I mean, now that I updated my facebook relationship status to “engaged” and since internet tells nothing but the truth, you must believe it. As Alanna already said in her blog, we are engaged. It took a goat, a storm, and a few years. I feel that I owe you my side of the story, and apologies for having taken so long to write it - although since it took 8 years to get engaged, I trusted you could wait a few weeks to get the details...
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I once heard a field worker explain that in a village, there are four kinds of farmers.
The refractory: They don’t want to hear about the technology you’ve come to talk about… “They like their old techniques and they don’t believe in your new stuff. They won’t even come to the meetings.”
The cautious: they come to listen and ask questions, but they won’t try it. They leave it to others to take the risk first. “They’ll come back a few years later if nothing has happened to the guinea pigs”.
The enthusiasts: They’re always ready to change their ways. They trust you if you say it’ll be better.
The keeners: they already have what you came to talk about, they can use it, and they know what works better than it.
For each, I thought to myself “well, that’s me!”
When it comes to getting engaged, I’ve been refractory: I didn’t like the idea of having to buy a diamond to show my love to someone and still I’m asking: is it necessary? Who said so? The goat was a great alternative… When it comes to local customs, I definitely am an enthusiast, maybe even a keener, since instead of a sheep I went for a goat. Finally I’m also cautious (8 years!): I let my friend Graham get married first, hehehe. He lived through it; I’m guessing I will too. I also gave Alanna some time to be cautious as I’m not always an easy one to live with.
There you go. People don’t think so different on both sides of our planet.
