Why aye! Jammy Dean got a canny four day holiday, aye?
When I worked in New York, one of the modules that I taught during orientation was cultural competency. New York is still a melting pot of cultures, which could have someone in an Asian home, a Muslim home, an African-American home, and an Orhodox Jewish home, all before lunch! We prided ourselves on the work we did to adapt to each home we entered.
Frankly, I didn't expect the culture here in England to be that much of a challenge. Wow, was I off base about that!
The title to this week's post translates into "Oh yeah! Lucky Dean got a good four day weekend, don't you think?" The dialect is either Geordie or Macam, I'm still not sure which, as the boundaries blur in the area I live. May my higher power help me if I accidentally call a Geordie a Macam or vice-versa as there is a huge rivalry between the football (soccer) teams as well as the two towns of Sunderland and Newcastle. I know nothing about soccer, but I'm going to have to learn fast in order to establish any rapport with the clients. Patients recoil at being called "sir" or "ma'am" as that is "too posh for us!" For me it has always been the default greeting as a sign of respect; not here!
This is not the Britain from Merchant Ivory films, more like the characters from The Full Monty. They value an increased personal space (don't get too close!) but will tell a very racy joke without batting an eye. One can't discuss "Urine" or "Bowels" but instead one asks "How's you're waterworks?" When I asked one older patient about how she managed washing up, she told me that her son does the dishes. "Washing up" refers not to personal hygiene, but rather kitchen cleanliness here.
As the saying about the US and the UK goes, "Two countries separated by a common language." I'm having a heck of a time negotiating the language, the social protocols and the new realm of "football."
So until next time, "Why Aye! Happy new year, pet! Ta, cheers, and Tyrrah!"