With my lack of local language skills, I am quickly learning effective techniques to communicate. The lesson was learned painfully with my first cab ride in Dhaka. I had an early morning meeting and knew that traffic would be a nightmare so I left 1 hour before and only had to travel 4 miles (no joke). Instead of asking the people at the front desk that spoke English to call a cab, I decided to venture out on the street to get my own. Me, need help, please.
I was going to a well-known place called "BRAC Centre". I threw in a little Bangladeshi accent, negotiated a price, and we were off. Easy.
Traffic was as expected so for the first hour I was calm and enjoyed the chaos of Dhaka. The driver began to ask me questions, actually I have no idea what he was saying but I began to wonder... Did he really know where he was going. An hour and 15 minutes into the drive, 15 minutes late now, I was a little worried. The person I was to meet called and I explained I was almost there (a total guess actually).
Another 15 minutes passed and she called again as the taxi driver was pulling up to the building. Getting out, I explained that we had just arrived, I looked up to see the sign, "Apollo Hospital".
APOLLO HOSPITAL?!?! I do not speak Bangla and by no means expect Bangladeshis to speak English. The problem in this scenario is that both places, BRAC Centre and Apollo Hospital are English words. At this point I am thoroughly confused and dejected. Once again, I pass the phone to the driver and he gets new directions. He and I have a small discussion, he in Bangla and I in English, mainly I am just saying, "The Apollo Hospital?" We hit traffic jam after traffic jam. Even more frustrating is the fact we were already on these roads. Finally, I decide to pull out my iPhone and to my suprise Google Maps works.
GOOGLE!!! We hit one final traffic jam so I decided to walk. Of course, as soon as I begin to leg it out, traffic lifts and the cabbie passes me by. I arrive just short of an hour late for my meeting.
In need of a little escape, I decided on my way back to Indonesia I would stopover to stay at a former colleague's bed and breakfast in Malaysia, The Dusun. It could not have been any more perfect. When you think of a jungle paradise, this is it.
For the most part, I did nothing. Relaxed, read, slept; pure bliss. I did go on one walk through the jungle to a beautiful secluded waterfall. Once again, the lack of local language was a minor set back.
Entering the pool, I decided to explore the larger waterfall just upstream. Once I climbed to the top, I looked back to see the guide motioning with great exaggeration to come down. Here is the problem. Did he want me to come down the way I got up, along the rock wall or did he want me to slide down the waterfall?
I point at the water, he waves his arm furiously to come down. I point to the wall, he waves his arm furiously to come down. I do this a half a dozen times and am no clearly than the first on which way.
The decision was made for me. The current from the waterfall swept my leg as Johnny did Daniel Son. The waterfall was not a Noah's Ark amusement ride. It was actually painful and not that much fun. I came to find out that the guide's gestures meant, "Don't be an idiot, come down from there. It is very dangerous, you little American fool."
These painful experiences have made me a better person and a much more effective communicator.
Peace and love,
Steve
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