Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Totally Lost in Cultural Translation

You would think I'd be more fluent in navigating differences in communications styles here in Taiwan, but alas, I'm a bumbling idiot at times. While I may speak some of the language, my cultural literacy isn't as good as it could be. Namely, the issue is indirect communication versus an American value on being a straight talker. Here are some somewhat frustrating, but hilarious in hindsight examples.

Let me check if she is home

plasticann: [approaching the front desk] I'm here to see Ms. Plasticmom on the XYZ floor
Front Desk: I'm not sure she's home, let me call up to make sure she's in
plasticann: I just talked to her, she's definitely home
Front Desk: I really don't want to inconvenience you so I just want to double check and make sure she's home

It took me way too long to finally realize that when they're saying "we want to make sure she's home," it really means "we're not sure who you are and whether we should even let you up, but we're way too nice to say that to your face so we're telling you that we want to check if she's home."

It would be much more convenient for us....

plasticann: I'm interested in booking two half day tours, the afternoon tour on Tuesday and a morning tour on Wednesday
Tour Company: Yes, we can do that. We recommend that you do both half day tours in one day. That's our recommendation
plasticann: Thank you for your recommendation, but I'm interested in taking the two half day tours on two different days
Tour Company: Yes, but we recommend you take them both in one day. It is better.
plasticann: [utterly confused] Can you help me understand why it's better to take them in one day? I'd prefer to take them on two days so I don't have to spend an entire day on the bus.
Tour Company: Yes, but we recommend you take them in one day because it is convenient for us.
plasticann: Uhhhh OK, is it no possible to take them on two different days.
Tour Company: [exasperated] Yes we can take you on two different days, but it's more convenient for us if you go in one day. We said we'd pick you up for one tour so of course we'd honor that and pick you up another day
plasticann: Ummm, I'm going to have to call you back

Basically, I was being totally dense. From a very Americanized perspective, citing inconvenience makes absolutely no sense to me. Try explaining to Adam what "inconvenient" means when I don't understand it myself. As Adam said, "as a customer, isn't it my job to be a little inconvenient to you?" Yup, we're a bunch of American jerks even when we don't mean it. Finally, much too much later, I figured out that she was saying, "I really don't want to pick you up on two different days for tours."

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