For school, I arranged more lists of students into 50-person classes. This was stupidly boring, the saving grace being that I was learning how to pronounce names. However, the people I was working with didn't know how to use simple Portuguese or speak clearly, so I understood less than usual.
When doing work at school, it's routine now to get lots of people staring in through windows or doors, smiling or laughing. This, of course, is nothing new, and I have completely adjusted to it.
The cockroach count today is 2 dead and counting. I think I shall rename my flip-flops some creature name that makes reference to some obscure aspect of pop culture, implying that they kill lots of roaches. That would be the "cute" thing to do, after all...
In terms of creativity, I was really surprised to see that a lot of people in my training group think I'm creative. We all made little slips of feel-good things about other people, and many of mine made reference to this quality.
This is interesting because it definitely was not always the case, and I think it's the first time my attention has been called to the transition I've made since about junior high school to now. I've had teachers and peers who have pushed me to try new things and truly understand what it means to think outside the box. And, in college, what pushed me into really opening up the spigot of "creativity" was acting and specifically character work. There was an article in CWRU (Case Western Reserve University) magazine about one of my best professors who fostered this "don't eliminate any possibility" mentality. And today, it pervades every aspect of my life, from cooking to teaching to career choices. Really, I've found a way to recognize the underlying assumptions and the real constraints of a situation, then explore the space between. I don't think anyone ever explicitly told me that, but it was a good way to explore a character and it's a good method to enhance anything I'm doing. Ultimately, the thing that enhances creativity is a combination of an open mind, mixed with perfectionism that manifests itself in jealousy toward those who are creative. I think when I stop being challenged by others is when I will have to change my scenery. I don't foresee this ever happening, because there are way too many talented people everywhere.
It's taken me a while to see the talents here in Moz, but they're starting to surface as I shift my view of the world from an American way of looking at things to a broader scope. It's easy to say that people here are inefficient or aren't shrewd businessmen, but saying those kinds of things just doesn't make sense here, because they aren't valued. Just like taking the time to tend to a customer's every need, talk about nothing in particular, ask genuinely how they are doing, and in general form a personal relationship even at the basic food shops isn't an American value.
I'm on my third journal now, and I hope everyone's enjoying the ride as much as I am!
Peace
John
