E-Mail 'Strangers in a Strange Land: Communication, Pt. 2, by L.C.' To A Friend

21 Comments

1. L.C.,
   That was one of the most enjoyable articles I have read on Survivalblog. Interesting, entertaining and plenty of good “take-aways”. Thank you for taking the time to write it.

2. In any situation between business, and social. Know your audience. Makes for building great relationships and long lasting friends.

3. This was a interesting and entertaining read. However, I can not get over 62% income tax. I literally read that 5 times and then went back and rechecked once more that I read it right. My mind couldn’t comprehend that tax rate.

   Last year I read a book on hygge, a Danish term for comfort and such. No wonder they focus on the natural; it’s one of the few things they don’t have to pay a huge tax on. I would like to believe that us Americans would be up in arms over that tax rate but lately I have realized that the majority will accept anything.

4. Good information. Great Story! Thank you for that.

5. My wife and recently moved to a small farming community. Every morning at 7am I have my breakfast at a local restaurant and sit at the counter. If someone else sat at the counter I would engage them in conversation. Slowly some of the locals would sit at the counter and talk with me a while until their friends showed up. Nine months into my routine they started to invite me to join them at their table. Over time I’m being integrated into the community. I’ve joined the Rod and Gun Club, I go to Veterans coffees, and I put in my application to the Volunteer Fire Department. I also use the local businesses whenever possible. On the way home I stop and give treats to a rescue donkey, 3 mules and two dogs but first I stopped and ask permission from the land owners. Turns out the the donkey is owned by the local pharmacist and the mules and dogs are owned by a 75 year old local whose father homesteaded the area. Everybody, and I mean everybody, talks to everybody and I am no longer a stranger in my new community.

   1. New Guy, it sounds to me like your approach is one to be adopted by those considering relocation.

      I have read numerous comments over time about the trouble with trying to fit in when they move to new communities. It is the “human condition” for those in stable areas without much influx of newcomers to be somewhat standoffish with newcomers. In larger metropolitan areas where so many people are recent arrivals, that attitude is more rare.

      Lawyers from elsewhere who lose cases often blame the results on being “home towned.” The story goes that a young lawyer came to a small town and began a trial by asking if the potential jurors knew him, his clients, certain witnesses, etc. The judge interrupted him and said, “Son, everybody here knows everybody else–except you. Now would you just get on with it.”

      I remember reading about the funeral decades ago of a man in Martha’s Vineyard. He died in his 70s after being born on the boat that was sailing to Martha’s Vineyard. At his funeral, the minister referred to him has “this stranger to our shore.”

      A California acquaintance who worked as a minister in the Eastern Kentucky mountains for a few years told me that he was regarded as an outsider and was having trouble getting connected with the locals until he attended a barbecue. An influential person introduced him to others, saying, “Everybody, this is ____. He’s all right.” Then everything changed.

      The last thing someone relocating to a new area should ever do is to refer to “how we did it in (fill in the location).” That kind of comment, whether made in good faith or not, will often result in resentment if the listener thinks that the speaker perceives himself as bringing enlightenment to the poor, beknighted locals.

   2. New Guy, I love that story. Especially the part about asking permission to feed the critters. I would welcome you as a neighbor any time.

      Carry on

6. An excellent article. I have worked and visited in many US states and a few countries and every “Hint” that I have read here I learned the hard way. I just wish I had this info a few decades ago. This is a must have, must learn knowledge if we ever want to work and live together now and especially if the big one happens.

7. I am glad that adventure worked for the author of this article.
   However there details on how to blend in just blew me away.

   One must wear black, you do not wave to anyone, you are considered not just an outsider but an alien.

   There is zero gun rights. The cost of living is very high and salaries even if a good one, the government takes anywhere from 55-60%. (Government theft by any definition).

   Maybe I am too much American and have enjoyed our God giving rights for so long that I could not be subject to such a society and it’s unique norms.

   But thanks for the information.

8. When I bought my bug-out location several years ago, the first thing I did was write a letter to the neighbors, identifying myself, giving them our contact information, describing our vehicles, etc. and inviting them to contact me and introduce themselves, and put it in their mailboxes. By the time I got back home I already had a text from one of them thanking me for doing so. We met the rest of them the next time we went up there. They keep an eye on the place for us when we’re not there, and are our most valuable asset.

   1. Nice work there, Tractorguy.

9. This a very interesting article. It was enjoyable reading with very wise”hints”. Thanks for providing insights on living in a foreign culture.

10. A very heart warming story which I enjoyed very much. I wish some yanks would emulate it when moving to Alabama. We would really like to be given a chance to be a good neighbor.

11. That was an awesome article i love to hear about other cultures and customs. Loved how you adapted so quickly and thought to ask questions of the neighbors to solve your problems.

12. LC; I enjoyed your article, having visiting this country I found your posting of the rules:
    THE LAW OF JANTE

    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK YOU ARE ANYTHING SPECIAL.
    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK YOU ARE AS GOOD AS US.
    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK YOU ARE SMARTER THAN US.
    YOU’RE NOT TO CONVINCE YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE BETTER THAN US.
    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK YOU KNOW MORE THAN US.
    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK YOU ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN US.
    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK YOU ARE GOOD AT ANYTHING.
    YOU’RE NOT TO LAUGH AT US.
    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK ANYONE CARES ABOUT YOU.
    YOU’RE NOT TO THINK YOU CAN TEACH US ANYTHING.
    quite telling and funny, my wife & I chuckled as the guides would remind us, of at least a couple of these every day. Can you tell us more about the taxes of buying and driving a car there? Most of these democratic socialist countries have very expensive taxes on autos. Please expand on what you experienced. Thanks

    1. Those are pretty significant rules. I wonder how they apply to the moslem invaders entering and invading all the Nordic countries? Do they not apply to them?

13. While looking at several different bugout/investment properties I decided to look closer at one with acreage that was on the edge of a small town (vs out in the boonies)…it felt almost sinful to be considering a normal house with rural water, sewer and natural gas. Then the realtor pointed out that the neighbor lady was the town pitbull, and watched over the place for the previous owners. Since we would not be living there I decided this was a big bonus and we bought the place. Since then we leased out hunting/grazing rights to her boss and they are introducing to everyone in town. And yes, eating at the town diner is where it all starts.

14. Florida would be much more pleasant if the snow birds and transplants who move down here from NY, NJ etc would follow the guidelines in these two articles. I have told more than a few new commers that they could return to where they came from when they begin to tell me how they did things back home and how wrong the locals were in how they were doing things. “The weather is so nice, but you need to change your gun laws”. Go back to the garbage can you came from. We do not need your help.

15. 62% tax rate…….no wonder ‘there’s something rotten in Denmark’!

16. From L.C.: Although not the intent of my article for SB, cars are taxed at 150% to 170% or more, cars are usually provided by your workplace with published stratifications on the type of car, engine size etc, determined by your position or title within the company. So much so that you can determine when the car pulls into the parking area what position he/she has, salesman or Vice President, etc. A lesser tax can be paid by having a yellow license plate, which then signifies a ‘delivery’ vehicle, but it must have the back seats removed. These high tax rates are ‘governmentally justified’ because there is no car manufacturing within Denmark. Even if one brings a used car into Denmark, it is still highly taxed. No wonder everyone bikes everywhere.
    Homes are also sometimes purchased by the company. The worker/resident then has the income tax (totally) calculated by the government, to include the house and all utilities as income. Our home/ farm in Ohio was also taxed by Denmark at 1% of its value as worldwide income. We bought it for $150 K, but we’re told by Danish tax authorities, “ no house in USA is worth so little.” We kept our home in Ohio because we were told we would only be gone a year and a half. It extended to 5+ because of worker’s deaths. (Heart attacks from constant smoking).
    Thank you everyone, for all your kind, thoughtful comments. My hope is this article helps when moving to any new locale. I believe these hints can be timeless, and beneficial for all.

17. In different small towns I’ve lived in, the locals are Very Curious but shy about approaching and are reluctant to make the first move, however when out shopping or picking up my mail I always initiated the conversations and after that they all wanted to know where I lived, what I did for a living, which church I attended etc, trying to “place” me in their strata. Once they knew I was no threat nor an oddball kook, they were eager to offer local gossip and help and warn me about certain people. I have found that the one person to puppydog all over you eager to be your new best friend is exactly the person you should avoid.

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