Ejovi Nuwere

I guess I touched too closely on the topic of English throughout the globe since I received my first negative comments on my blog. In my question “Why are these countries so different?” I’m asking why is it that more people in Japan speak English than in Spain? Is it because Japanese import more Western movies, music, culture?

In Spain for example they make it a habit to pronounce foreign words in a uniquely Spanish way. Wi-Fi (Why-Fie) is pronounced wifi (weefee) in Spain. I saw no companies, buildings etc with foreign names. Many buildings, cafes and businesses in Japan use foreign names. Ask me why? I don’t know.

Of course no one HAS to speak English. As I said, I want to improve my Spanish if I plan on spending more time in Spain. I speak Japanese but I find that when I’m in Tokyo, a very foreigner friendly city Japanese people try to speak English to me! Even when I am speaking Japanese to them. It becomes a contest of who will give up first.

Its ridiculous to assume I want everyone in the world to speak English. But when a city is competing for the Olympics one of the top three things the committee looks at is how friendly it will be to foreigners. This means signs in English. Not portugese, or farsi. With more than 21 countries in the EU if you want to do business in Europe, what are you going to do? Learn 21+ languages? No, you learn English! You don’t have to speak English. But if you want to communicate with anyone outside of your country, you better.

While in Spain at times I felt completely lost because of my lack of Spanish language ability. Its actually shocking how few people in Spain speak English. Of course I should learn Spanish if I want to spend time in Spain but its a stark contrast to Japan.

In Japan young people on the street generally have very good listening comprehension. Speaking is hit or miss. But when I asked young people in Spain for directions they looked at me like…well, like I was speaking a foreign language. They couldn’t understand a single word I was saying nor could they respond.

However in Spain almost everyone in the business world I met had a really good command of English. In Japan its the opposite. Its shocking to meet Japanese diplomats who speak no English. Isn’t the language of business and diplomacy English?

Why are these countries so different? Maybe the answer is in how much a country embraces American or British culture.

I’ve been in Spain this week learning, working and exploring. Let me share with you some of my experiences this week.

Taxi driver robs me: The meter said 23 euro. He turns it off, looks at a paper in his window visor and says “OK, 45 euro!” The FON office said it should only costs 20 euro and the meter said 23. So I gave him thirty and I said, “no, it said 23″ of course he didn’t understand my English, so I say “OK, let me call my office” then he started to panic and said “OK! OK!” and unloaded my luggage and begged me to get out before someone from the office came down. So he got away with an extra 7 euro.

Spanish food is amazing: When Spanish people visit America they are always disappointed with the food. Now I know why. Spanish ham is amazing for example. Thinly sliced ham that melts in your mouth. I’ve never had anything like it before. And Spanish wine is amazing.

Lunch isn’t lunch: Business deals are done over lunch. I didn’t find this out until after my first lunch. In Japan deals are done after many beers with your knecktie wrapped around your head.

Today I went to the gym again for the second time since I signed up. I’d like to go regularly, say 3 times a week but I haven’t had the time.

Something that slipped my mind hit me today, literally. It feels really good when you are punching and kicking the bag, but when the bag hits back you start to see things as they are and not as you imagine it to be. There is a saying in fighting circles that “the bag don’t hit back.” Meaning no matter how hard you train by yourself, it doesn’t mean anything until you get in the ring. The only way to become a better fighter is to fight. In trying to improve ourselves and prepare to win we often forget that winning requires fighting.

What I’m bad at now is that I don’t like getting hit. Of course no one likes getting hit but to win fights you need to accept that you will get hit. And when you get hit you have to keep your cool and keep trying. Hitting the bag alone doesn’t teach you those skills. This is the school of hard knocks.

I rarely make a human connection with the “cool” or “successful” people I’ve come to know. Its most natural to enjoy being around people who are similar to you and I’m rarely around people similar to me. Juantomas Garcia, FON’s CTO is similar to me I’d like to think.

If anything I can thank FON for introducing me to him. Juantomas is an amazing technologist. The head of the very huge Spanish linux movement. But more then being a technologist he is human, down to earth and altruistic. Truely altruistic. Juantomas was largely responsible for bringing over 1 million computers into the school system in Spain. All running Linux! Spain now averages 1 computer to every two children and there is a computer in every classroom. He convinced politicians that Linux would make it easier and cheaper to get computers into schools. And after Juantomas accomplished all of this, he didn’t run for political office.

Juantomas is not a politician, he isn’t super wealthy but he cares, in this way I’d like to think we are similar. He figured out a way to use technology to help people. He dedicated years of his personal time, money and expertise to make it happen. I haven’t been able to accomplish anything close to what he has but I’m trying. Knowing Juantomas reminds me of what can be done.