Just when we think that we are beginning to fit in - reality hits during these times.
1. You have your Nikon strapped on your neck 24/7
Although it is becoming more common for locals to carry their cameras around to take some shots of daily life, nothing will give you away more as a tourist than a camera around your neck. It's a good thing that people here don't automatically assume English. I've had Japanese, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Korean spoken my way - mostly by other Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean tourists asking me a question. The French - usually default to French which is a nice opportunity for me to practice.
2. You don't dress the part
This is part of my own doing as I'm definitely not known to be stylish even in my own country, but next the camera around your neck, your clothes are a huge giveaway that you are from abroad. When people guess where I'm from, even before I speak English, they usually guess right in saying either US/Canada. Perhaps it's my ECCO hikers, my North Face shorts, Eddie Bauer travel shirt, and Oakleys that gives my Canadian roots away. If I was from Asia, I'd probably have one of two outfits: dress shoes, dress pants, collared shirt, cardigan, and LV man-bag OR white sneaks, jeans, pink polo (turquoise acceptable), and... LV man-bag.
3. You buy time in the car as your GPS is "Recalculating"
Fortunately this hasn't happened too often as I'd like to think I'm fairly decent with directions and don't panic if I miss my turn. However, when I do and there is a lot of traffic at high speed, those few seconds that it takes the GPS to recalculate the best route after you've screwed up sure feels like an eternity.
4. You crave a food from back home that you can't get locally
Maybe a by-product of me being away for so long - but I already know what my first meal will be when I get back to Calgary: AAA Alberta Rib-Eye with long grain rice and choy sum.
