Our planet beautiful big many different
countries which means many different
languages many different cultures for
some people this can create conflicts
it's not only a language problem it's a
cultural problem in this country they do
things different hate that in this
country that's the world we live in
sometimes this can make us feel sad
it can make us feel angry at another
country another culture another type of
people but perhaps that's not the best
way to go in this world that's not the
best way to think perhaps sometimes I
believe if we take a little time to
understand the why why does this person
act that way why does this person say
that well in this country they see
Oh in this country you know they have a
in my country we don't well that makes
I think it's important to know comp
conflicts and differences are not only a
language problem there an understanding
problem so today I'd like to look at
thinking a little deeper about this
issue of differences and why a person
may not feel at home in a foreign
why a person cannot connect with certain
people while they're in a different
country if we can understand this we
might be able to feel much better
wherever we're living much happier much
more comfortable much more at home and I
think if we can feel this way we can be
more successful and achieve what we want
to achieve in life connect with a lot of
people how more friends and have more
perhaps one of our challenges of living
in this big beautiful world is using our
brains to overcome our conflicts our
differences and trying to rise over the
anger we might sometimes feel the
sadness we might sometimes feel when
we're dealing with people from another
welcome to English meeting.com i'm dave
scanda i had an opportunity to interview
a courageous and sincere language
learner from Russia named Olga Olga has
a unique life she traveled to many
different parts of the former soviet
union with her family as a child and
later married a man from Sri Lanka who
is living in Russia this couple moved to
Sri Lanka together and live there for
eight years in search of a different
life they both moved to Australia where
Olga has been living now for four years
Olga wrote to me in a response to a
documentary clip that i'm working on
regarding language learning and cultural
issues for immigrants she boldly explain
some things she was feeling as an
immigrant in Australia most language
learners don't speak about how they feel
within a new language or living in a new
country I believe it's important to
express your feelings to the right
people especially when you're an
immigrant feeling happy and comfortable
in your environment is important for any
human being and even more important for
a language learner negativity can kill
efforts to learn or improve the second
you may notice Olga's unique accent it's
a mixture of Russian and Sri Lankan take
some time now to learn about Olga's
situation perhaps it is similar to yours
maybe you have some ideas to help her
I spoke to Olga from los angeles
california in the United States and
reach her in Australia using skype
I'm talking to Olga and Olga why don't
we start off with me asking you where
I'm originated from Russian from Russia
ok that's and what what part of Russia
my last place was slain ground and grad
but i was traveling alone in Russian
because my father likes to travel and i
was living in different places mean as
you were growing up as a child I you you
yes we hadn't be country like 15 now
it's eating separate countries
that's right yeah but it used to be one
big country so i was born in some way in
the comics fan so okay so you lived in
many different parts of Russia and you
mentioned to me before that you lived
for a number of years in sri lanka yes
eight and eight years and why don't you
tell us why did you move to Sri Lanka
because i'm a guy from Sri Lanka and
married him and it events treatment
country there i see and did you meet
yeah he was studying laying that you
icic so it was a it was a man and a
romance that brought you to Sri Lanka
yes nice the ok and then how did you
yeah and physical that was very young I
was wanting okay and I think been in
this age it's easy to adapt to any
country it's easier for example now on
38 so it becomes more difficult with
and the technicals like it doesn't
matter which countries like is even
sure sounds like an adventure into
engine and quite different country than
its climate is different tradition is
different they have very strong
tradition and what did you do it was one
of the things you liked about it could
be anything food culture people I let
bench feeling some people it's very me
and like and don't like it then very
simple and unsophisticated now if you're
from Sri Lanka please please don't take
she is a language learner and is doing
her best to describe in her mind she's
not trying to offend no one's mad here
anyone mad no good now back to the
uh-huh and it's really easy to talk to
them you don't have tension and actually
Lex I'm talking to them I feel relaxed
you feel relaxed so perhaps when you say
that there are more of a simple people
like they're not trying to hide anything
or trying to impress you they're just
being themselves would you say that
might be true and yes it eats something
well why don't you tell me why do you
think they were so easy to talk to i was
thinking about that question because you
asked me last time but was a beauty is
me in Australian and me being in sri
lanka the difference between right you
mentioned australia just for the people
who are listening now you're living in
Australia just for those who are
but we haven't gotten to that part of
the story yet so what that's ok that's
ok i'm just wondering well what do you
think what why do you think they were
easy to talk to in sri lanka and
sometimes it's difficult to explain
because sometimes sometimes you talk to
a person and you feel good by talking to
him you feel relaxed with that person
and sometimes you talk to another place
them you feel ten you want to run away
and sometimes you i try to analyze it
but I you got a license and things it's
just you just feel certain be and there
is not no logical explanation maybe for
ok ok well i was thinking about that
it's a it's a big problem for me i was
thinkin invited a few so kind of your
legs and Sri Lanka and here you would be
good kind of tense right and i think
it's difficult to explain maybe it's
connected to any given so you use one
person you feel good and what will be
good people smiling with you but with
one person you will be relaxed and open
with other person evil you want to get
right right yeah well what I'm what I'm
getting from you is it's hard to explain
it Im precisely but your example of you
know two people who are both good people
but one person you feel very comfortable
with and the other person you don't feel
comfortable at all with I think
everybody can relate to that and and in
those situations we we don't know all
the time you know why that feeling is
about so okay so you lived there for
eight years and then what brought you to
because metal it's a good country little
bit thought it will be easy like living
in EM in us straight there and we will
be comfortable and economic it treat
very comfortable to leave economically
develop and by the Sri Lanka so we don't
do come and try here i see so wasn't
like a job that brought you there
anything of that sort it was just the
country seem very open to you and it
seemed like a fun place or a positive
place for you to move to instrument God
there was some kind of problem that was
a war in the tunnel in single ease and
we had a lot of terrorists they put
let's isn't that the reason is
economical I think it's all right to
live in the country but you can travel
if you live in solanke and work they're
very difficult if you want to go some
other country they have their money like
$MONEY rupees compared to dollars is so
little that when you go when you go out
of the country you you gon do anything I
say you don't have much spending money
in other words that yes I'm trouble you
can live inside the country and it was
difficult economically financially but
ok ok i see so how long have you been
living in australia i think four years
ok and we're we're talking you know
about some of the issues that you've had
in terms of culturally speaking since
since you've been there you know used
for years moving to any country in the
beginning is always jarring it's always
a little bit shocking and that sort of
thing do you feel more comfortable
living there now then you did your first
year and they said that still you
uncomfortable with Australian people and
you felt that the same nice to feel
ok it will be getting better or
ok now one of the things that we talked
about before this recording was that
this kind of cultural divide that you
are experiencing and you perhaps don't
feel as comfortable with the Australian
people and I believe you described it as
an invisible wall between yourself and
them could you elaborate a little bit
yeah i think it's helped me to
understand Australian people because i
have a different influences you in my
life and they have like different
influences on their lives better living
in a totally different world and I'm
living in a different world and I can
compare it like computers example their
pc and mac we have water computers but
we are not functioning the different
programs its cardholder ICS and when you
when you talk with them I how is it
different than other people that you'll
perhaps your length or in another
country where you felt more comfortable
you feel like they're not opening up to
you do you feel like yes I feel they
don't opening up to me I say canto yeah
but never get friendly for some reason
or never talk more deeply all some will
never become very friendly they never
become we never become friends never
become friends so well what kind of
interaction have you have in terms of
getting to know people do you have to do
ok so you have Australian colleagues
AM L right yeah we can you need to talk
at work we are talking than them and
then lunch break but it said mmm yeah
not good friends going from light
hi how are you too small talk to friends
these are important steps in connecting
to culture and language those who
remained isolated from the target
culture by not making friends can
inhibit cultural understanding and
language development it's my belief that
it should be your goal to make friends
with the people who are the native
speakers of the second language right
right well how would you characterize
yourself in terms of you know being a
Russian person do you feel like you
whatever this might be like a Russian
persona with you and living now in
Australia and do you think perhaps that
cultural background clashes with the
Australian personality it's difficult
chief I i also live in sri lanka and
then I know one thing I'm very good with
asian people even i'm not with Russian
much leg and not not that easy even for
me like contractions it kind of the best
I feel that people who his connection to
all some routes from Asia summaries from
Asia while walking that that's maybe
what they're like in australia i have
friends like that or born in Australia
but parents are maybe from Asia of
eataly of other countries i say well but
what do you think it is about the asian
people that helps you to connect with
them or you don't you don't know it's a
well well I mean since you've had a lot
of different experiences in your life do
I mean how do you see yourself do you
see yourself as a Russian woman in terms
of your personality in terms of your you
know the way you perhaps interact with
people and not kind of scent rushing now
I mean little bit not Russian because i
was living in Sri Lanka as well
right right so you have a lot of it
yeah and I think the reason like Russian
personalities because if you take for
example individual person Russian I and
compare like influences which is like in
different influences I had or depression
like a lot of revolutions we had wars
and we had a little unfair things happen
in Russia a lot of insecurities in
Russia political economical so all this
will affect that person and that person
bill will and talk differently will have
different jokes right take for example
nothin happenin Australian economically
stable or politically of all right now
they happen much just Aboriginal problem
Devils like um maybe 200 years ago
hundred years they had but otherwise
they're like all right that's right
there if the job haha joke's Apple
sample Russian jokes will be beat a
cheetah and for example Australian
personal joke he will jump Frankie
because of different influences the on
his own that Australian best life
Olga speaks about a country's history
including war and how it influences
culture influences people how it affects
this is very important to understand
when interacting with those from another
country instead of saying well I don't
like those people from such-and-such a
country or oh I think those people are
perhaps it is wise to consider the
country's background for clues and
understanding why some people behave act
interact as they do all dimensions that
Russian jokes maybe on the bitter side
well Australian jokes maybe on the light
its side this is a great example how of
how countries background effects its
nationality or character right there is
an author's Chinese because we have
different influences something happened
to us and that's how we behave now like
behavior displayed on the beginning of
well I think that's very astute to
recognize that and that could very well
be a big part of this disconnect me
being American i have not been to
Australia so I cannot speak for
Australians what I can speak about is
perhaps my interactions with some
Russians that I've known or instead of
saying Russia some Russian and so you
know former Soviet bloc countries that
were part of the Soviet Union and this
is just a very generalization so of
course this does not you know I'm not
trying to say that you know them all
people like this way but in and just
from an American perspective perhaps
sometimes just the Russian personality
can come off as a bit strong and direct
compared to the way people are here and
sometimes sometimes it's fine some peeps
some Americans really like that other
people shy away from it because it makes
them feel uncomfortable and I wonder do
you think perhaps any of that is
happening in your situation and I don't
have the book Russians they like been
man I never had back you've never heard
yeah I never heard that somebody see oh
well maybe they don't want to say it to
its old it is set to me and he liked it
what is what did they say something
about you that they drink hard and all
well well I'm sorry i I'm just a little
confused i thought you said no one no
one has said that before to you then
Oh about you but not about Russian
people and my it means i am rushing to
clarify what is happening at this moment
Olga has heard other people describe her
as direct strong rude and possibly some
worst comments but she hasn't heard
these words direct strong rude to
describe the Russian personality
this is a moment of realization for Olga
interestingly it makes her feel better
because she thought it was a personal
problem that made her so different or
two strong one in fact it was the
culture she grew up in the personality
of Russians as she said now you're
Russian please don't be offended
we are not saying Russians are rude just
different and she is just explaining
with courage her experiences are we good
all good ok let's continue because they
never seen russia russian people so they
comment about meeting are right right
and it is Russia and their the Russian
personalities been right right so you
know it's valuable and that's that well
so many you know we we live in a world
with so many different cultures
different backgrounds and all cultures
I mean first of all we're talking about
a mix so perhaps one culture is going to
get along with another culture well well
you know a different country doesn't mix
so well but all of our culture all the
different cultures of the world have
their good points and bad points and I I
wouldn't you know I'm not even saying
it's a bad . i'm just saying that in in
a in my small experience with a number
of people from that part of the world
that's what I've seen how i met some
Americans react and of course myself as
well and you did a you know a a very
good job of explaining you know the
background of Russia you know what made
that country and Russia yes indeed has
been through a lot and in all of those
experiences shape the the people and
like you mentioned in Australia much
different background we could talk about
you know other countries that haven't
been you know conquered or anything like
this like like Thailand is something
like that and then you you can look at
the people in a sociological or a cult
cultural anthropological viewpoint and
you can kind of shape some understanding
or perhaps some opinions about those
people but the thing is in terms of
American perspective if somebody comes
well the Americans will will think even
though it's not intended that way they
they will think all that person is a
little rude is a little not so nice and
they might back away from that person a
if you grow up with that and that's part
of who you are and everything you you
it's like you don't mean anything bad
that's that's that's your background
that's what you know so what do you do
in that situation so well let me ask you
do you think that could be what what
could be happening in terms of australia
oh no I confused no but it's good to
know that everyone misses kind of brush
in quality is also think that this it's
in my personal quality and are you mean
you're that that that you were rude that
was a personal quality of yours
no I just like this and I'm like that
okay because I'm reaction because I'm
some people can be nasty and so we could
say it I mean it doesn't have to be said
in terms of rude i mean some it could be
described as just strong or direct you
know like we often say all this person
yeah direct more better look or root ok
its equipment i had a lot from my
husband alot he said oh but can I said
that Russia like that he's behind like
so it's good to hear that Russian if the
Russian like national quality not
talking to my community right absolutely
do that that's like what i was saying
before but I mean that's where you you
come from and in Russia it's not
considered rude that's the way a lot of
people are just like like my background
is Italian and I I thought about it
oh you did yeah you don't go to look on
amazing oh I don't like a hundred
percent american ok you in your
personality you have the influence
difference i feel that uh huh i feel
that you're not like American American
well I take that as a compliment thank
you i do believe I'm different because
of many factors in one of the main
factors that I believe that is true is
because I've traveled to a number of
countries and I've had a lot of
different experiences and that has
changed me and hopefully made me a
better person because of that but what I
was going to say about my Italian
background is that Italians often and
Italian Americans to of course often
speak loudly like around family in this
sort of thing and they you know people
joke about this and I don't mind people
joking about this at all but like you
know Italians like to move their hands
and their arms around a lot and hey you
gotta do this and you know maybe they're
talking to like the father is talking to
the Sun and he's telling him something
he wants him to do if somebody else from
another family was watching that they
would be thinking why is your dad
yelling at you know at my friend over
there why is he doing it and then the
not yelling you know but that's just the
way a lot of them are you know at the
dinner table sitting around the dinner
table say all why are you doing that
blah and people start raising their
voices and they're moving their hands
around and that's the way the family is
that's the culture and when somebody
else sees that they think these people
are very mad at each other they're
they're yelling at each other when
they're really not so that's my little
story to connect with your story which
is of course different but we we are
where we came from so much of us and
perhaps that's what's going on now when
you when you deal with the Australian
people i'm just wondering like how do
you react to them inside like how do you
feel like you think that there i'm being
how do you feel when you're dealing with
people in this country think is the text
Russian I feel that superficial like
when they talk to me because of my
background I like the people talk a bit
directly what they want to do or and and
I feel about Australia and their necks
superficial I say and not truthful like
we are not saying Australians are
superficial Australians are great people
nice people smart people just wonderful
she is just honestly relating her
experience to us with the English that
ok anybody offended all of you
Australians you understand right
understanding that and now back to
interview I mean do you think they're
being when you say not truthfully
talking about dishonesty or they're just
not being fully honest with you they're
just letting a little bit out but
they're not letting everything out
yes yes it's like that have you have you
ever asked in Australian person about
that 90 it's not yet at last all day
yeah well it's a difficult subject it's
I think it would be very helpful to you
know to talk to somebody from that
culture and get some kind of feedback on
that like perhaps a friend that you feel
comfortable with at work or something
like that and if you perhaps approach
them by saying you know this this is may
sound kind of crazy but i just want to
ask you a few questions and it's nothing
you know what would you mind if I asked
some things about you know the culture
here that could prove to be very I don't
know insightful for you do you think
mmm I don't think it will be useful
living because you need it is and who
look like you for example who knows both
cultures they then he can tell something
but Australian hotel you know you I I
feel you're like that it's shallow or
you are you are like me how to say steak
well right here no we are not the normal
that's normal for us that can't believe
it that's how we talk to people and this
is how I feel they do not explain
anything if you're not in light immune
to anything you need another person will
have that inside to strength it sent
people any other culture to explain that
ok ok then took the bit like it bc and
I'm Mac but you don't have connection
ask you to and they're running their and
how they can explain you need it done
listen we'll know bought sides
well i just want to point out that right
now you're on a mac and i'm on a pc and
we are connecting if it's in a regional
problem i concede yeah I don't think
that's a pc or mac problem i don't think
that's a pc mac problem i think that's
another problem but we are talking to
each other and we we are connecting it
on some level but on some that one kind
I my suggestion would be not to not to
use too strong of words like fake or you
know phony or anything like that and if
if people are around you you know that
could give you some kind of feedback I
understand what you're saying but that
the third-party situation mayne ever
you've been there for four years and
wherever we're living in the world you
know we deserve to be happy and
comfortable and and connect with people
and we're at a time in this world where
you know we should be accepting all
people from different countries we
shouldn't be showing like racism and
things like this and hopefully that the
Australian people adhere to that
philosophy where I live I live in
Southern California where there's people
from all over the world and generally
speaking people are very accepting of
people from all countries they even you
know they usually find them more
interesting because they're from a
different country and they gravitate to
them even more because they want to get
to know somebody from another country i
mean that's that's one of my thoughts
it's just my two cents and you know to
put it to somebody in a light way say
you know i'm from russia i know my
um oh why do you think this is happening
you know don't you know I wouldn't say
anything to them like you guys
you seem fake or you seem like you're
very superficial i would i would just
ask their opinion about perhaps my
interaction with people and and how they
how they feel about it you know it might
be helpful if it's not you know just
always always keeping a positive i
remember when i was in college I studied
Russian as a foreign language and we had
who was telling us about some trips they
took to Russia and she was telling us
about one of the first trips to Russia
they were a group of American students
and they got off the plane and they were
so excited and you know when they went
up to where you show your passport and
all of that and you need to interact
with that person they were like smiling
they were smiling and so happy and then
the Russian people working at the
passport check . whatever that's called
can't remember the name they were like
looking very serious and looked at them
very strangely like why are you smiling
and it was kind of a bit of a shocking
first cultural experience that they had
because they were all smiling but nobody
else was smiling and at first they
didn't understand that does that make
you know it's not that it sounds what
let Russian people don't smile right
right right so you know they're there
was a there was a divided their this
makes me think of the phrase when in
well what do you think about that phrase
yeah i think that Justin trying to deal
stadion well the thing is sometimes when
people hear that phrase we see well some
people feel like oh I don't want to like
pretend I'm somebody who i'm not but i
don't think that's the essence of the
the meaning of that phrase the way i see
it as you know is you know with being
being open-minded and you know certain
keys unlock certain doors and you know
like for instance if I talk to somebody
to them like with a lot of downward
intonation in America they will think
I'm a little hard edge like if i say did
you get the report when is it going to
I don't have all my paperwork together
as opposed to did you get that report
yeah i was just wondering about that i'm
not so sure about it if my intonation
goes up and I don't sound like this
downward intonation at least in America
people will definitely respond to to me
differently and perhaps you know be
doing like you know more of a study of
how how they interact and and that sort
of thing in terms of intonation patterns
how we body body language is a big thing
you know different countries you know in
terms of like Oh or they do they fold
their arms do they keep their arms open
do they smile a lot you know do they
do they not make a lot i contact you
know it's like when I go to the Far East
and Asia they don't make so much eye
contact you know so if i don't want to
make somebody in one of these Far
Eastern countries feel uncomfortable
I don't look at them in the eye as much
as I would in America because I I want
them to feel comfortable and I know it's
different and I know I'm in a different
country and I'm just adapting to the way
they do things and sometimes it provides
me some help and it makes things work
what do you think about that is good as
i can activate removably let's say you
have a very nice smile to your smiling
right now remember i only smiled with
well maybe we should I should mentioned
i heard about this through facebook when
you and I connected on Facebook and and
we were posting some things about a
video i made and you you posted your
comments in response to a video about
this was a girl from China who moved to
America and then you kind of you spoke
about your experience a bit and I found
it very well interesting 41 and
something worthy to discuss because what
I you know is something that people
experience in you know all over the
world when they go to a different
country it may not be exactly the same
thing but they're there are divides and
my feeling is everybody deserves to feel
good and comfortable and happy where
they are and perhaps trying some new
things trying a different path
considering some different ideas could
make one's life a lot more comfortable
and you know i'm not saying i have all
the answers because I sure don't
and I've had my frustrations living in
other countries and I didn't have the
answers for all for all of those
situations analyzing the other people
why do they do it ask some questions i
mean if you had some Australian people
you could even ask some questions to
like you know why do you say this phrase
or why do you do this and why do you do
that if you say in a very like
non-threatening way you know I think
people would would be happy to help you
out the problem you know another problem
could be and this is just an idea that
came to my head is that you know your
Russian you look you know like you look
you look like you could be an Australian
you look like the people now if you look
very different if you looked like you
east asian you know very Chinese or
something people with people may what's
well yeah they're more prepared like oh
this person is very different from us
and therefore we will yet get ready we
will make more of an effort to connect
understanding because of the differences
but perhaps this is just speculation
because you look like an Australian
could very well look that they respond
to you differently and your job is a
little more difficult because of that
they may look at you like well you're
just one of us so why do you act that
way you know and they don't even realize
they're doing that we're going to
probing a little deeper and because of
that it makes your job much different
because you're just as different as that
Chinese person you're from Russia you're
from very very far away very different
culture of course totally different
language you know different almost
everything so that could be happening
yeah so perhaps your job could be to you
know be to analyze the the culture and
the people and ask some very polite
non-threatening questions and and see
one thing I used to do when I wanted to
find out something from people I didn't
know too well or I didn't know at all is
I would tell perhaps a white lie and now
it wasn't always a lie but sometimes i
would just say I would approach somebody
either through email or directly face to
face whatever and i say i would say i'm
studying i'm a student right now and I'm
doing some research on this topic
do you mind if I ask you a few questions
and then usually people are very
responsive they're like oh ok fine but
if I just went up to somebody and I say
you know why do people do this they may
they may think well that's strange why
you asking me that and they may not want
to respond but you know if I say you
know i'm studying this which is actually
not a lie because you are studying it
you're just not in a formal program it
tends to open the door and it's always
worked for me I've just I started with
one question and then I usually started
talking to that person for like a half
an hour and what I found was that person
really enjoyed answering the questions
the person usually found it interesting
that somebody else was interested in him
or her or their country or their culture
yeah and so what would be great is maybe
if you tried some some of this and then
we could get some some feedback and see
how it's going and and that sort of
thing because I would like I would like
your life to be more comfortable in in
that land where you're living and i'm
sure you would too and i think this
could be a great learning experience for
everybody for you for me and for people
who watch this because oftentimes well
let me back step for a moment you told
me that you learned English when you
were in sri lanka yes right and it's i
find it your I find you to be very
interesting because you're from Russia
but your you don't have a Russian accent
you have like an Indian or sri lankan
accent and that's very rare especially
for me I've never heard that before so
when we learn language like you learn
language in sri lanka you learn to speak
we learned a lot about the language and
oftentimes we talk about some cultural
issues but we usually don't get very
deep into cultural understanding like
politicians are supposed to be schooled
on the cultures that they have to
interact with and things like this and
perhaps if we as language learners we're
able to do some little deeper study in
cultural differences and successful ways
to connect with other people because we
can talk about cultural issues all day
Oh in Russia we do this in Australia
they do that or in sri lanka they do
this and Australia they do that
okay that's nice interesting but the
bottom line is how can we successfully
that's what we're really after if i was
going to move to Japan asking questions
about Japanese people if I know some
Japanese people here I could ask i could
do certain things and perhaps by do you
know studying people culture asking a
lot of questions I can really connect
with the people and feel comfortable
with them and if they say something or
look at me in a certain way I don't
think they hate me you know i think oh
that's what Japanese people do know
japanese people do it this way and then
I can feel good about myself and keep
moving on so perhaps this could be one
study in that regard where we're looking
at the people of Australia and how can
we understand them and perhaps you could
give us some feedback and some insight
on that it's interesting what you are
talking it's it's important to I'm been
coaching by the culture you can make
better or faster progress by living in
the country along so that thinks the but
it will think here for years to
understand right but if you would expect
for this way I think it will be faster i
agree a hundred percent i've i've known
people who have lived here in America
for over 20 years and barely know the
language barely know the culture and
i've known people who've lived here
under a year and just adapt very fast
and the difference is what you just
mentioned you know that second person
the one who adapted fast really focused
on studying the people the culture and
asking questions and trying to
understand it and made a big point in
doing that and thus things happen
rapidly for that person i know people
who leave in this in Australia like is
uh-huh and they don't meet with
Australian and they don't put effort to
learn language so they like same they
don't read English after 20 years living
here they don't they hardly even
speaking english right I know it's same
same thing here it's really funny I
remember I asked somebody in that
situation what they thought about
cultural difference like American
culture and their response to me was
there is no American culture like well
what do you mean there is no American
culture are you kidding but you know
they just they're in their own world
they're in their own contain world and
they don't really know much about the
it's as if they're living in their home
country because they're not speaking the
language they're not interacting with
the people and they're not making an
attempt to learn with effort and it is
very important because we don't effort
for example I'm I talk in English or I
am I told this language the English
language 411
yes now but i didn't put effort i didn't
put much enough effort i think and i i i
made progress my first my reading three
years then it stopped because I learn
certain amount of language and it was
enough instrument care for people to
people and I make mistakes and I'm
talking so i stopped putting effort to
learn language and my language my that
ability also stopped and I didn't
develop after that it didn't develop the
left so it was in the same level unless
you put $PERCENT effort things will
right right yeah I understand what you
mean I've also seen that same thing here
like out people will reach a certain
level so that they can get by and they
can communicate but they don't move it
above that level and many more doors
perhaps would open if they moved it
above that level it's and uncomfortable
more or less comfortable row nothing
left nothing there is nothing else
there's no no one pushing it yeah right
still unless you will feel I'm now I
think it uncomfortable in Australia
because i think my English is not enough
my language my knowledge of language is
not enough to communicate i can
understand sometimes what they not kind
of set and some words especially jokes i
no said the most difficult a new do you
yeah okay and times sometimes like what
do you watch Australian TV shows or do
you watch russian TV shows I i wish this
d what we have here know what you're
russian isn't right it's because I like
one show ocean Russian I was rushing TV
Oh in Russian on Russian TV but we like
in majority i watch Australian but now
it's not australian-american it's it's
oh I said to make it to mix yeah well I
was just thinking in terms of yeah if
right right if there was some like TV
shows where Australian people are
speaking and they're speaking fast and
perhaps that would help you to absorb
those you know more difficult areas like
jokes and you know perhaps some things
that you have a hard time understanding
i think it's fine to watch russian shows
too i mean absolutely you can't cut
yourself off from everything but you
yeah I which I which australian Schultz
ok now i also learned how to understand
movie don't understand Ashley words
really i think that is people who
yeah I love and even i know and that can
predict hold more condition I understand
everything but sometimes I don't then
except some certain little bit that can
understand but I and send the movie very
well because movie it's not only words
yeah so I learned that to pay attention
more for how people look and how
expression on the faces that kind of
thing I say okay that's very good so
you're you're looking at it from
yeah that's good that's good well you
know like i said before i can't speak
all I can do is perhaps you know give
you my two cents from what I've
experienced in terms of and what I've
seen in terms of Russians and Americans
and you know like and i already
mentioned this but I'll just say a few
of these again perhaps you know smiling
a lot to them upward intonation when you
talk is very good saying thank you a lot
and not using strong words to describe
something special is a special
instruction Russian yeah yeah I don't
anti-russian because i'm not at all I'm
just I'm just trying to be forthright
and honest about you know some things
I've seen and some things I've
experienced because i love Russian
people they they are great people and
you know everybody in the world is
different and has different things but
this is just something that I've seen in
terms of some Americans and some rush
Russians or former Soviet bloc country
people who have come to America
these are some things that I've seen it
that can that can help and sometimes the
use of strong words can be like a real
turnoff to Americans and if if you can't
think of another word it i believe it's
better to say you know something i can't
think of a better way to describe this
so forgive me if this word is too strong
but here it is blah blah then they'll be
more understanding about it and i also
think like I said before since you look
there's nothing wrong with reminding
people and saying oh you know I you know
my language skills because I'm Russian
you know and just saying that your
language skills in my opinion seemed
quite good i understand everything you
so if you were living here i think we
could communicate without any problem
but if you did use some strong words i
know it would put off some people but if
you remind people I'm from Russia you
know i'm i still have a language problem
why I'm still working on my english
people love to hear that they love to
hear that and it opens their mind it
reminds them this is a language learner
they have a much more difficult job than
I do because I'm a native speaker and
sometimes people need to be reminded you
know and it sounds funny that you have
to be the one to remind them because in
your mind you know that your language
learner but they may not be thinking
that all the time and perhaps that might
tell them I'm from Russia I'm still
working on my language I'm sorry did
when I can't think of another word but
this is the best word I can think of
right now and then say blah blah so how
would I describe how would you use that
you know how would you change that you
could ask them how how would you say
that idea you know being in Australia
you know and then perhaps you get some
good tips that way okay and I'm always
here for you can talk to me and i'll do
my best to support you and try to help
you out the best I can and perhaps after
we run this will get some good ideas
from some ppl watching as well but it's
you know this this cultural divide is
never easy and you're a very brave
person I mean so many people would not
you know venture to other countries and
and try living here try living there and
that's a very brave thing to do so i
think it's great that you're doing that
i did not get it it will be so difficult
and she lanka the color that it's a big
culture difference difference in culture
yeah but it was not difficult for me but
I think maybe rushes to direct the
Russian this is very strong and direct
and Australia which is very kind of you
mean Australian so that's kind of not
Machine Records it was alright and sri
lanka sri lankan personalities like I
could say that simple little bit lazy no
functional they can see one thing and in
all ways they could be late so maybe
this kind of its cost Russian maybe
I say I say I say it was into like it
was easy living in sri lanka but here it
becomes like it but I feel a lot of
tension were depression write something
already like tents and and getting
depressed especially it's happened when
I was studying in university here last
year I was studying with young young
girls room and demonstrated and I'm not
young so I was feeling very isolated and
very depressed i stopped studying i can
study i was coming home and feeling very
bad and yeah I say no I can understand
that you know another suggestion that
comes to mind is you you should get
involved in some some groups with some
people down there you know all you do
yes but what do you do it different it's
a i'm going to every religious community
uh-huh it's we have it will give society
uh-huh most people are different I then
the Australians but they different
so you don't have problems connecting
no well that's good well that's
important that you have some people i
mean do you think you could talk to some
of these people about these issues
yeah I will oh good good I don't know
that mixed meat right okay good good and
he gets a meeting and you know they're
you know just other ideas are i imagine
that like a meetup.com is worldwide and
you know anything that you have an
interest in from you know painting too
rollerblading to end like sports are
like a book reading or anything I mean
any any type of activity i know in
America there are groups for those and
if you can get in you know with the
group like that on you know just having
something in common you know and the
more people you can connect with that
way I think it really advanced this you
know of you connecting with the culture
you know you know you start talking you
make friends with them and then you know
you learn more and more you feel closer
to them and at a friends in Australian
right rise i would try you know go up go
to go online and look up meetup.com and
look at all the different activities
going on in your area and joined some of
the groups if you don't like it you
don't have to go back you know it's no
problem but you just might like it and
if you like it and you're given an
opportunity to connect with some more of
these people i think it could be a great
yes I i do it in its it would like
people do get friends rise right on it
hobbies and things like that i have
oh good yeah that's great that's great
and it showed that but it's different at
work it's a different way like a bit
different Australians because i have
yeah that's the interest unite unite us
right in okay well very good well this
has been a very interesting talk
olga and I really appreciate you are you
coming on and sharing your experience
with us that that was a really important
thing because some you know a lot of
people feel these things and they just
and myself I'm involved in language
learning but i'm interested in the
greater issues and I've experienced what
you're talking about as well so i hope
that this will help a lot of people and
will keep track of this and we'll we'll
talk to you down the line and see how
things are coming for you think I also
learned a lot of things today by talking
to you and especially about the trash
and quality which I wasn't aware no good
this Russian dude click miss them that
their eyes I didn't know that then yeah
i'll try to put effort i think to to get
the nose Australian culture and be more
yeah to be more active and get more
friends Australian friends and
communicate with them more often it
thinks they know well that sounds great
i I'm glad to hear that and you're very
welcome and thanks for being on so I'm
going to sign off now and I hope you
have a wonderful rest of your day and
let's be in touch soon ok Olga ok need
it and goodnight i think what time is
there it's 825 at night and you don't
think you'll find he had so you have the
rest of your day okay you have some
afternoon left that I'm gonna go eat
dinner right now Dina and take my dog
the lady nice talking to you and thank