LIVING GREY
THE BENEFITS OF LIVING GREY: TRAVEL Living grey - Fitting into the environment so that an observer does not see you as anomalous. Scott Stewart, VP of Intelligence at TorchStone Global and protective intelligence practitioner discusses how athletes can take steps to present themselves and an invulnerable target when traveling in different environments.
16 | OTFF ISSUE 19 ★ APRIL 2022
As I stood on the train platform in Rotterdam awaiting the train to Amsterdam, a couple approached me, and the man asked me a question in Dutch. I politely responded to them in English that I didn’t speak Dutch, so he asked me in English if this was the correct platform for the train to Amsterdam, which I affirmed it was. As the couple sat down on the bench to wait for the train, I smiled at them, and then to myself, pleased that they had not pegged me as an American. I had succeeded at my attempts to be “grey.”
The term being grey means fitting into the environment so that an observer does not see you as anomalous. The phrase infers things such as avoiding wearing bright clothing or other items that might draw attention to you, but the concept goes far beyond bright clothing and flashy accessories. It also applies to affecting behaviour and demeanour
that permit you to fit into the ambient flow of the place you are. Due to my particular phenotype, it is admittedly easier for me to fade into the crowd in Rotterdam than it was when I’ve travelled to places such as Kaabong, Uganda, or Ixcan, Guatemala. It is, however, important to point out that being grey is not just a matter of ethnicity or race. One does not need to pull a Lawrence of Arabia
trained government agents can do. Anyone can be grey with a little research, thought and effort. Understanding the Environment Before one can travel grey, you must first develop a solid understanding of the environment you will be traveling to, as it is simply not possible to fade into an environment you do not understand. This includes
"The goal of being grey is to present a neutral façade to outside observers so that you are perceived as neither a valuable, nor a vulnerable target." move and dress in native garb to be grey. Even when you are an ethnic anomaly, you can still take steps to make yourself appear bland, and unappealing for untoward attention. The goal of being grey is to present a neutral façade to outside observers so that you are perceived as neither a valuable, nor a vulnerable target. Finally, being grey is not something that only
not only knowledge of cultural and societal norms, but also the threats posed by criminals, terrorists and, if applicable, intelligence and security officers. In the Internet age, accessing information about the location you will be traveling to is easier than ever. By reviewing online television and newspaper feeds from the destination, social media channels, travel blogs, etc., ➡
