Comments on Mental Blabberings: Cultural Naivite

Thanks Jan, it's getting easier as the days go...

2011-11-01T17:20:48.135+11:00

Thanks Jan, it's getting easier as the days go by -- and especially after seeing the Melbourne Cup celebrations with the team (hint: steak lunch and drinks mid-day) I can certainly appreciate it a lot better. I guess it's a matter of experiencing different things and deciding if it's for me or not. :)

Sir Jon, I doubt waiting until 7 months of being in a country I'll be spending quite a lot of time in is "quick". ;) It's only now that I'm trying to get the hang of the culture, but there's just too much to get the hang of. Also there's the problem of "where do I begin". Also, I kinda want to shed some of my Filipino'isms (superstitions, too much reverence for authority, and taking life too seriously) and embrace more of the "happy and lucky" style the Aussies have. Its hard to enjoy the country if half of what happens is something you have no idea about. :D

The urge to be assimilated "as quickly as pos...

2011-11-01T11:12:20.595+11:00

The urge to be assimilated "as quickly as possible" is probably the biggest mistake you're making here. Culture is not about assimilation, or about learning things "quickly". It's not a skill. It's a social construct that was built on hundreds upon thousands of years of history and if you just want to get assimilated you'll end up like a trick monkey imitating what his owner does. I know you're far deeper than that Dean, maybe all you need is patience. ;)

This makes me wish more that you've been able to see the London office of ITRS. That melting pot showed me almost immediately that naaaah I don't even need to try and become Brit to be able to be accepted by that society.

Enjoy the variety, the games, the events, and you&...

2011-11-01T10:29:51.330+11:00

Enjoy the variety, the games, the events, and you'll be fine. Try going to football (rugby, rules, soccer) games at least once and it's easy to understand why Aussies love it (it's not just about the game). There's more surface area to learn and I always tell myself to be open-minded about everything, which helps. The monarchy is interesting too, and with this country's history, it's easy to understand why some Aussies still love the Queen. She's an icon just like the Rizals and Bonifacios of our homeland. As for the food, well, always good to have variety :-)