4: Conversation and Coconuts
When I was little, my father would always laugh at how much I chattered away, especially if I swallowed pool water- when he would laughingly tell me “I thought I’d taught you not to talk underwater”
As the years have passed by, the importance of conversations and dialogue in every aspect of my life- from university, professional and personal, has been centric to my ability to express myself.
This dialogue is an integral part of the university architecture studio- a constant melting pot of creativity, experimentation and ideas. This should not simply die off once that period of study has ended.
These dialogues and conversations allow constant exposure to new ideas, challenges, and thoughts. The simple fact that a conversation is shared allows for exposure to another person’s life experience. That fact alone contains a world of possibility. It may be that you live an incredibly similar life, have the same ideas, and remain flatly unchallenged. It can also be a great teacher and growth factor.
Linking through to the values that I started to express last week: I appreciate relationships with other people; communication, honestly, trust, laughter. All of these things are fostered greatly by conversation. Spending time studying abroad in Germany- where (in my experience) there is less chit-chat and fluff, and far more real, deep conversation has given me even more of a perspective on the value of conversation for any kind of growth, be it personal or professional.
These conversations have different cultural undertones and etiquettes- and having the opportunity to study abroad allowed for a really valuable insight into German culture, as well as the distance to reflect on the multiculturalism present in Australian culture.
Here in Australia, we are spoilt for choice in our food options, while privileged enough to have constant exposure to different ideas, beliefs, customs and religions. This can (and often does) manifest negatively into hatred, racism and intolerance. Having these conversations however, allows an understanding and respect to evolve between individuals and cultures.
I have tremendous admiration for German culture- for the no nonsense, brutally honest approach that they have to life. The stereotype that much of the world holds however, is that Germans are cold and unapproachable. There is no easy “How-To” guide on cross-cultural understanding, however there is more research and implementation of cultural competence, one of the key aspects of which is listening.
And while there is no “How-To” guide, it helps just to keep things simple. The following image, from intercultural training that I undertook while studying abroad, may provide some idea of the German culture- when you consider Germans as Coconuts, tough to crack. The image divided these “coconuts” into species, with some key characteristics.
German coconut species, own drawing.
I believe that conversations and dialogues can spark change in the world- with a balance of talking, but more importantly, listening. From the small things- conversations with Uber drivers from other parts of the world or builders on site for the projects designed at work, a respect and understanding grows, allowing for collaboration at a local, national or international scale.
Until next week!
AP