It's been a while since I've had a chance to write an entry. It seems like its been even longer since I've committed to record some of the experienced and thoughts from our Beijing trip... almost a month ago. Well, weeks have passed by and we embarked on another trip.. this time to Singapore.
Singapore was the second installment of our program launch - this time with even more coworkers and people from the different countries across the Area. I think at last count we had nine countries represented in our classroom. Was there for the week, and Sandra was able to join me mid-week and we took the weekend off to experience Singapore.
The key thing for me in Singapore was continue to build confidence and affirmation in some of what I'm here to do from a work perspective (at least 1/2 of my work). It's a neat feeling seeing the project come to this point where we're actually training people on its use, and more importantly, training the people who will in turn go back to their own countries and implement it across their practice. I did a bit more teaching this time than in Beijing. It occurred to me mid-week that I quite enjoy certain aspects of teaching. Not necessarily public speaking or being in front of people, but more the times when the content is not so much technical, but about change. I think I'm wired in a way where its exciting to enable people and to see them inspired and confident in their ability to go and drive change, in whatever context.
One of many notable memories was a few conversations I had with one of my coworkers who is on secondment to Cleveland (our global development centre). He's worked in a few regions of the world and one of the things that resonated with me was that I can live here in Taiwan for years and not really develop local friendships. For this coworker, he spent a number of years in a European country, not really learning the local language. He found himself spending time with expat friends and slowly, one by one, they came and went... One of these small conversations that really hit me with the sense of urgency to learn Chinese and build roots here. I know, many of you regular readers will say... didn't he write something like this a few entries ago? Well... maybe God has a simple message for me! Having said this, I do feel more confident in my listening abilities. I genuinely enjoy Chinese classes, but with the busy recent travel schedule, its been difficult to focus, much less study!
Traveling around the Far East.. and spending time with coworkers (and hopefully soon friends) on these business trips has been very eye opening. Not all Canadians are like this, but I do find that for myself, life in Canada has sheltered me with some of the awareness of history, politics and cultures of many of the places we're having an opportunity to visit. It's been wonderful and challenging at the same time. I wish there was more time to learn and understand the countries and people that we're coming into contact with. I enjoy the fact that we have a common ground (working at the Firm) but appreciate more the differences that we share. Like many organizations ... its the usual suspects at some of these meetings and involved in these initiatives. The next few months and years will be a great chance to develop these relationships!
Will try to tackle some of those deeper Beijing reflections. For now, I'll conclude by saying that my favourite food so far in the Far East has been BBQ stingray (see visit to Malaysia entry) for picture.. and the stingray in KL has been much better than the two we tried in Singapore!
ray
A taste of Singapore
Random places in this beautiful city state
Wesley Methodist Church
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