By Benedict V. Santosh, SJ
Lessons
10 Lessons for Life I’ve learned from Taiwan Be friendly My first Taiwanese friend was my co-passenger on my flight from Kuala Lumpur to Taipei. She took the initiative to start a conversation. Taiwanese, by nature, are very friendly and hospitable. They go out of the way to make foreigners comfortable. Be sensitive Taiwanese people are extremely sensitive to the needs of others. The way they queue up at the metro stations or the way they use the escalator at the malls and other public places witness to their highly evolved sensitivity and sensibility. They limit physical contact to the minimum possible level. Any deliberate physical touch means a lot to them - much more than any word could communicate. Don’t be greedy People here earn as much as they can and spend as much as they can. Stealing or corruption is very minimal. Even while eating, they consume only as much as they need. They don’t overeat. This may be the reason why it is hard to see an obese Chinese. Try to make others happy In the Far East they emphasize ‘Harmony’. They always put the other first. Hence they try to make others happy. At least they try their best not to make others sad. Consequently the way they express anger, sadness and even joy is very subtle. Therefore a person from Tamil Nadu like me has to learn to listen with all my senses to decipher their emotions. Respect elders and authority The Chinese people always respect elders and authority. Without a second thought they obey elders and authority figures, because they believe that their ancestral wisdom holds the key to success. Even today when their costumes and material comforts have changed, they still honour the traditional values and the teachings of Confucius and his disciples. Work hard Wherever in the world they may be, the Chinese people work really hard. Thiis is why they are very competitive. They fix a goal for themselves and keep marching towards it, irrespective of personal costs. They earn the respect of the society through their hard work and perseverance. And they owe their success to perseverance and industriousness.
V. Benedict Santosh SJ (MDU) is currently doing his third year of regency in Taiwan that belongs to the Chinese Province. He has been missioned to work with the young people of the region.
Take care of your health I guess one reason why the Chinese are generally healthy is they learn to respect themselves. This means they respect their bodies, which is their most important possession. They eat moderately. In contrast to us, Indians, they have their supper rather early - at around 6 p.m. and a couple of hours later they jog in parks, university campuses and woods conserved by the government! I see quite frequently people even at the age of 70 and 80 cycling or even trekking mountains. Respect Nature I was amazed and quite impressed by the way sourceseparation of waste and recycling products is done here in Taiwan: It is next to perfect. They are meticulous in separating the biodegradable waste, recyclable waste, brittle wastes and the plastics. Consequently the garbage dumps are easier to manage. National parks, other community parks and the natural habitats in hills, mountains and riverside are protected by what they call ‘Leave No Trail’ policy. The Taiwanese do not litter in these zones. They respect nature. Plan This is one of the Chinese traits which have made an indelible mark in me. When they plan an event they do extensive paper work and plan every detail. When they get into a relationship, they are very cautious to begin with; they try to observe the person from a distance and slowly inch closer. They are very aware and careful in building a relationship. This is quite evident especially among the middle-aged people. This may be the reason why their relationships usually progress and not the other way round. Love The ultimate lesson that I have learnt here is the way they love and are loved. Their love and the way they express their love and concern are subtle and delicate - as they express other emotions. Everything is marked by mildness and gentleness. The way the parents express their love to children and teachers to their students all follow a pattern – to enable them to be successful in life. Success, of course, means a longer life, higher social status and earning more money. Parents, teachers and all elders express their love by making sure that their children do whatever is needed to be healthy, wealthy and happy. Sometimes this is interpreted as conditional love. So if we can bear witness to Jesus’ unconditional love, we can win the whole world for Him.
JIVAN: News and Views of Jesuits in India AUGUST 2012
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