We all know that people are the same wherever you go

I was very excited when I saw the list of colleagues I would be spending time with during my stay in Mexico. There were so many different countries and cultures represented. I knew there was a requirement that all must speak English but I wasn't sure how well we would communicate even if we did understand the words that were spoken. You all know I have a very different sense of humor and it's not always easily understood. I am well acquainted with sarcasm and I wasn't sure how well that would translate for those to whom English is a secondary language.

It's important to me that people think I'm funny and only a lack of understanding would prevent that.

What a fantastic discovery to find such down-to-earth and "regular" people among my fellow students. Despite the difference in cultures and language we are all getting along great and the conversation has been lively and fun. Obviously we all have our careers in common but we also all have a motivation to be better and to become more valuable by increasing our knowledge and experience. I have only been with these people for two days but I already have learned from them and anticipate being impacted in lasting ways by each of them.

Countries represented in our class include Jamaica, USA, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Philippines, Czech Republic and Albania. I am learning fascinating things about all of these places and wonderful things about these individuals. Our leader mentioned that he hoped we would start as colleagues but develop into friends. I know that I will develop lasting and edifying friendships with all of these individuals. It is already starting.

All in the class are male with the exception of one woman from Brazil. What a tough person she must be and how much more patient she will become after spending this time with us. She speaks Portuguese which is the closest language we have in our group to Spanish. So, by default, she is our translator. In fact, she helped me avoid a near disaster by making sure that the waiter knew I wanted my steak sliced for fajitas rather than whole. What a hero!

We all are feeling sorry for our Italian friend and all the difficulties he faces due to the labor situation in his country. There are so many things we take for granted that really make running a business and managing performance much more difficult for him. He is a great guy and is just interested in finding a way to be successful within his current situation.

There is much more to tell about many of them and I'm sure I'll get a chance to do that in the coming days. I'm really looking forward to the time I get to share with these unique people and I'm hoping that I'll be able to impact their lives for good like I know they will impact mine.

First Impressions

After weeks of anticipation I arrived in Monterrey Mexico to start my five weeks of living and learning and trying not to make a fool of myself. I love having the opportunity to visit new places and experience new cultures. I pride myself on being somewhat of a Renaissance Man. I know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things. I think the fact that I can roll my "R's" and I like spicy food makes Mexico a perfect fit for me.

I arrived on Sunday after an uneventful trip that only had me delayed by 30 minutes or so. Thankfully I had a good book to read on the plane and didn't even realize we had been delayed. Of course I was without a book on my last trip when I sat on a plane for 10 hours (5 on the ground and 5 in the air). I kept myself occupied during that delay by drifting in and out of sanity. My host was at the airport to pick me up about 10 minutes after I arrived so that was nice that I didn't have to wait that long. She was accompnied by a man who I assumed to be her husband or other acquaintance. He was holding a sign with my name on it just below the large red letters on his soccer shirt. Reading in a traditional Left-to-right, top-to-bottom fashion the message read "BIMBO...Adam Larsen - Teleperformance". I didn't know if he was making a judgement about me, or if this was only missing the question mark and he was offering to help me find a "companion".

Turns out, BIMBO is the name of a company that sponsors his favorite soccer/football team.

We arrived at the hotel and I got checked in without incident. Thankfully. The hotel is nice and the rooms are clean. I'm most impressed by the extra large buttons for flushing the toilet. No, that's not a type-o. There are two buttons for flushing. One seems to be for an average flush that should take care of any average activity. The larger button, larger for a reason I guess, is some sort of Super Flush that sends all of the tub water from the room directly above me shooting down the toilet carrying with it anything in the vicinity that is not tied down. It...is...AWESOME!

I'll make sure to write about any other unique aspects of my accomodations that I'm sure you'll all find fascinating. Stay tuned for lots more adventures and insight into my time away from home!