Saturday, March 17, 2012

Emi-Great

If I were you I might be a better something or other.

If many expats have Type A personalities, but not all do, then some must be Type B.

The description of Type B uses words like apathetic, patient, relaxed, easy-going, unscheduled, sensitive. So a sloth, albeit a genial one.

But a nice expat is more, and a great one is even more than that.

Think someone who notices the ways of others, different ways, and doesn't step in to make corrections. Think waiting. Think watching. Think learning. Think thinking.

Think thinking that different ways could be worse, or better. Or just different.

Think someone who tries to be a good neighbor. Someone who starts a library, or volunteers. Maybe teaches part-time, for no gain, to be useful. Someone who spends a few dollars for shirts so the kids can look like a real soccer team. Someone who learns the language.

Someone who sweeps the street out front, and for the neighbors too.

Someone people come to think of as pretty much OK. Which is more than OK.

It's great.