The past two days I've had a crack at interpreting, for two Congolese women, Mennonite theologians from Kinshasa. I was nervous, not for the basic language component, but about diving into a different culture and then reflecting it back in a comprehensible way. I was also worried about experiencing everything they talked about twice (in French and in English), especially the stories of violence. But it was ok! In fact, I ended up feeling tremendously blessed and invigorated by both experiences: the visit with the psychologist on Thursday, to discuss therapy for trauma victims, and the visit to CPT on Friday, to learn about CPT's history and current projects, including the recent exploratory delegations to the D.R. Congo.
I'm more convinced than ever of the importance of learning languages, for the equally important nurturing of cross-cultural relationships. But is there even room in our urban reality for such experiences? We spend all our time rushing around accomplishing stuff, and then stopping abruptly to do self-care, and then get right back to hyper-productive mode. Reminds me of the Goddess of Productivity Julian G. from Colombia talks about in an article. Wait a minute; it's not very enlightening to use the plural here to paint everyone around me with the broad brush of my perception, when really I'm the one re-examining how I live my life.
Specifically I'm wondering about friendships and community - I don't live very near my closest friends, and I'm even further from my parents and siblings, but is that any reason not to nurture and build relationships with the people I do live with? The older single men in the two apartments down the hall, for example, one a heavy smoker, the other very hard of hearing. Or the Chinese couple who walk really early in the morning. Or the Indian couple who lead the yoga class and from whom I learned about breathing. That silly facebook phenomenon of collecting friends had me thinking a while ago about an over-consumption of relationships, which become disposable because they're so numerous. Who needs family, when they can be replaced by friends? Who needs friends who are demanding, when they can be replaced by other friends? Who wants to be friends with someone who can't offer me social advancement, or personal enrichment, or be a mirror to reflect who I am or want to be? Who needs to live with inconvenience, I'm not obligated to anyone but myself. And maybe my spouse.
A little grim, I'm being. Must be all that Russian immersion into melancholy in my childhood. Let me blame at least the mood on the most convenient suspect, and suspend follow-up on the ideas for the moment. Until a flash of insight strikes, showing a clear and obvious path. Or at least a crack in the gloom to give a hint of the way forward.
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2 comments:
MAN! Why can't French come easily to me. Siiiiiigh. I shall have to reimmerse myself when the time is right. Sounds like an interesting couple of days, looking forward to chatting about it sometime.
Hee hee... I've created a facebook group hoping to make more friends at UofT family housing! Sort of meshes the bad with the good, I think. Hopefully it will work; we're sick of playing Dutch Blitz by ourselves!
That is a lovely combination, Debbie. I hope it's fruitful! Have a look at the article by Julian G (I just added the link to the original post, so you'll have to go scroll down it again), I think you'll find it interesting. And, if I may be the bossy aunt again: French does come easily to you. Not without effort, but easily. You're just not in the right moment. When you get there, it will again and still come easily to you. So there :-)
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