Data Collection

As I inch my way to 'back to school for myself' I realize that this blog is a perfect data collection site for my thesis.  A reader told me that this blog is the perfect data collection site for my thesis for my next degree. So, some of this might feel like bigger drivel than usual, but for me, it keeps events fresh in my mind, or at least, in the blog so I can return when I begin writing How to Buy A Popcorn Popper in Malaysia.

Intercultural communication is really what TESL is really about. Both sides know how to teach, both sides know how to communicate. Problem lies in communicating with each other. Here are events that displays this perfectly.

1. I landed in Singapore and beforehand, contacted my travel agent in Kota Tinggi advising my arrival time and when I needed to be picked up.  I stated that I would be arriving in Singapore late in the evening on January 2, and that I needed to rest for the night because I was very ill with the flu.  I asked that the driver pick me up at the hotel at noon the next day.  The reply I received was :  Welcome back to Malaysia.  We missed you.  Yes, we will let you rest and the driver will be at the hotel at noon on January 2nd.  what happened?  Well, English is the language that has verb tenses to determine what we mean. Other languages do not. So, the next day really did not have an impact on him so what he saw was January 2, so he dispatched a driver for January 2.  Good thing I was prepared for this and asked him to write back to confirm pick up.  They would have been waiting a long time, and I would have been sad on the day I expected to be picked up.  I always get confirmation of understanding. If not, the wrong day, place, time, and all else always happens.
2. I have more than you can imagine of questions asked and wrong answers given. I have them noted, so wont bore you.
3. My mentee list has changed from last year. I have not updated my text message list accordingly because I think that it might change again. I sent out a text message to everyone on the list advising when the next TPD will be.  I added that if they are no longer mentees to disregard the message.  I got several messages back asking me why I disregard them? Am I mad at them?  what happened?  This culture is English Second Language.  I sometime forget that they do not all have a good grasp of English words. They look up a word and then apply it to themselves rather than to an action.  They think I disregard them.  I applaud them for asking.That is a big step they have taken since we first met.
4. Last term we had two events that required the mentees to be out of school for both of them. We received approval for both and then no approval for one but approval for the other. Eventually we received non approval for both. I was wise enough to wait a few days as all this took only 3 days.  Finally, I contacted all the mentees and sent them a text message. Message content:  I am sorry to advise you that according to the Ministry, approval for mentee attendance at the drama and music workshop and the mini conference has been disallowed and I stated the dates for each.  Please reply to this message so that I know you have received it.  The messages I received were:  When will the workshop and conference be?  Why can I not go?  Who is going? What do we have to do at the workshop?  Do I do anything at the conference?  Are the dates for the workshop and conference switched? what happened?  Some mentees do not understand a complicated message. Put yourself in their shoes.  If I had anything BUT very simple language written in Bahasa Malayu I would not have any idea of what I read.  I really needed to write very simply and let them call me back if they had questions.  The problem was they never asked questions, so I guess I have overcome that barrier. Questions do abound these days, and that is a good thing.

thats all for now