The eyes say it all

Monday morning rush hour. The train is packed. I'm in the train already, close to the door. A guy runs in before the door closes. I saw him on the bus earlier. Sharp, handsome, not very tall. He looks Pinoy (Filipino).

Three stops later, I position myself to get off the still-crowded train. He turned his head and looked at me. I nodded.

When the train stopped and the doors opened, he stepped off the train and stood to one side so that I, and others behind me, could get off.

What just happened?

The eyes said it all.

He looked at me with eyes that said, "Are you getting off?" I nodded to say, "Yes."

Pinoys communicate with their facial expressions, not so much the rest of their body. So, technically, I can't call it body language, rather facial language. Observe Filipinos talking to each other. Yes, they talk a lot! (No offence here. I love Filipinos and have lots of good Filipino friends!) Very often, they use their eyes to say something, raise their eyebrows to say "yes", or purse their lips in a direction to point to something. (No, they're not offering to kiss you.) It is quite easy to read their facial language. I find it a very effective way to communicate. Words not required.

Some nationalities talk with their hands. I do. Filipinos talk with their faces.

Body language surpasses the need to know another's language in order to communicate. Then again, body language is a language in itself!

Have fun learning to communicate cross-culturally!

Share your excitement!

How do you express excitement or joy? The body language is pretty much the same across cultures and languages. However, the words or sounds we express could be different. Here's some words that I have heard of or used before:

Hurrah!
Hurray!
Yay!
Yahoo!
Woohoo!
Yehey!
Cheers!
太棒了！
Asssikk!
Mantap!
Luar biasa!
ល្អណាស់

No matter what language you may use to express joy, everyone around you will know it at once. Joy is a universal feeling.

Let's be joyful today!

Belly-aching in different places

"He is such a good story teller. I laughed until (my) stomach-ache(d)!"

Over breakfast, my friends and I were recounting highlights of a conference we had just attended some weeks ago. What my friend said (above) is a typical description of how hard she laughed at the story, using Singlish or the form of English commonly spoken in Singapore.

"Will you quit belly-aching?"

In America, especially in the south, this retort is used when someone keeps on complaining about something.

While the two sentences have vastly different connotations, the analogy is the same: the stomach, or belly, aches. In Singapore, it is a funny occurrence, while in America, it causes annoyance to others.

These two sentences may never cross the cultural and geographical divide, but they certainly make for an interesting topic of discussion.

Here's to the uniqueness of English spoken in different parts of the world!

Reinforce bilingual education at home

There has been quite a bit of news on bilingual education in Singapore recently, more specifically, on the learning of the "mother tongue". What is the "mother tongue"? It is defined as the language a mother uses to speak to her children, which is usually her native language, not necessarily the national language. Some people will refer to this language as the "heart language".

If both parents come from different language groups, then the mother's native tongue will be taken as the "mother tongue", not the father's language. I assume this is because in the first few years of a child's life, the primary caregiver would be the mother, rather than the father.

Many children in Singapore are better at English than their mother tongue, partly because the medium of instruction in schools is English. Hence, the Ministry of Education is pushing for parents to read to their children in their home language, rather than in English. But why the push for bilingualism in Singapore?

The more languages you know, the easier it is for you to communicate cross-culturally. The world is shrinking as far as the working world is concerned. The average person will come into contact with people of different languages and cultures. To develop a good working relationship, it will help greatly if both sides at least try to learn a bit of the other's language and culture. After all, if you speak my language, you touch my heart.

Want to touch someone's heart? Start learning a new language! You'll gain more than just someone's heart; you'll make your life so much richer!

Have fun learning a language!

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"I prefer to talk to God in my own language"

Approximately every one in four residents of Singapore is a non-citizen. Non-citizens come from many parts of the world. They come here to work, many doing jobs that no citizen wants to do. Then there are those who come to offer their expertise, like the Spanish-speaking Christians featured in this article.

Most foreigners living and working in Singapore can speak English fairly well. English may not be their first language, but they can function comfortably in English on a daily basis. However, when it comes to matters of faith, they would much rather attend a place of worship that speaks their "heart language".

Churches in Singapore have responded positively by opening new services in various languages as the need arises. Trinity Christian Centre, the church featured in this article, is one of the few that have a Spanish service. The African service at Cornerstone Community Church is in English, but the style of service is typically African, to suit all the Africans from different parts of the continent.

The beauty of all this diversity is that each one is worshipping God in his own heart language and style, which gives him a brief moment of being "at home" away from home. It is a place where they can be themselves and not have to explain to anyone why they speak or behave in a certain way. Living overseas is not easy. Little touches like this help relieve homesickness.

Have you been able to overcome culture shock? Do you appreciate being with your fellow countrymen every now and then? Crossing cultures is not easy, but little touches like this make a world of difference.

Have fun crossing the cultural divide!

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"My wife is a pain"

My American friend C and his Singaporean Chinese wife ML live in Hong Kong. They told me this real story. Some years ago, they had a Japanese couple living a floor below them. The wife was due to deliver a baby anytime. C told the Japanese husband, "Call us anytime. Don't worry what time it is. We'll take you to the hospital immediately."

One morning at 6 a.m., the phone rang. C answered the phone. Their Japanese neighbour was on the phone. He said to C, "My wife is a pain." C thought to himself, "You call me at 6 in the morning to tell me your wife is a pain???"

What the Japanese man meant to say was, "My wife is in pain" and not "my wife is a pain".

What a world of difference in meaning one simple preposition makes!

"My wife is a pain" is not something any husband should be saying about his wife. Even if he felt that way, he should never voice it out in public.

"My wife is in pain" is the condition she was going through and needed to get to the hospital immediately so that their baby could be born safely.

To the learner of English, prepositions are a pain. Which one do I use when? Does it make a difference? In this case, yes! Sometimes, no. How will I know which one to use? Practice makes perfect. Thanks a lot!

I have to admit. English is just plain confusing. I used to dread trying to explain strange things to my students. My simple advice is listen to the BBC all the time. Sooner or later, the right sentence structure will automatically come to mind when you need it. Learning by osmosis? Maybe. Just get it into your head any way you can!

Have fun learning English!

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Farm-bred insects - just not the same!

Insects? Ewww! That's the standard answer you'd probably get from a western person. Western educated Asians will probably give you the same response. Then you actually go to Asia and find that insects are really good food! Sometimes, they are considered a delicacy to be savoured, thus paying a high price for bugs that run all over your dirty home. Haha

Well, in today's world that is saturated with gourmet food, Thailand has decided that they will fill the hunger for exotic insects. So instead of farmers catching the insects in the wild and cooking them (thus the supply is entirely subject to weather conditions and availability of insects scuttling around), they've decided to create insect farms. Now, ants are cultivated for food. Breeding them must have become a science.

Now the western person who is daring enough to try insects does not have to worry about hygiene. Farm-bred insects are clean, aren't they?

True, but as with farm-bred poultry, the meat just does not taste the same as those caught in the wild. We Asians like free-range chicken, skinny, small in size, tough meat, but oh so tasty! Sooner or later, I think those who have tasted wild insects will not enjoy the farm-bred ones. They just aren't as tasty. Ditto for frogs. The wild ones have sweeter meat.

Having said all that, fried spiders anyone?

Get a book on cross-cultural learning and living today!

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Flowers - universal expression of happiness

Yellow Orchid
I love flowers! Flowers make me happy, especially brightly coloured ones. I enjoy going to gardens while on holiday, especially in the spring and summer when all the flowers are in full bloom. There is just something about looking at flowers that relaxes me and lifts my spirits. I walk away with a smile on my face always.

As I walked past a florist earlier, I started thinking about flowers as a universal way of expressing our happy feelings: love, friendship, celebration of a significant event, cheering someone up, ... when we want to show someone we care, we give flowers. No wonder there are so many books and articles written on the meanings of different flowers (roses, chrysanthemums, carnations, etc) and their meanings. Flowers must be a language all of their own.

I don't speak the language of flowers, unfortunately. I'm just happy to look at them, and maybe on a rare occasion receive some. At least I know that when I visit someone from another culture, I can bring them some flowers. However, before you get too excited about this simple gift, first find out from a local if there are any flowers that are taboo or used for certain purposes (e.g. as an offering to their gods) or colours that are taboo in that culture (e.g. white flowers are used for funerals). Maybe there's a whole lot more to this universal language than we know!

Whatever the case, it is best to be student of another culture before we plunge headlong and realise that we're the fools for not asking questions first.

Go cross-cultural today and enrich your life!

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Yale-NUS profs ready!

The Straits Times, 28 April 2013, Singapore

I was so tickled when I read this article. The Yale-NUS partnership has been long in the planning. They will finally open their doors to students in August 2013, when the university academic year begins. Yale University is a global brand known for the best and brightest minds. NUS or the National University of Singapore, has made a name for itself in the Asian scene, and the world as well. Of course, for such a strategic partnership to take place, the best and brightest of Yale professors must be part of the faculty.

Their job is simply to bring out the best in each student. Language of instruction? English. Will these top minds then confine themselves to the ivory tower of learning and never venture out into the real Singapore? According to this article, a flat "no".

Why, they are preparing themselves for the complete cross-cultural experience! These professors are not just coming to impart knowledge, they want to be immersed in the total Singapore experience, local language and all. While they may never have a chance to use Singlish, they can at least understand the casual chatter of the local students. It will help when they go about the chores of daily life like going to the market, ordering a meal at the local hawker centre, etc. "Be prepared" like any good Scout will tell you. What can they expect? Take a look here.

While the professors are excited about moving to Singapore, the Singapore community in Yale is just as excited to showcase Singapore culture to them. The class was free of charge. Everyone was enthusiastic. Way to go! It takes both the local and the expat to make the cultural experience fun, smooth and a little easier.

Welcome to Singapore!

If you're going overseas very soon, be prepared! Read up on the new place. You will enjoy the cross-cultural experience so much more!

Have a wonderful time soaking in the language, culture, sights and sounds!

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I am a student

"I don't know anything.  I am a student." - Dr James Hudson Taylor III

Dr Taylor was born and raised in China.  His whole life was devoted to the Chinese people.  He spoke fluent Mandarin and English.  He was as Chinese as could be - an egg, if you like: white on the outside, yellow on the inside.  He spoke much better Mandarin than any of us Singaporeans in the room.  18 of us were attending a briefing by him before going on an English-teaching trip to Sichuan.

Practical tips aside, the one line that has guided me all these years as I live and travel to different parts of the world and experience different cultures, has been "I don't know anything.  I am a student."  What gems of experience Dr Taylor could dispense are all summed up in this one line.  It has helped me overcome numerous frustrations and made me a much nicer person to be with.

As I meet people from different countries and cultures, I have sought to ask questions and "be a student" of the person I meet.  I don't want to assume.  Assumption has brought me nothing but trouble.  Being a student has opened up new worlds to me.  I have learned that different parts of China use different words for the same thing, even though they're all speaking Putonghua (or Mandarin, as it is called in China).  

Then again, in Lanzhou, Mandarin is called Hanyu, not Putonghua.  Same difference.  But, if I weren't a student, I'd never know that.

Be a student.  Ask questions with an attitude to learn.  Adjustment to a new culture will be made much easier.

Happy learning!

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