Valuabe lesson

The best part and also the hardest part of living on this island is being exposed to a different culture. It is really fun and fascinating at times and can also be very frustrating. When I am frustrated with the way they do things here, I have to remind myself that I am in their country and that I must adjust my attitude and expectations.

Therefore, I have been thinking about my last blog quite a bit and how it really is snobbish of me to think that my command of the English language is better than the average Grenadian's.

If 100,000 people understand that postal note and communicate in that way than who am I to say it is wrong? It is just not how we would write it in America.

I often feel that American culture is superior because it seems overall we are faster, more efficient and more sophisticated. But what makes that superior? If life here is slower, if things operate in ways that seem old fashioned, if standards are primitive to my liking, so what? It works for them.

I could never begin to understand the history and nuances of how things operate here and it is presumptuous to assume people here should try to achieve something similar to what we have in my own country.

Here's what happened that really got me thinking about this. After I just complained about the "walk with" phrase in the postal note, I heard two people use that phrase today within an hour.

Which makes it an island idiom and not some horrific misuse of the English language. Who knew.

First, I went to St. George's to register our new car in my name. I went with the previous owner to complete the paperwork which is standard here. He is from Trinidad, an island close to Grenada.

He forgot his records in the car and said something to the effect of "Oh, I didn't walk with that paperwork. Oh well, we should be o.k." Then, not 30 minutes later, we went to the insurance company and the underwriter told me I would need to bring C.J.'s licence in to include him on the policy. She said "be sure to walk with your papers when you come back." Meaning, be sure to bring the copy of my insurance policy when I return.

So, that phrase makes sense to Grenadians and I guess people from other islands too. Which in turn makes it perfectly reasonable to use it on a written notice. And that is just a valuable lesson for me about accepting other cultures as unique and not assuming I know how it could be done better.