Comments on: How not to hate the natives Part Four http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/culture/how-not-to-hate-the-natives-part-four/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:58:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Alex Case http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/culture/how-not-to-hate-the-natives-part-four/#comment-1874 Alex Case Thu, 06 Dec 2007 13:02:07 +0000 http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/living-abroad/how-not-to-hate-the-natives-part-four/#comment-1874 Good point- one of the good things about Japan is that everything is so efficient and run by machines (I mean that really, it isn't a salaryman clone cliche!) that you can just switch off and ignore everything. Bit more difficult in Southern Italy, that one... I guess another way is not to make too big a thing of being in and of the country and therefore making it work- a bit like not being too nervous on a first date because you are not too interested and so everything going swimmingly. Good point- one of the good things about Japan is that everything is so efficient and run by machines (I mean that really, it isn’t a salaryman clone cliche!) that you can just switch off and ignore everything. Bit more difficult in Southern Italy, that one…

I guess another way is not to make too big a thing of being in and of the country and therefore making it work- a bit like not being too nervous on a first date because you are not too interested and so everything going swimmingly.

]]> By: Sandy http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/culture/how-not-to-hate-the-natives-part-four/#comment-1873 Sandy Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:50:44 +0000 http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/living-abroad/how-not-to-hate-the-natives-part-four/#comment-1873 In some cases, it's just best to ignore the natives and get on with your own life - even create one! I'm into am-dram, doing my MA (still), and all sorts of interesting and creative things such as, erm, swimming and blogging - all of which are quite unrelated to (=independent of) the country I currently live in, the UAE. Fact is I'm not a muslim, don't speak much Arabic, and the local culture frowns upon any sort of 'integration' of locals and Westerners. The point is, though, not to hang around in a hotel bar moaning about the locals and their 'strange' habits and fraternising with like-(simple-)minded expats. Be pro-active, not re-active (man)!! In some cases, it’s just best to ignore the natives and get on with your own life - even create one! I’m into am-dram, doing my MA (still), and all sorts of interesting and creative things such as, erm, swimming and blogging - all of which are quite unrelated to (=independent of) the country I currently live in, the UAE.

Fact is I’m not a muslim, don’t speak much Arabic, and the local culture frowns upon any sort of ‘integration’ of locals and Westerners. The point is, though, not to hang around in a hotel bar moaning about the locals and their ’strange’ habits and fraternising with like-(simple-)minded expats.

Be pro-active, not re-active (man)!!

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