two things you start appreciating...
...when you travel.
the first is efficiency. nothing here in the states so far has given me any hope of getting things done in a timely manner. everything here operates at a pace that the service-giver is comfortable with. there's an attitude here that seems to be that "well, you want my service, you'll have to wait for it"...i miss the more efficient asian countries' view on service. get it done and get it done quickly.
the second thing to appreciate is courtesy. it seems that here everyone has a right to tell you off for not knowing the process. it gets annoying since no-one explains the process to you at all, and then gets frustrated at you for not following it. it is so very different and i'm actually glad that for once, being asian seems to mean being "better" in that sense.
surprising, since people keep reminding me about how "unsophisticated" eastern culture is, my first real case of culture shock is from a western civilisation.
the first is efficiency. nothing here in the states so far has given me any hope of getting things done in a timely manner. everything here operates at a pace that the service-giver is comfortable with. there's an attitude here that seems to be that "well, you want my service, you'll have to wait for it"...i miss the more efficient asian countries' view on service. get it done and get it done quickly.
the second thing to appreciate is courtesy. it seems that here everyone has a right to tell you off for not knowing the process. it gets annoying since no-one explains the process to you at all, and then gets frustrated at you for not following it. it is so very different and i'm actually glad that for once, being asian seems to mean being "better" in that sense.
surprising, since people keep reminding me about how "unsophisticated" eastern culture is, my first real case of culture shock is from a western civilisation.