Airports, airplanes, and fatal cross-cultural (mis)communication
Sometime before I spoke of curiosity as being a cornerstone of intercultural competence. So how culturally curious are you?
Would you travel half way around the world on a whim? When you got there would you remain in the airport without venturing outside, or venture out a little and stay in a jet retired from air service docked on the airport grounds?
Sweden's budget jumbo hostel - BBC news video
The next video is about Japanese traveler Hiroshi Nohara. Nohara-san has been staying at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico for three months, not in a hotel, or day suite, but right in the terminal. According to BBC news reporter Wendy Urquhart, "he flew in from Tokyo in September with a tourist visa and a return ticket, but has never left Terminal 1".
The BBC article goes on to quote Nohara-san as saying: "There is no specific reason (why he chose Mexico). But if I had to come up with an answer then I would say I wanted to breathe the air of Mexico at the airport."
Japanese man living in an airport terminal - BBC news video
Some say he is just seeking a moment of fame, others that he must have watched Terminal too many times that he now believes he is Tom Hanks ( Cast Away version).
I wonder what type of a man he was in Japan before he embarked on this adventure? Was he hanging out at Narita or Haneda for months on end?
CONSIDER THIS:
- He cannot explain why he chose Mexico or why he has not left the terminal.
- He stated that he wanted to "breathe the air of Mexico at the airport".
- He seems willing to engage in cross-cultural conversations with various commuters, terminal visitors, and foreign media.
- He does not seem willing to engage with an authentic "Mexican" environment.
Q. Would you say his living at the airport terminal is related to culture shock ?
Q. Would you say he is experiencing culture stress?
Q. How would you explain his behavior?
FINALLY- (skip this item if you are faint at heart).
A SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE OF CROSS-CULTURAL MISCOMMUNICATION
It is a good thing Nohara-san did not chose to "breathe the air of Canada" at Vancouver International Airport . One man who did met with dire consequences.
Watch the news accounts of the incident (below):
Robert Dziekanski (the man in the white jacket) could not communicate with locals. He did not speak the local languages. His body language, actions, appearance, and distance were inappropriate to communicate an effective message to the police. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers on the other hand, used their own (arguably ethnocentric) standards to assess the situation as dangerous (i.e. the man is clearly distraught and will harm us).
Robert Dziekanski died as a result.
Would you travel half way around the world on a whim? When you got there would you remain in the airport without venturing outside, or venture out a little and stay in a jet retired from air service docked on the airport grounds?
Sweden's budget jumbo hostel - BBC news video
The next video is about Japanese traveler Hiroshi Nohara. Nohara-san has been staying at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico for three months, not in a hotel, or day suite, but right in the terminal. According to BBC news reporter Wendy Urquhart, "he flew in from Tokyo in September with a tourist visa and a return ticket, but has never left Terminal 1".
The BBC article goes on to quote Nohara-san as saying: "There is no specific reason (why he chose Mexico). But if I had to come up with an answer then I would say I wanted to breathe the air of Mexico at the airport."
Japanese man living in an airport terminal - BBC news video
Some say he is just seeking a moment of fame, others that he must have watched Terminal too many times that he now believes he is Tom Hanks ( Cast Away version).
I wonder what type of a man he was in Japan before he embarked on this adventure? Was he hanging out at Narita or Haneda for months on end?
CONSIDER THIS:
- He cannot explain why he chose Mexico or why he has not left the terminal.
- He stated that he wanted to "breathe the air of Mexico at the airport".
- He seems willing to engage in cross-cultural conversations with various commuters, terminal visitors, and foreign media.
- He does not seem willing to engage with an authentic "Mexican" environment.
Q. Would you say his living at the airport terminal is related to culture shock ?
Q. Would you say he is experiencing culture stress?
Q. How would you explain his behavior?
FINALLY- (skip this item if you are faint at heart).
A SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE OF CROSS-CULTURAL MISCOMMUNICATION
It is a good thing Nohara-san did not chose to "breathe the air of Canada" at Vancouver International Airport . One man who did met with dire consequences.
Watch the news accounts of the incident (below):
Robert Dziekanski (the man in the white jacket) could not communicate with locals. He did not speak the local languages. His body language, actions, appearance, and distance were inappropriate to communicate an effective message to the police. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers on the other hand, used their own (arguably ethnocentric) standards to assess the situation as dangerous (i.e. the man is clearly distraught and will harm us).
Robert Dziekanski died as a result.
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