minute you are talking with the most interesting creative mind you've met in years, and the next minute you're cornered conversationally by someone you suspect was dropped on their head as a child and annually every year since.
Perpetual travelers find more than their fair share of crackpots in their midst. Some days it feels like the motto is "Have conspiracy theory, will travel!"
On the other hand, without these types around for contrast, you'd never appreciate the warm and truly balanced souls that also line the globe. Thus, even though sometimes you wish the nutters would crawl back under whatever rock they crept out from, there is no doubt that to have the breadth of acquaintances that make the world rich you have to include them all!
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I really like the conspiracy theories people. They have me with the first hook of the stories because I just want to really see where the logic turns to excitable giberish. JFK, vaccinations, military rule, money laced with mind controlling drugs, airplanes to nowhere, fixed lottery, TWA 800.
ReplyDeleteAlways a fun story to listen to.
I remember meeting a friendly and interesting expat in Warsaw, and having a lengthy and meaningful discussion. The night was framed by the stream of drunken American revellers "celebrating" the Fourth of July. It became part of the conversation, as I recall, to commiserate over how some American travelers make it so hard for the rest of us to be accepted by the global community. Glad to see that remains a persistent theme.
ReplyDeleteJordan, I will never forget that conversation. . . . or that crazy anti-Bush education plan ranter who interrupted us to spout vitriol for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteOttopilot. . . agreed! The moment where logic steps out is sometimes the best part of the conversation. Although, the worst conversations are the ones where logic never steps in to begin with!