Bucking the Stereotype.

We all like and appreciate a good stereotype. It doesn't mean that they are all true. In fact, we all like to see and see a stereotype that bucks the trend. Hell, I'm one myself at work and I should be gay - according to the atypical stereotype, of course.

We all come across typical stereotypes everyday. Ninety percent of the time the stereotype fits the mould that you have formulated in your head or that society tells you is true. If I suggested: white male, early forties, pin-striped suit, neatly coiffed hair and briefcase - what would you come up with? Banker / accountant / solicitor / professional of some sort - would you ever consider drug dealer?

I, like most of the world, have been watching the Olympics with great admiration. A friend of mine stated on Facebook that she thought that they should be held every year. Hell no!! Most of you will echo this (including my sister-in-law who lives in London at the moment and calls the wandering tourists around the city Olympricks) - but wait for the explanation.

The reason she said this was for one reason alone - she is crying happy tears for all the heartfelt stories she hears every day coming from different nationalities and cultures. Take the example of Hamadou Issaka, the rower from Niger who has captured the hearts of many around the world. This man only took up the sport of rowing three months ago and trained in an old fishing boat. And please remember that the country of Niger is entirely land-locked - the Longford of Africa, if you will.

The individual athletes overcome horrendous situations and battle the odds to represent their country in a worldwide event. And then you have the winners - everyone loves the stereotypical nationalist hugging the gold medal and singing their national anthem with great gusto. And tears fall down their cheeks as the cameraman pans around to the proud parents - who wouldn't start to well up with that image?

I have travelled around many countries of the world through work and holidays with my wife. We have been fortunate enough in our life to witness and experience many different cultures. That also means we do a lot of people watching. There is nothing better than sitting out in the open air and having a beer and watching the real men and women of the world go by.

And then we start guessing. What the next person does for a living; if they have a significant other; what they are thinking; what their day has been like and where they will be in ten years. The vast majority of what we come up with is complete and utter nonsense - but we have the benefit and experience of many years of working with the public.

Our own versions of stereotypes are well honed. Who hasn't walked down the road in any country of this world and spotted an Irish man a mile off? They have a particular way of dressing, walking and carrying themselves. It's an innate part of who we are.

But my favourite part of the stereotype guessing game is - what country is this person from?

So yesterday when I was travelling on the Orlando I-Ride (public bus), my own preconceived ideas of national stereotypes were well and truly challenged. Many nationalities travel on this mode of transportation and I started forming my own ideas of where everyone was from.

When I got on the I-Ride, about a dozen passengers were already on board. I decided to make it more difficult, depriving myself of their speech patterns and accents, by putting my ipod in my ears on full blast. When the bus was near full four stops later, I started guessing the nationalities. I took in their gait, clothing, tattoos and facial expressions. I was aided somewhat with the amount of extended maps of Orlando - clearly tourists. Then when I was satisfied with my guesses, I removed my ipod.

I had spotted two families and I had guessed English - I was right. The sleeveless Dad t-shirt, tattoos, beer gut and slightly aggressive stances gave them away way too easily. Near the front I picked out a middle aged German couple, and was correct. Their stiff backs and silver-rimed glasses gave them away. The fact he didn't take off his backpack, even when sitting, was also telling. I also picked out the locals and those who were using the bus to get to work. It was all going swimmingly until I came to the final couple, sitting up beside the driver.

What probably threw me was the plastic IDs that hung around their necks. These are normally an indication of someone attending a local conference, and these people are most likely Americans. They sat relaxed and even chatted to the driver, as if they knew him. I took longer to assess them than anyone else, and that's why I was so surprised. Their faces, ages, friendliness and clothes all told me American couple from Carolina or somewhere similar along the East coast. They looked fairly well-to-do, so why were they taking the bus?

When I took my ipod out, I still couldn't hear their accents. Moving forward, I was shocked to hear what came next. It has made me re-evaluate my thinking on stereotypes. A American lady sitting across from them, with another plastic ID around her neck, had started chatting to them. As I neared them, I spotted a tell.
His hands - red and callused. He leaned forward and then sat back like someone sitting on a high stool, as if chatting to another in a pub at home.

"So what part of Ireland are you from?"
"Ardagh - 'tis about six mile out of Longford town."
"And where is that?"
"Wesht of Dublin."

I totally didn't expect that. So much for my stereotypical preconceptions. We all live and learn.