I have just come back from a fabulous trip to Brazil visiting Iguazzu Falls, the Panatanal and Rio de Jainero. While in Rio I had to seek medical care because I discovered that I had a tick embedded on my thigh no doubt brought along from the Safari excursion in the Wetlands. Since I do not speak Portugese finding medical care was not easy. I stopped at several medical offices where no one spoke English. I was not even able to tell them what I needed. It is a very helpless feeling to not be able to communicate. Finally I did find a dermatologist. I was so relieved when this doctor spoke English and was able to remove the tick.
What I also realized about myself was that I had not bothered to learn even the smallest amount of Portugese. I assumed that most people would know some English and that I would be able to get by just fine. The tick episode showed me how arrogant my attitude was. I wanted others to understand me without my asserting any effort to be understood. This is a common situation when communication feels stuck in a relationship. We keep hoping the other person will assert effort and change and get put out when he/she does not. It is when we are willing to look at our own part that communication begins to change.
