Things are starting to come together around here. Foreign students are beginning to arrive and the administrative and logistical aspects are coming together. My boss is not happy, as everything that is still being done was completed by this time last year. It’s not as perfect as it should be, but it looks like everything will be done on or close to deadlines.
There is usually a bit of a superior attitude in first world militaries. We see any problems not as simple problems inherent in military operations (there is always some) but as a reflection of the military we are dealing with. A problem or mistake is sometimes taken as a sign the military personnel of that country are lazy or incompetent while our mistakes are just errors. This bit of cultural superiority is something you have to guard against or it will subtly colour your attitude, the host country will pick up on it and affect your relations and ability to work with people. The point I am making is universal and can be applied to almost any group. I have seen this happen between agencies in Canada, such as between the military and RCMP. I have found the best thing to do is to take a relaxed approach and reserve judgement. When working in a different culture, be prepared for things to be run in a way which your cultural biases may consider inferior. I find this clash of cultures all very interesting.
I called the wife last night and she answered. She is a mind reader. Before I made a comment about her not being home the other night, she explained where she was and what she was doing. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. I am not a jealous guy. I trust my wife and I feel very secure in our relationship. It still needs to be maintained, but I am not worried. These comments about jealousy and being suspicious are really part of a little game we play. I get to be the macho, jealous husband and she the hot wife that every other man must be after. We are not your average young newlyweds. We both have had enough relationships before we met to know what we want in a partner. She is very independent and she would not have married me if she didn’t want to. Due to our age and experience, I tend to believe that our relationship rests on a stronger base than your average 20-something married couple.
However, I could be wrong. If I examine it closely I guess there are reasons other than love for us to be married. I was planning of getting out of the army when we met and getting married allowed me to put off getting a real job. And she was not exactly a spring chicken when we met. It could be said I saved her from a life as a spinster with a rapidly increasing family of cats and I at least dampened the strident ticking of her biological clock. Maybe I was just the nearest one around when the ticking became too loud.
Note to self: Call friends and have wife followed.
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