There are a lot of similarities between this place where I've settled, here on the rim of the North Sea, and the place where I grew up, in the American Midwest. The two regions have a similar geography, similar climate, and similar levels of development. Yet after spending several years in both places, it seems to me that the connection goes even deeper than that.

When our family was recently traveling through the northern part of France, I was freshly struck by the parallels between these two disparate parts of the world. There we were in France -- distinctly French and foreign in its language, cuisine, culture, and architecture -- yet somehow, it was strangely familiar. The air was cool, with rapidly shifting cloud cover. The landscape was green with gently rolling hills, cattle grazing in wide pastures. The people were modest and unimposing (very different from the flashy, fancy, "Frenchy" stereotype I so quickly conjure up when I think of French people). The familiarity of northern France was striking. As I was driving along between Honfleur and Trouville, the association suddenly clicked for me: It was like driving through rural Wisconsin! That's exactly what it felt like for me. Coincidentally, I was listening to a recorded broadcast of the Prairie Home Companion, where Garrison Keillor was reporting the "News from Lake Wobegon." It just so happened that "this week's news" was about how one of the women from this small Minnesota town had decided to organize a group trip to Norway -- and then only later had second thoughts, wondering:

"Why in the world? Why did I ever suggest Norway? I mean, all you find there are people who are a lot like people here -- except even more so... Why go to a country where I'm just going to see a lot of large, white, phlegmatic people eating herring?"

Of course, Keillor's intent is comedic -- so he's exaggerating for the sake of effect. But actually only a little bit. That "phlegmatic" label, while aesthetically unpleasant, really does fit beautifully with both Europeans from the North Sea Rim and Americans from the Midwest: "Guardians who pride themselves on being dependable, helpful, and hard-working" (definition from PTypes.com). When you really stop to think about it, the motivations and attributes of people from these two far-flung parts of the world are remarkably congruous. They think alike and act alike. Emotional sobriety and down-to-earthness are highly prized. There's not a lot of glitz and glamor -- no glory-hounds. They're just hard-working, humble people who work well in teams.

Naturally, there is a wide variety of individuals, as well as a wide variety of people groups throughout both the North Sea region and the Midwest region. Even so, the generalizations generally seem to hold water.

Much of the general similiarities between the North Sea Rim and the American Midwest may have to do with migration patterns: Swedes and Norwegians in Minnesota and the Dakotas, Dutch people in Michigan, Germans in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, English and Scottish people throughout the region. This doubtless accounts for the similarities in surnames and physical attributes. But history has also bonded these two regions in distinct ways: roots in agriculture, yet relatively high population densities which carved the way for industrialization and prosperity through the last couple of centuries. Now, both regions are grappling with post-industrialization and shifting migration patterns (this time, with winds blowing up from the Middle East and Mexico). The social conscious of these reasons is being pricked in new ways -- multi-culturalism, environmentalism, social activism -- and not surprisingly, the people from these two regions are showing themselves to be clear-headed, capable, equitable (and often even exceptionally generous) players in promoting a better world for everybody.

I don't know. I'm not a professional anthropologist, by any stretch of the imagination; still, I find it gratifying to discover, and explore, and live in this resonance between my two "home" regions. I'm proud of being both a Midwesterner and a part of the North Sea Rim. These are "my people," and I revel in the connection. But for the most part, I'm going to keep my pride and revelry quiet, subtle, inward... because, well, that's why my people do.