January 9th, 2008 – Three Cups of Tea Discussion 1 - With one cup of tea you're a stranger, with two you're a guest and after three you are family.
The three cups of tea of the book’s title is from the Pakistani saying quoted above. The attendance was easily the largest we have had so far for the book discussion. Was it a combination of the season, the book and Pakistan being prominent currently in the news?
The reader is give details of the life and character of Greg Mortenson, who devotes his life to building schools in remote villages of Pakistan. Our first discussion centered on our initial impressions of the book. The consensus of the group was admiration of Mortenson’s achievement despite his limited resources and lack of skills for doing the work he does.
The three cups of tea saying is all about taking time to build relationships and Mortenson learns from a mentor what the book quotes in his own words:
We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. We're the country of 30 minute power lunches and 2 minute football drills. Our leaders thought their 'shock and awe' campaign could end the war in Iraq before it even started. Haji Ali taught me (Greg) to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them."
The meaning of the title is given in more richness from the mentor as well:
If you want to thrive in Baltistan, you must respect our ways. The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die.
Gretchen challenged us into a deeper understanding of Mortenson’s character. The group talked about the how the tenacity and single-mindedness that produces the achievements that we admire, produces those results at a cost. The main character is often in some far-flung region instead of being a father and husband. We also talked about how this work happens in some far-flung region which gives Mortenson a mystique we may not recognize in those around us, even though it may be there. Is he really a unique, larger-than-life character?
We also discussed Mortenson’s religion and spirituality which is not in the forefront of the material. What is at the forefront is that education is the key to world peace. That in itself will be interesting to discuss next week in greater detail.
The three cups of tea of the book’s title is from the Pakistani saying quoted above. The attendance was easily the largest we have had so far for the book discussion. Was it a combination of the season, the book and Pakistan being prominent currently in the news?
The reader is give details of the life and character of Greg Mortenson, who devotes his life to building schools in remote villages of Pakistan. Our first discussion centered on our initial impressions of the book. The consensus of the group was admiration of Mortenson’s achievement despite his limited resources and lack of skills for doing the work he does.
The three cups of tea saying is all about taking time to build relationships and Mortenson learns from a mentor what the book quotes in his own words:
We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. We're the country of 30 minute power lunches and 2 minute football drills. Our leaders thought their 'shock and awe' campaign could end the war in Iraq before it even started. Haji Ali taught me (Greg) to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them."
The meaning of the title is given in more richness from the mentor as well:
If you want to thrive in Baltistan, you must respect our ways. The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die.
Gretchen challenged us into a deeper understanding of Mortenson’s character. The group talked about the how the tenacity and single-mindedness that produces the achievements that we admire, produces those results at a cost. The main character is often in some far-flung region instead of being a father and husband. We also talked about how this work happens in some far-flung region which gives Mortenson a mystique we may not recognize in those around us, even though it may be there. Is he really a unique, larger-than-life character?
We also discussed Mortenson’s religion and spirituality which is not in the forefront of the material. What is at the forefront is that education is the key to world peace. That in itself will be interesting to discuss next week in greater detail.
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8:28 AM
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