Sometimes when you attempt to communicate clearly simply knowing the language isn't enough. I've sat through many talks from Westerners that have come for short term trips using many analogies that don't compute here. For instance, American Football is hardly ever a good analogy in Asia. If your translator doesn't understand you, you can bet that your audience won't understand either. They most likely will nod and smile, and laugh when you laugh. But it's probably just because they don't want you to feel embarrassed. When you can speak the language, then it will become clear that no one understands you. The frown and the wrinkled brow make it quite clear. So, when we are teaching abstract concepts we have learned that you need a good story that is relatable. When teaching about the need to keep trying, we use the analogy of learning how to ride a motorbike. When we teach about the concept of having a clear goal and working towards it, we use the picture ...
The stories and thoughts of living in between two homes.