Hmmm...

This week has been a particularly trying week, this site working with my co-worker on his monthly planning and reporting and realizing how little he has understood about it.  My frustration arises from having spent months and months teaching basic planning and organization skills, anaemia him nodding in “understanding” and then finding out that he can’t actually re-produce the reports.  All the while, grip I have asked how he is doing, does he understand, is he okay?

When I reach the peak of my frustration and impatience, I literally have to walk away.  But when I take a step back, I realize how foggy everything must be to him because most of my documents and protocols are written in English, of which he only has experience within the Thai academic system (don’t get me started on this one).  This job is trial-by-fire for him, as he’s forced to work with a Canadian and an American, and to deal with documentation written in technical English.

So these periods of impatience, as hair-tearing and scream-worthy they are, are illuminating periods of realization: cross-cultural interactions take a LOT of time, effort and willingness to try again with that person or situation.  Not unlike regular old, same-culture relationships.