Languages and mores, Part III

Part II discussed stratification of society and Part I culture and communication: Let's extend this further re: migrating populations. This stems from chatting with a non-status south Korean in England as a conscientious objector, whom Quakers have support before re: social justice.  Follow on next post here.

Twenty years after

Following the previous post, here's another story I remembered from contacting a friend online. This relates to when I was industry manager at ESRI in So. Cal. 2000-2006. When 9/11 happened late 2001, the local ESRI office set up what we call a pop-up for GIS mapping. First a pop-up in British malls is a temporary shop filling empty spaces be they unoccupied stores or open areas in the mall. Second the  mapping systems use are called GIS or geographic information system for they integrate all manner of map and imagery data into a comprehensive eye-catching final map report. This is a story I had relayed to me by the then NYC manager for ESRI to help first responders in the wake of 9/11. As this was 20 yrs. ago, there are no photos and it's a simple narrative from memory I have not checked against ESRI staff at the time. Even if it turns out to be an urban legend, it's an interesting case study nonetheless.

Thirty-five years after

 While this blog is about Kuwait, I digressed in the last post and let me do so more now. I happen to have given a story about my summer in the Arctic, so I thought I'd post it here. They cannot be further apart in terms of climate, but not so in terms of population distribution or colonial history...

Languages and mores - Part II

Update: added Potted History of Hungary, or 1000 yrs in 100 squares, 4 columns by 25 rows

This follows on the second last post, Languages and Mores, which mused on culture and communication. I extend that here based on my many travels and stint in Kuwait, as well as my Hungarian heritage - thanks to my co-counsellors for helping me recover my Hungarian identity - and follow-on next un this series here.

A new kind of adventure

In the spring term break of 2011 near Easter, Sandra and Petra came to visit me. The landlord kindly had an extra single bed be set for Petra in the living room while Sandra joined me in my bedroom. The weather was a perfect balmy high twenties Celsius / high eighties Fahrenheit peaking into thirties and nineties respectively middays only “mad dogs and Englishmen” would venture out in LOL

Languages and mores

Update: go to Part II, blog after next, for more musings on culture and communications. 

This follows on my previous post: Migrants and refugees: As I was employed by a local distributor, I had a contract written in Arabic. I met a Liverpudlian converted to Islam c/w new name, Emirati wife and two young children, who kindly translated it for me... He warned me however that contract wasn't worth the paper it was printed on! Why? Arabic is a symbolic language, and words can have various meanings depending on circumstances. Arabic culture is still based on desert heritage and tribal leaders, they have majlis (not to be confused with masjids root of mosque) or men's councils... and the Kuwaiti parliament cancelled itself last 2010, as all it was doing was rubber-stamp princes' decrees!