Hey All, Sometimes trying to communicate or get your point across can be frustrating.........especially if you don't speak the same language. You may need to illustrate what you are trying to convey in another way.
Korea, 1983. We had three Korean men working as assistants in the motorpool and they all were very friendly and sometimes shared things they had such as Ramen Noodles or Kimchee. I was a recipient of this generosity for the three years I was there. Their names were Mr Kang, Mr Kim and Mr Yu. This generosity was mainly displayed by Mr Yu.........a very kindly man of about 60 years old..............and in accepting his favors, I soon learned that I had to give much more than I recieved.
Mr Yu would frequently come into my office and pick up my pack of Marlboro and help himself without asking.................................which resulted in my persistant irritation. I had to explain to him many times that he needed to ask first..................to which he replied in broken english and in part Korean, that as he was older than me, that I must show him respect and let him have the cigarettes. I had a great deal of respect for Mr Yu.................but I couldn't get past what I considered to be ill manners and the fact that he did this almost everyday. Many times,while he was having his smoke break in my office, he would reach over my shoulder and pick up my Coke and finish it off..................no matter how much was left in it............. when I would turn around to say something about it he would stick up his index finger as say "Coke number one"! Did I mention my persistant irritation? I also had a hard time making him understand the same principle applied to my Coke, and my smokes. Oneday, I was at my desk having a smoke with my Coke and I almost used my soda can as an ashtray.....................a solution to my communication problem with Mr Yu was found! I smoked my cigarette down using the half full soda can as an ashtray............................careful not to get any ashes on top and keeping an eye out for Mr Yu. I dropped the butt in the can when I was through and then had another one and did the same .................................fortunately, Mr Yu was late on collecting his entitlement today. Once again, he strolled into my office and helped himself to smoke and lit up. About two minutes went by when he noticed the Cokle and reached over and picked that up too................at first I smiled, as I had my back to him. I couldn't resist..............I turned around and watched him as he chugged down my Coke............until he got the first butt in his mouth. I couldn't understand why he got so upset........................all I said was "Coke number one"! as I held up my index finger and he gagged on the butt. He lit in to me in Korean and I had to wait until he took a breath before I could get a word in. I explained that I had already told him that I had no problem sharing, but, since these things were mine, he needed ask. He was silent for a moment, then quietly replied in Korean that he understood. The next day Mr Yu came into my office....................he stopped next to me and asked for a smoke............and I said "sure" and I handed my smokes to him. When he asked for my Coke...............I declined.....................maybe if he had a cup I would have considered it.................nah!
They all were fine older gentlemen and I will always remember them with kindness. Mr Yu was rooted firmly in his culture..........................I was proud to have been able to teach him a little about mine.
Until the next time.......................God Bless.
Korea, 1983. We had three Korean men working as assistants in the motorpool and they all were very friendly and sometimes shared things they had such as Ramen Noodles or Kimchee. I was a recipient of this generosity for the three years I was there. Their names were Mr Kang, Mr Kim and Mr Yu. This generosity was mainly displayed by Mr Yu.........a very kindly man of about 60 years old..............and in accepting his favors, I soon learned that I had to give much more than I recieved.
Mr Yu would frequently come into my office and pick up my pack of Marlboro and help himself without asking.................................which resulted in my persistant irritation. I had to explain to him many times that he needed to ask first..................to which he replied in broken english and in part Korean, that as he was older than me, that I must show him respect and let him have the cigarettes. I had a great deal of respect for Mr Yu.................but I couldn't get past what I considered to be ill manners and the fact that he did this almost everyday. Many times,while he was having his smoke break in my office, he would reach over my shoulder and pick up my Coke and finish it off..................no matter how much was left in it............. when I would turn around to say something about it he would stick up his index finger as say "Coke number one"! Did I mention my persistant irritation? I also had a hard time making him understand the same principle applied to my Coke, and my smokes. Oneday, I was at my desk having a smoke with my Coke and I almost used my soda can as an ashtray.....................a solution to my communication problem with Mr Yu was found! I smoked my cigarette down using the half full soda can as an ashtray............................careful not to get any ashes on top and keeping an eye out for Mr Yu. I dropped the butt in the can when I was through and then had another one and did the same .................................fortunately, Mr Yu was late on collecting his entitlement today. Once again, he strolled into my office and helped himself to smoke and lit up. About two minutes went by when he noticed the Cokle and reached over and picked that up too................at first I smiled, as I had my back to him. I couldn't resist..............I turned around and watched him as he chugged down my Coke............until he got the first butt in his mouth. I couldn't understand why he got so upset........................all I said was "Coke number one"! as I held up my index finger and he gagged on the butt. He lit in to me in Korean and I had to wait until he took a breath before I could get a word in. I explained that I had already told him that I had no problem sharing, but, since these things were mine, he needed ask. He was silent for a moment, then quietly replied in Korean that he understood. The next day Mr Yu came into my office....................he stopped next to me and asked for a smoke............and I said "sure" and I handed my smokes to him. When he asked for my Coke...............I declined.....................maybe if he had a cup I would have considered it.................nah!
They all were fine older gentlemen and I will always remember them with kindness. Mr Yu was rooted firmly in his culture..........................I was proud to have been able to teach him a little about mine.
Until the next time.......................God Bless.
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