Last year I had an opportunity to teach Indian students, alongside my usual Japanese students, it was an amazing experiance. 376tn

India and South Africa have a lot in common; cricket, former British Colonies, Mahatma Ghandi, English as an official language and tigers. That last one is a joke.

Japan, on the other hand, has more in common with the United States of America. Let’s face it, Japan is pretty much a colony of the USA, ever since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They even learn American English in most Japanese schools, and most foreign English teachers in Japan come from the States.

So even though Indian and South Africa are so far apart, this South African felt quite at home with a class full of Indian students. They knew all about Mandela and Graeme Smith and could speak English fluently. It almost felt like home.

Still, just because they could speak English didn’t mean communication was smooth. Accents and a different way of speaking play a huge role in getting your point across. My students need things given to them slowly and clearly, and our guests had a much bigger vocabulary, but communication still happened. Big smiles and hugs were enough proof that, when you cross cultural boundaries, friendships form.