Three Clueless Panamanians

Nicole, Gisela & Ileana with our tour guide for the second part of the journey out west, Brady at Independence Rock, WY

When was the last time you felt like you didn't belong? Out of place? Confused because you didn't understand the language everyone else was speaking? Lost because you weren't aware of the cultural customs of those around you? All that, while still within the borders of your own country?

Well, if you ask me, I'd have to say: a couple of weeks ago when I was on a bus tour of the American West.  Why?  Because that experience was not only a journey throughout an area of the United States that I was not familiar with, but it was also a cultural immersion into the Chinese world.

Yes, somehow, we ended up being the only non-Asian people on a 2000-mile bus tour of the Parks and Monuments of the Rockies....

Our first clue to what was ahead was when we showed up at the meeting place where we were supposed to wait for the bus to pick us up at the hotel in Las Vegas.  As we turned the corner on the long hallway, we got lost in an ocean of unfamiliar surroundings.  We thought we had the wrong location; but quickly we realized we were exactly where we needed to be, as the tour guide approached us, trying to pronounce our names in a way that was difficult for us to recognize.  It wasn't until he said, "Yellowstone Park," that we dared to timidly nod.  Then, he proceeded to show us a clipboard where we did see our names written down, confirming we were part of the tour he was leading.

He walked us through the crowd, and pointed us toward one of the large busses parked outside.  We rolled our suitcases, handed them to the driver, and boarded the bus to the confused stares and murmurs of those who were already in their seats.

When time came, the tour guide entered, grabbed the microphone and began to speak Mandarin.  For what seemed like an eternity, we just sat there, astonished...not moving...petrified...until he finally started his welcoming speech in English...which at least was good enough for us to start breathing again...

That was the beginning of an unforgettable immersion experience that I had not had before.  The days surrounded by Mandarin language and Chinese cultural practices gave me a new appreciation for what most immigrants go through when they move to another country.  I did.  I am an immigrant.  The big difference was that when I first came to this country, I did speak English.  I could understand what was happening around me.  I had studied American culture.  I wasn't 100% familiar with what I encountered, but I was not 100% unfamiliar either. 

The week we spent on that tour bus placed us in the middle of a culture that was completely unfamiliar to us.  It caused us to pause and analyze the potential reasons for the behavior and the historical and cultural realities that part ways with what the three of us are used to.  It made us consider how to best handle unavoidable cultural-clashes.  And it stretched our emotional capabilities in healthy ways that allowed us to take baby steps towards the realization of the great need to acquire as much cultural competence and understanding as possible in order to be able to effectively navigate the diverse nature of our society.

Personally, as a teacher who is always preaching the need to become aware of other cultures; I had the reality check that showed me how I need to follow my own advice.  And, finally, the experience truly humbled me.  I saw how much I still have to learn.  I saw how much I don't know about the world.  I saw the huge gaps in my understanding of other cultures.  I saw my embarrassing limitations.  I saw my own insignificance.

Eventually, we did get a different guide, Brady, a 21-year-old man who had just arrived from his 2-year long, missionary trip to China where he learned to speak perfect Mandarin while presenting Chinese communities with the Mormon faith.  Brady put everything into perspective for us and with his gentle guidance we were able to have a richer appreciation of the scenery and places we visited.  He also taught us the beauty of challenging oneself as one dives in, head first, into an unfamiliar culture.  Wise beyond his years, Brady was a very important part of our learning experience.

Today, as I look back on this trip; I know I will never forget it.  It has already gone down in the history of my life as one of those memories that every time I revisit them, I am transported.  The three clueless Panamanian women lost out west on a bus full of chinese people, not knowing what was next. 

The fond memories that began when we turned the corner on the long hallway at the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas and saw what awaited us...and the laughter when we realized what we inadvertenly had booked ourselves into will always remain...priceless...