Well Weathered<\/h1><\/div>Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations<\/h2><\/div>Monthly Travel Column by Paul W. Gioffi
\nEdition 15<\/p><\/h3><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nDisclaimer:\u00a0<\/span>While travel can be exciting and rewarding there are unforeseen dangers that may arise. The Information presented in Paul’s articles is the author’s personal opinion and what may have worked for him yesterday may not work for someone else today or tomorrow. Therefore, you agree to use any and all information provided by the author at your own risk and agree that you will hold the author and ISR harmless in regard to any and all instances that may arise or result from use of this material.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Following, you’ll find travel tip 36 from Paul W. Gioffi. To read the introduction to this column which began in February of 2006 please see\u00a0Edition 1.<\/a>\u00a0To access other previous editions please see the\u00a0Index.<\/a><\/p><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>Entry 36: Yes, I’m Still Here<\/h2><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>To put it bluntly, being a pain in the ass will sometimes get you what you need. I’m not talking about picking fist fights, making prank telephone calls or jumping into the bushes after ringing someone’s doorbell. It means being diligent, persistent and unwavering when trying to put closure to items in your daily schedule, sometimes almost to the point of what some might consider rude. In my opinion, it isn\u2019t being rude, it\u2019s holding true to expectations, standards and the truth. Therein lay the problem. Being a North American, I was raised with certain expectations, standards and truths – all of which I\u2019ve learned can be quite relative particularly when traveling in the third world. At first, I brought all of my standards with me like carry-on luggage wondering why others let things happen in such a sloppy and inefficient manner. I came to realize that adjustments must be made if one is to avoid a nervous breakdown. In some cultures, time is relative, the truth is mutable and public services are seasonal. I\u2019ve found that many public and private service representatives, even in North America, would rather ignore you than perform their function as they should (that\u2019s from a cynical optimist’s point of view). Particularly in the third world, I\u2019ve learned that there are masses of people who are in a socioeconomic station that does not permit upward mobility. I suspect that they may ask themselves why they should try harder? Why expend the extra energy to help out me, a foreigner, someone they don\u2019t even know? I can appreciate the Chinese concept of wu wei, or taking no purposeful action but, in some instances I\u2019ve found that taking action, sometimes to the point of a restraining order (that\u2019s a joke), is necessary. Adjustments are fine but do not allow someone to take advantage of your principles or good nature. No, I\u2019m not going to be put on hold for thirty minutes or call back later. No, I don\u2019t believe you when you tell me, for the third time, that it will be ready by Friday. No, that\u2019s not a valid restriction for someone holding a paper airline ticket. Yes, I am going to continue to harass you until you tell me the truth, keep your word, do your job and provide me with the service that you should be providing. Assimilate, adjust, have patience. Don\u2019t, however, let people take advantage of you especially when the clock is ticking. Just ask them to be lazy and forgetful after you leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Well Weathered Article Index<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/paul_authorsmall.jpg\")
<\/a>I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of Well-Weathered Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations. Check back next month for a new entry.\u00a0Until then, safe travels.
\n<\/span><\/span>Contact me at Well_Weathered@yahoo.com<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/h3>\nLearn more about Paul Gioffi<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2102,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9297"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9297\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations<\/h2><\/div>Monthly Travel Column by Paul W. Gioffi
\nEdition 15<\/p><\/h3><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nDisclaimer:\u00a0<\/span>While travel can be exciting and rewarding there are unforeseen dangers that may arise. The Information presented in Paul’s articles is the author’s personal opinion and what may have worked for him yesterday may not work for someone else today or tomorrow. Therefore, you agree to use any and all information provided by the author at your own risk and agree that you will hold the author and ISR harmless in regard to any and all instances that may arise or result from use of this material.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Following, you’ll find travel tip 36 from Paul W. Gioffi. To read the introduction to this column which began in February of 2006 please see\u00a0Edition 1.<\/a>\u00a0To access other previous editions please see the\u00a0Index.<\/a><\/p><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>Entry 36: Yes, I’m Still Here<\/h2><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>To put it bluntly, being a pain in the ass will sometimes get you what you need. I’m not talking about picking fist fights, making prank telephone calls or jumping into the bushes after ringing someone’s doorbell. It means being diligent, persistent and unwavering when trying to put closure to items in your daily schedule, sometimes almost to the point of what some might consider rude. In my opinion, it isn\u2019t being rude, it\u2019s holding true to expectations, standards and the truth. Therein lay the problem. Being a North American, I was raised with certain expectations, standards and truths – all of which I\u2019ve learned can be quite relative particularly when traveling in the third world. At first, I brought all of my standards with me like carry-on luggage wondering why others let things happen in such a sloppy and inefficient manner. I came to realize that adjustments must be made if one is to avoid a nervous breakdown. In some cultures, time is relative, the truth is mutable and public services are seasonal. I\u2019ve found that many public and private service representatives, even in North America, would rather ignore you than perform their function as they should (that\u2019s from a cynical optimist’s point of view). Particularly in the third world, I\u2019ve learned that there are masses of people who are in a socioeconomic station that does not permit upward mobility. I suspect that they may ask themselves why they should try harder? Why expend the extra energy to help out me, a foreigner, someone they don\u2019t even know? I can appreciate the Chinese concept of wu wei, or taking no purposeful action but, in some instances I\u2019ve found that taking action, sometimes to the point of a restraining order (that\u2019s a joke), is necessary. Adjustments are fine but do not allow someone to take advantage of your principles or good nature. No, I\u2019m not going to be put on hold for thirty minutes or call back later. No, I don\u2019t believe you when you tell me, for the third time, that it will be ready by Friday. No, that\u2019s not a valid restriction for someone holding a paper airline ticket. Yes, I am going to continue to harass you until you tell me the truth, keep your word, do your job and provide me with the service that you should be providing. Assimilate, adjust, have patience. Don\u2019t, however, let people take advantage of you especially when the clock is ticking. Just ask them to be lazy and forgetful after you leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Well Weathered Article Index<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/a>I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of Well-Weathered Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations. Check back next month for a new entry.\u00a0Until then, safe travels.
\n<\/span><\/span>Contact me at Well_Weathered@yahoo.com<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/h3>\nLearn more about Paul Gioffi<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2102,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9297"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9297\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Monthly Travel Column by Paul W. Gioffi
\nEdition 15<\/p><\/h3><\/div>
\nDisclaimer:\u00a0<\/span>While travel can be exciting and rewarding there are unforeseen dangers that may arise. The Information presented in Paul’s articles is the author’s personal opinion and what may have worked for him yesterday may not work for someone else today or tomorrow. Therefore, you agree to use any and all information provided by the author at your own risk and agree that you will hold the author and ISR harmless in regard to any and all instances that may arise or result from use of this material.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Following, you’ll find travel tip 36 from Paul W. Gioffi. To read the introduction to this column which began in February of 2006 please see\u00a0Edition 1.<\/a>\u00a0To access other previous editions please see the\u00a0Index.<\/a><\/p><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>Entry 36: Yes, I’m Still Here<\/h2><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>To put it bluntly, being a pain in the ass will sometimes get you what you need. I’m not talking about picking fist fights, making prank telephone calls or jumping into the bushes after ringing someone’s doorbell. It means being diligent, persistent and unwavering when trying to put closure to items in your daily schedule, sometimes almost to the point of what some might consider rude. In my opinion, it isn\u2019t being rude, it\u2019s holding true to expectations, standards and the truth. Therein lay the problem. Being a North American, I was raised with certain expectations, standards and truths – all of which I\u2019ve learned can be quite relative particularly when traveling in the third world. At first, I brought all of my standards with me like carry-on luggage wondering why others let things happen in such a sloppy and inefficient manner. I came to realize that adjustments must be made if one is to avoid a nervous breakdown. In some cultures, time is relative, the truth is mutable and public services are seasonal. I\u2019ve found that many public and private service representatives, even in North America, would rather ignore you than perform their function as they should (that\u2019s from a cynical optimist’s point of view). Particularly in the third world, I\u2019ve learned that there are masses of people who are in a socioeconomic station that does not permit upward mobility. I suspect that they may ask themselves why they should try harder? Why expend the extra energy to help out me, a foreigner, someone they don\u2019t even know? I can appreciate the Chinese concept of wu wei, or taking no purposeful action but, in some instances I\u2019ve found that taking action, sometimes to the point of a restraining order (that\u2019s a joke), is necessary. Adjustments are fine but do not allow someone to take advantage of your principles or good nature. No, I\u2019m not going to be put on hold for thirty minutes or call back later. No, I don\u2019t believe you when you tell me, for the third time, that it will be ready by Friday. No, that\u2019s not a valid restriction for someone holding a paper airline ticket. Yes, I am going to continue to harass you until you tell me the truth, keep your word, do your job and provide me with the service that you should be providing. Assimilate, adjust, have patience. Don\u2019t, however, let people take advantage of you especially when the clock is ticking. Just ask them to be lazy and forgetful after you leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Well Weathered Article Index<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/a>I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of Well-Weathered Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations. Check back next month for a new entry.\u00a0Until then, safe travels.
\n<\/span><\/span>Contact me at Well_Weathered@yahoo.com<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/h3>\nLearn more about Paul Gioffi<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2102,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9297"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9297\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Disclaimer:\u00a0<\/span>While travel can be exciting and rewarding there are unforeseen dangers that may arise. The Information presented in Paul’s articles is the author’s personal opinion and what may have worked for him yesterday may not work for someone else today or tomorrow. Therefore, you agree to use any and all information provided by the author at your own risk and agree that you will hold the author and ISR harmless in regard to any and all instances that may arise or result from use of this material.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div> Following, you’ll find travel tip 36 from Paul W. Gioffi. To read the introduction to this column which began in February of 2006 please see\u00a0Edition 1.<\/a>\u00a0To access other previous editions please see the\u00a0Index.<\/a><\/p><\/h3><\/div>Entry 36: Yes, I’m Still Here<\/h2><\/span>
To put it bluntly, being a pain in the ass will sometimes get you what you need. I’m not talking about picking fist fights, making prank telephone calls or jumping into the bushes after ringing someone’s doorbell. It means being diligent, persistent and unwavering when trying to put closure to items in your daily schedule, sometimes almost to the point of what some might consider rude. In my opinion, it isn\u2019t being rude, it\u2019s holding true to expectations, standards and the truth. Therein lay the problem. Being a North American, I was raised with certain expectations, standards and truths – all of which I\u2019ve learned can be quite relative particularly when traveling in the third world. At first, I brought all of my standards with me like carry-on luggage wondering why others let things happen in such a sloppy and inefficient manner. I came to realize that adjustments must be made if one is to avoid a nervous breakdown. In some cultures, time is relative, the truth is mutable and public services are seasonal. I\u2019ve found that many public and private service representatives, even in North America, would rather ignore you than perform their function as they should (that\u2019s from a cynical optimist’s point of view). Particularly in the third world, I\u2019ve learned that there are masses of people who are in a socioeconomic station that does not permit upward mobility. I suspect that they may ask themselves why they should try harder? Why expend the extra energy to help out me, a foreigner, someone they don\u2019t even know? I can appreciate the Chinese concept of wu wei, or taking no purposeful action but, in some instances I\u2019ve found that taking action, sometimes to the point of a restraining order (that\u2019s a joke), is necessary. Adjustments are fine but do not allow someone to take advantage of your principles or good nature. No, I\u2019m not going to be put on hold for thirty minutes or call back later. No, I don\u2019t believe you when you tell me, for the third time, that it will be ready by Friday. No, that\u2019s not a valid restriction for someone holding a paper airline ticket. Yes, I am going to continue to harass you until you tell me the truth, keep your word, do your job and provide me with the service that you should be providing. Assimilate, adjust, have patience. Don\u2019t, however, let people take advantage of you especially when the clock is ticking. Just ask them to be lazy and forgetful after you leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>
\n
<\/a>I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of Well-Weathered Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations. Check back next month for a new entry.\u00a0Until then, safe travels.
\n<\/span><\/span>Contact me at Well_Weathered@yahoo.com<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/h3>\nLearn more about Paul Gioffi<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div>