Tea bags
May 2011
Recently, I was asked by one of my clients to help a Chinese spouse find work in Denmark. Her name was Xiaowu. We met on company premises, in a meeting room with an adjacent kitchenette where one could help themselves to coffee and tea.
I began to prepare tea for us both, and as I put water in the kettle and took the cups and tea bags from the cupboard, Xiaowu looked in wonder at the teabags and admitted that she had never made tea in that manner before. Where she comes from, tea leaves are put directly in the pot, boiling water is poured in, the tea is allowed to brew, and then the tea is poured to cups to serve and people can visually enjoy the various shapes of tea leaves at the same time having tasty tea. I felt embarrassed by our primitive and fast way of making tea, and I felt myself preparing for a defensive reaction reminiscent of teenage years. Fortunately, it didn’t come. What did come was Xiaowu’s voice full of enthusiasm for this rapid and simple method of making tea, much easier than the method she knew and was used to. Differences really can be inspiring.
“Over the past few years it has become increasingly difficult to attract foreign workers because they don’t feel welcome in our country”
Niels Due Jensen, Chairman of the board at Grundfos, taken from an article in Berlingske Tidende 30/09/09: Top industry professionals break with the fear of globalisation