Let me tell you it's a very exciting adventure
to go on, one of my most surreal to date and
I have been told it only gets more challenging!
A little like a tough trek to an amazing destination,
you have to go through some hardship to get
there but they say it's worth it. My own personal
Everest - well I'm certainly starting to resemble
Mt Everest.
My
bus turned up late and was full so it was
standing room only. I felt particularly
uncomfortable about this for a couple of reasons.
First of all I've been blessed with an easy
pregnancy and wasn't particularly worried
about standing, so knew if someone gave a
seat up for me then I would feel almost guilty.
Secondly I didn't want a seat not to be offered
to me, as it would put a dampener on my faith
in our society and traditions.
I stood for two bus stops then a very
kind gentleman gave up his seat for me, although
it's possible that he felt sorry for all the
other passengers trying to get around me and
my "extra baggage"? I feel that he was simply
being a gentleman.
In
an instant I had to think, do I say "no it's
ok, I'm happy to stand" or thank him and take
the seat. By saying no I was risking embarrassing
my rescuer and putting chivalry into the grave,
by saying yes I was allowing myself comfort
at someone else's discomfort.
Red
faced I promptly took the seat, enjoyed a
pleasant ride into the city then
made a point of thanking him personally at
the end of the journey. It is nice to see
that the tradition of chivalry is not dead
and it should be recognised.
Human
dynamics are incredibly complex.
From this small example you can see the unspoken
intricacies that occur between two people
of the same culture, from the same country,
living in the same suburb, who catch the same
bus - most probably every day.
Take
yourself out of your comfort zone, to another
country and another culture where
conditioning is different, traditions are
diverse and chivalry exists in altered forms,
if at all. Soon that unspoken word becomes
uninterpretable and perplexing to the foreigner.
Who knows what might happen if a pregnant
woman gets onto a full bus in Egypt for example?
(For the record, I'm not about to find out,
flying is out for me for a while!)
I
asked the guys in the office the other day,
what is one of the things they think about
most before they go traveling? One
of the questions was "Will I get culture shock?"
For many, this is one of the most exciting
things about traveling - immersing yourself
and going about your daily routine in a different
environment and discovering how to fit in.
For others it can be overwhelming -it needn't
be.
If
you are embarking on a Kumuka journey in the
near future it is definitely an advantage
to gain a basic understanding of the culture
you will be exposed to before arrival.
It will help you adapt, give you an understanding
of behaviors and an appreciation for what
would otherwise seem like strange manners.
You will also be prepared for the culture
shock and might find that the word "shock"
is immaterial; it can be replaced with "discovery".
What may otherwise seem strange to you will
now make sense. Guidebooks and the internet
are a great place to start.
We
don't expect everyone to be anthropologists,
that's why on your tour your tour guides and
local operators will further explain the cultures,
traditions and history. By the end of your
journey you will be well versed in local cultural
behaviors. (Perhaps someone out there can
tell me
what would happen to a pregnant woman with
standing room only on a bus in Egypt?)
5
easy steps to turn shock into discovery:
1. Read up
2. Listen to your Kumuka guide
3. Ask your guide questions
4. Speak to the locals
5. Be tolerant and understanding
Click
here and visit the worlds diverse cultures
with Kumuka Worldwide.
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That describes
my state of mind more than my location, but
my location has stemmed this feeling. I have
just been to the top of Mt Kinabalu in Sabah,
Borneo. What a marathon, what a change of
scenery. 
Hello Sarah,
