Hi guys! Before I start, I just wanted to clarify my long and loyal love for you guys. I’ve been watching you since the first projects at BF and it was truly the best decision for you to start your own company! Your artistry and creativity really shines through more than ever!
So, after all that but-licking; here’s my secret;
As the title mentions, I am a Swede. Born and raised. I’m not bashing your country in any ways, but Sweden is great!
A few years ago me and some friends went on a month long trip to Orlando, Florida US. We went just before Christmas and came home some days after New Years. So while in Orlando we went shopping, and since we were not native English speakers most Americans could pick out us as tourists.
One day we went shopping in a mall and I was out to get a good wrist watch. I found a store and started asking a sales woman for suggestions. She started asking where I was from, and I answered Sweden. She proceeded to show me some watches and I tried some on, while the woman kept giving me really fancy info about the watches; how the mechanics in them worked and I just figured she was good at her job... “but of course you already know all of this, I bet you learn all of this in kindergarten in your country” and laughs jokingly. I was a little confused and laughed nervously since I didn’t get the “jokes” at all. I kind of felt stupid because I thought she made assumptions that everybody knows how basic clock-mechanics works. When I got to the counter to pay, she offered me some chocolate. “Oh, but these aren’t as good as you have at home” and then it clicked, she thought I was Swiss and not a Swede. I didn’t want to embarrass her so I just laughed and played along. One of her colleagues who stood behind the counter and helping another customer turned to her and said “didn’t she say she was from Sweden?” And I answered “correct!” Before the woman in front of me could response. I figured that she might have reacted to the fact that Switzerland and Sweden aren’t the same country. The colleague looks at me and says “oh cool! You must now everything about watches then!”. I sighed. Another customer turned to me and said “I’ve actually been to Switzerland, the alps are beautiful!” I felt defeated but also a little bit irritated. So, I finally answered, as I carefully gathered my new bought stuff, “no, I don’t know anything about watches or chocolate or the alps. But I do now the meaning of every single item-name IKEA has.”. Both sales women and the other costumer looked confused as I turned and walked away and left them in their shame.
Maybe you can’t relate to this story? But what would you have done in a similar situation?
