The village isn't like the city in the sense that not everyone speaks English (or at least a bit of it). So we really can't communicate with the people in the village... through words that is. We have started to adapt and use hand gestures when we can, but most importantly just smiling and laughing. A smile really is universal and can welcome everyone, no matter what language you speak. I tested it out a bit, I tried picking up one of the village kids with a straight face, but still in a friendly manner, and she hesitated and resisted. Five minutes later, I went up to the same girl with a huge smile on my face and lifted her up without a problem. They need us to smile to understand that we're not upset with them and that we have good intentions.
If we throw a ball with a smile on our face, they don't need us to tell them to throw it back, they will do it automatically. Everyone here, the kids especially, are always smiling and laughing... the only time I saw one of them cry was when he accidently got hit in the head with a frisbee. So it doesn't matter that we don't speak the same language and yes it's just a small other thing to adapt to, but that's okay because somehow, we can still understand each other. I know all of this is corny, but we really can communicate by smiling. It expresses that you're happy, that you're okay with something that is happening, that you're glad to see someone, that you're having fun or whatever else. And I mean, when I tripped and landed on my face, everybody started laughing, it didn't matter that we can't communicate with words. And who cares, it adds another challenge and it's also sort of fun trying to figure out what the other person means.
As long as the smiles are genuine, and you don't get into the habit of plastering a happy mask onto your face, then yes, a smile really is that important.
LM
If we throw a ball with a smile on our face, they don't need us to tell them to throw it back, they will do it automatically. Everyone here, the kids especially, are always smiling and laughing... the only time I saw one of them cry was when he accidently got hit in the head with a frisbee. So it doesn't matter that we don't speak the same language and yes it's just a small other thing to adapt to, but that's okay because somehow, we can still understand each other. I know all of this is corny, but we really can communicate by smiling. It expresses that you're happy, that you're okay with something that is happening, that you're glad to see someone, that you're having fun or whatever else. And I mean, when I tripped and landed on my face, everybody started laughing, it didn't matter that we can't communicate with words. And who cares, it adds another challenge and it's also sort of fun trying to figure out what the other person means.
As long as the smiles are genuine, and you don't get into the habit of plastering a happy mask onto your face, then yes, a smile really is that important.
LM
