Insular. I love that word. It so well describes a kind that I detest. The dictionary says: "of or pertaining to an island or islands" also " characteristic or suggestive of inhabitants of an inland.", and "narrow or illiberal: insular prejudices". The island? Any place in the world, where they live with their customs, and their customs only. It's your next door neighbour when you're living overseas and you feel that distance towards you; and you just know, it's because you're a foreigner. I don't deny it, what I'm about to say is politically incorrect, it's called stereotyping, it can turn into discrimination, it's judgemental, its opinion, and I am generalizing but right know it's my turn, they do that to me everyday wherever I go and I'm letting off some steam here, and trying to get to the nitty gritty of who these really people are, and how you can learn to pick them just by turning your head once to check them out and then by the time you've turned your head back again your brain will tell if you have just come across one of them. Then you're ready, beware, they are all around the place and don't underestimate them. If you have insular neighbours, they can make you turn the other way to avoid them down the street, plant the largest hedge you possibly can to avoid the sight of their immaculate lawn, and the sound of their mower every bloody Sunday. They will look down at you with disgust when you drive that old wreck past their shinny new car, because they will think you are poor; or they will hate you if you have a new car and theirs is old, because they will think you are rich, or richer than them. You will be judged no matter what you do. You know your veggie garden is an eyesore to them when they come out to spray their flowers with pesticide you hate, and they know you hate it, because they think you are a greeny, or a hippy. If you dress differently, -to them, they will also feel uncomfortable about you. Simply, they don't want to know you, where you came from, what you are doing, where you are going. They will never want to learn a thing from anyone that has different customs or from a foreigner. They won't even wan't to share their customs with you. They often live safe, organized, and monotonous lives, always have; and they would let nothing, absolutely nothing, alter that. They couldn't care less about a whole lot of things, when it comes to the crunch it's them, their possessions and their ways that matter over every thing else. If you live in a flat you can easily tell, if you don't behave like most in town do, you definitely won't be liked by them: lets have a closer look: Do you do what mos't people do on a Sunday in your town or city? Do you wear what most people do in your Town or city? Do you eat the foods they do? Do you have, or appear to have, the social status of the mainstream in your town or city? Do you have, or appear to have, the wealth they have? Is your language their language as well? If you answered no to most of these questions you are in danger as it means that most of them, the insular, dislike you by your mere existence. If you answered yes, like I did, to most of these questions you may be safe amongst them all, but go on, take the acid test: try and get them to do something different as a leisure activity, tell themabout anything new or different, perhaps from somewhere else, what is their reaction? Are they one bit interested? If you know they belong to one particular religion, tell them a lie, if you have to, tell them you are a Muslim if they are a Christian; or smile at them lovingly when they happen to come out, and they are watching you say hello at your doorstep to your new boy friend, or your gay lover, or your big sister, or your colourful friends, or your elegant but snobbish mother, or the two daughters, (they never knew you had, or your masseuse, or your dog, (they hate dogs), or you sister who is a nun, or any-one that doesn't fit into their inland; and then watch them, and keep an eye on them. They are all around, you can hear their insular prejudice in your head just by the way they greet you when they must.