Foreigners Going Native

While I've been in Indonesia I've been reading this great book by Elizabeth Pisani, Indonesia Etc, about her travels in Indonesia. She was a journalist there for 3 years then ran an Aids Education program. So is fluent in Indonesian and had traveled to many different islands.
On a visit to Jakarta she started telling a local middle class Jakarta woman about the joys of the life of a fisherman in Sangihe, a small island when she saw the woman's eyes glaze over. She then realized she was " a foreigner gone native" and shut up.
I haven't done that yet but I get strange looks when I don't want a taxi or to stay in posh hotels.
Her book is worth a read.Read more