11.28.05
Life around the world
The best thing about starting this blog has been that it has encouraged me to read so many other peoples blogs. People from all over the world, people living their lives in all kinds of different ways. I often find myself either strongly agreeing or else disagreeing with the point of view put across, sometimes I am amazed at the stuff people are prepared to write about. But the main thing is the insight it gives me into the culture of others.
For the first assignment for my course I am going to be writing an essay about organisational culture. I have worked for quite a few different healthcare organisations all within the NHS but all of them have different and unique cultures from each other. That has little to do with the kind of job you are doing, or the fact that the building you work in is big or small, or provides acute or community care (well perhaps that is a bit different), but in the main it is about the people who work there. It is about history, and about what people expect of each other, it is about behaviour and what is considered normal for that particular organisation.
But culture is not just about where we work, it is about our upbringing, about the communities we live in, about the faiths we follow (or not), about our politics. That I think is what I like so much about life here in blogland, that and getting such a great insight into lives that I wouldn’t normally find out about. For example, I have in the last week learned more about Thanksgiving and what it means for an average American family. I have found out that the day after thanksgiving was black Friday when everyone went shopping. I have also found out that people who are part of the Mormon community stock their cupboards incase of a disaster. Thanks for that Nemesis, and incase of any impending disaster I know to go to the local Church of Latter Day Saints and follow someone home for supplies!
I am also enjoying an insight into the workings of the average American hospital, and finding out that while lots of things are different, the patients are pretty much similar the world over and as nurses we are all pretty much dedicated to the work we do. Even me who is a nurse manager and went back to work after 10 days to find 99 emails in her inbox!
Jeff said,
November 29, 2005 at 2:22 am
I feel the same way.
It fascinates me to look at my StatCounter and see where everyone is checking in from.
Just this past week I’ve had visitors from Poland, Greece, India, Israel and Guam.
I’ve almost taken for granted the guests I regularly have from the U.K. (thank you) and Australia.
It’s almost a strange feeling knowing that people all over the world are now familiar with my writing.
CS said,
November 30, 2005 at 8:11 am
Surfed here via Blog Explosion and just wanted to say I really like your blog. Am I your first visitor from New Zealand?
Julie said,
November 30, 2005 at 5:35 pm
Hi cs, quite possibly you are; welcome and thanks for the compliment!
Kim said,
November 30, 2005 at 8:22 pm
Yes, in case of emergency, follow a Mormon! LOL! I have a friend who is LDS who gave me a great system for stocking up. Of course, I stocked up for five days, they stock up for two years.
Julie said,
November 30, 2005 at 9:28 pm
I tend to stock up then kind of think I have everything, suddenly I look in my cupboards and they are empty. Poor planner maybe!
Nemesis said,
December 8, 2005 at 7:04 pm
Hee hee! If I see you at church during a time of disaster, Julie, I’ll be sure to point out the people you’ll want to follow home! (I would definitely not be one of those people, as I can’t even remember to buy milk.)