What's the right way to handle that?
There's something about this that I want to scratch -- I think I didn't handle this the right way. I answered the question for a friend, but . . .
Last night, a Japanese friend called my wife and asked for our help. He is taking a trip to a Muslim country, and they had told him to please wait until after Eid. For whatever reason, he didn't ask them to explain. Instead, he called his friendly local foreigner and asked me. What's Eid?
I said I didn't have any idea, but I could do some checking. So I started up the computer, did a google of "Eid holiday," and quickly learned about the holiday at the end of Ramadan. Apparently starting on Oct. 1 this year, and if I read the descriptions right, lasts three days. Looks as if some of the activities are specific to different countries, but basically, a big festival at the end of Ramadan.
We called him back up and relayed this information. I had to explain that Ramadan is a month of fasting, and repeat a couple of times that apparently Eid is three days, but that if he wants to make sure, call the embassy for that country and check with them.
Mitsuko and he traded thankyous, and assurances that it wasn't any trouble. In fact, of course, I kind of enjoy poking at this kind of thing and learning something new. Still, somehow -- should I have tried to teach him how to get the information himself? I'm not even sure he has a computer, although many people do, and trying to teach someone over the phone how to do a google search? Not my favorite way to waste time.
Somehow I feel as if I did the right thing -- found the information and answered the question for a friend -- but set myself up for something down the line. I caught the darn fish, tossed it to the starving man, but forgot to teach him how to fish? Should I have? He wasn't really interested in learning how to do information searches and summaries, he just wanted a question answered?
Or is it the notion that I should know everything about all foreign affairs -- and Google and a little time with the computer unfortunately tends to build that reputation? Do I need to make sure he understands how shallow my knowledge was?
Odd how reflections on something that was done successfully sometimes makes one antsy about it, isn't it? Ah, well, a little time -- the calamine of the conscience -- will take care of that itch, I'm sure.
Last night, a Japanese friend called my wife and asked for our help. He is taking a trip to a Muslim country, and they had told him to please wait until after Eid. For whatever reason, he didn't ask them to explain. Instead, he called his friendly local foreigner and asked me. What's Eid?
I said I didn't have any idea, but I could do some checking. So I started up the computer, did a google of "Eid holiday," and quickly learned about the holiday at the end of Ramadan. Apparently starting on Oct. 1 this year, and if I read the descriptions right, lasts three days. Looks as if some of the activities are specific to different countries, but basically, a big festival at the end of Ramadan.
We called him back up and relayed this information. I had to explain that Ramadan is a month of fasting, and repeat a couple of times that apparently Eid is three days, but that if he wants to make sure, call the embassy for that country and check with them.
Mitsuko and he traded thankyous, and assurances that it wasn't any trouble. In fact, of course, I kind of enjoy poking at this kind of thing and learning something new. Still, somehow -- should I have tried to teach him how to get the information himself? I'm not even sure he has a computer, although many people do, and trying to teach someone over the phone how to do a google search? Not my favorite way to waste time.
Somehow I feel as if I did the right thing -- found the information and answered the question for a friend -- but set myself up for something down the line. I caught the darn fish, tossed it to the starving man, but forgot to teach him how to fish? Should I have? He wasn't really interested in learning how to do information searches and summaries, he just wanted a question answered?
Or is it the notion that I should know everything about all foreign affairs -- and Google and a little time with the computer unfortunately tends to build that reputation? Do I need to make sure he understands how shallow my knowledge was?
Odd how reflections on something that was done successfully sometimes makes one antsy about it, isn't it? Ah, well, a little time -- the calamine of the conscience -- will take care of that itch, I'm sure.