EAST VS. WEST

22nd March 2010

It has been long since I last wrote. In fact, writing has lessened after I left the native land. So, taking opportunity of the vacations, I am hurriedly trying to fill the blog pages. The idea for this topic stroke while travelling to Stonehenge and Salisbury. Actually, was inspired by one Welsh friend as he said the idea for group assignment came to him on his return back home in a train. So, carried a diary and thought why not use the useless five hours of a bus? However, it needs to be mentioned that two hours was sleeping on the way back Cardiff, one hour eating and talking (listening rather), one hour watching the landscape, half an hour for remaining blank, looking here and there and other people, driver’s map guide and so on. So, remaining half an hour was what I utilised to scribble down a few points that stroke my head.

The first scene to hit the head is the difference between terrace farming and bush farming (do not know what it is called and no time for dictionary research). The fields are separated by the even-cut bushes, the way they are by the levelled soil in Nepal (aali or dill). The other difference is between cars and bikes. Compared to bikes that run in Kathmandu streets, here are the swift cars and bikes are negligible in number. The other point is grasslands and wastelands. The big green lands are for grazing cattle where mostly sheep are seen despite the heavy rainfall. In contrast, there are many barren unused lands in my native land. These are a few things noticed right away.

Now, I would like to list other important aspects here. People are polite and aware if they might be causing troubles for others in any way. Saying “thank you” and “sorry” and letting go others first are what we should be learning from them. They are neat and tidy although rough. Eating and drinking on the way to work and travel is common as there is a rush. However, the streets and the atmosphere are fresh and clean. Big bins are everywhere and they are emptied before it is late. Life is a rush. They run, we walk. So, it is faster here. Pace is hard to be met. ‘Think fast, act fast’. We are left behind if we lack them.

Our opinions are important no matter what. Instead of seeking perfect ideas leading nowhere along with teasing and backbiting, motivation and improvement are encouraged for excellence. This, in fact, leads effortlessly to perfection. The nature of accomplishing tasks is “working under pressure” for which deadlines are set for each action. It is such that more is gained in a short time in contrast to relaxed working patterns in us resulting less achievement in a long duration. The most important thing to learn is discipline and strictness. Our lenient working style again leads us nowhere. There is discipline in everything, in whatever is said or done.

So, what I would like to say is west is different than east. We know that. There are positive and negative aspects in both the cultures. It is wise to pick out the good factors from each of them and follow them instead of grumbling about the negative aspects and feeling helpless, to make our place better to live in. So, oh, ‘We’! Let’s learn so much from the ‘Others’. It’s time.