Thursday, September 16, 2010
Alexis Texas Black Guy??
Yesterday, Wednesday was a strange day, where I had to confront the cultural differences between Germany and I like America. was a day of cultural schock. in the afternoon and I knocked on the door and since we hate to answer the bell (same as the phone when the caller is not) because Fermin intercom barks and does not understand anything that says the person it touches. open the door and was sort of a power company, with ID and everything and informs me that he had decided that the street where I live exchange energy supplier, I found it odd, but (and there is a little bit my fault) A . is who takes care of bureaucratic things like electricity bills and so on, and thought I could be true. the guy in question asked me who was our previous supplier of electricity, I say 3 times you have to come back another day and talk to A. he insists that information be gathered today and tomorrow we would call the new company. say the name of the supplier and then takes a role that I sign, I see it (the German bureaucrat is a thing apart), I see nowhere that says Vertrag that is the word for contract, asked 1000 times if this is a contract and 1000 times I replied that no, it's just proof that he was there to inform us of the change of company and collect our data. the guy is going, I am left with a strange sensation, and suddenly I feel very stupid, and clear call to A. and actually me put their fingers in their mouths, for what turned out to be firm if a contract! I've never felt so stupid as yesterday. (Thankfully everything is now under, A. furious call to the company, the company apologized for the behavior of this type and annulled the contract). What never ceases to amaze me is how I fell in Bolivia always has to be careful of swindlers, thieves and other vermin, but I never imagine that in Germany, a law firm and existing uses that way to find new customers . with a simple lie. some research and these sellers are playing the bells where foreign names (of course, as foreigners are gross and anafalbetos and also afraid of German law and the rules and try be correct etc). Yesterday I wanted to call the police, or find the guy and yell and hit even better, but apparently there is no legal penalty for what he did, so I had to put my pride and be as foreign boluda. lesson learned, and by the way never ever going to answer the damn ring, so if someone visits me, kindly call on the phone earlier.
the second experience also happened yesterday, hours after the incident with this guy. Sunday at 19 hrs. I had a working dinner with people from the foundation where I work. I had worked so far only three people, who vouch for the project, but yesterday was dinner with some directors of regional offices comment and get their impressions of the project. something that always catches my attention from the Germans (and bothers me) is that they are talking of the weather so, speak with an authority that anyone would believe the person in question is a doctorate in meteorology. Well here, dodne all had a greater or lesser degree a doctorate or something similar, imagenense the tone of authority which was being discussed. I realized that many had no more experience in regard to interaction with artists (they have not because you have it) the problem is speaking in the tone of someone who does have it. then the discussion is developing for hours about whether the artist Llibertad (all, but all such events, calls etc have a specific topic, so it is not no big deal for an artist working with a subject), or if a call if you choose only one or one and that is poor with the other elected. all this is still not have something concrete and not decided anything in itself. this tone of authority I also perceived as aggression. is not so, and that's just my perception because in Latin America we tend to "sweeten the pill" and in this type of contacts a tendency to see diplomacy as a quality, which I had expertise, to smile and nod and say yes, but if maybe just "at the end of that so often channeled things where it felt right. well here it does not exist, it is super straight, and so yesterday was a normal reunion work (even told me quite soft) between Germans in Latin America had been a source of conflict. I'm not entirely sure yet what my position in the project (how much authority I have) and I was pretty warm when I express my opinion, because even I do not get answered with the same degree of aggressiveness and arrogance with which the Germans do. That's one thing to learn. so as here the Germans have to take courses for small talk and flirting (which if any!) should be courses for foreigners where we learn to "enhance our aggressiveness optimally for enhanced self esteem" or "development of verbal and physical arrogance productive element in interpersonal relationships. " is more, how about a tandem?
anyway, so it was yesterday, this morning I had to think long before I get over the rage! in another tone, change the whole room instead, and went back to have my work mini corner by the window, and if everything looks better today.
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