“Spot the Foreigner,” Round 3

As I go about my daily life, it is not necessarily obvious that I am a foreigner in Lithuania — until I speak, of course.  But there are times, as explained in “Spot the Foreigner” Round 1 and Round 2, when I am particularly noticeable as “not from around here.”

Lithuania is situated quite far north and the winter days are short.  I am living at the same latitude (54 degrees North) as the north end of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada.  I am often out in the dark, either in the morning or late afternoon and evening.  When I arrived in January 2009, I soon noticed that everyone — and I mean, everyone — riding the trolleybus had some kind of reflector on their person.  Often it was attached to a purse, backpack or briefcase.  Sometimes they wore reflectors on their coats.  It makes sense.  The combination of dark winter days and dark winter clothes can be a safety issue when trying to cross a street.  I managed to make it through the winter without wearing a reflector, but I felt it absence when I saw everyone else wearing one.

This year, I am happy to sport my own reflector on my purse.  In fact, I have two.  So now when I am out and about on the streets during these dark winter days, I not only feel more safe, I feel more local.