COMM311 Real-World Connections: Episode 14, Wellspring

Narrator: Real-World Connections. Episode 14: Wellspring

Narrator: Six months after that first kickoff, the Wellspring team meets in person for the first time, in Dr. Dlamini's clinic. Adoption's up in both Durban and Monterrey. Mr. Hamdan has signed on as a distributor, after a visit, a long lunch, and a contract. And the team turned down the inclusion award, and rotated meeting times so no one always gets the late call.

Lucía: Monterrey turned around when we let the families tell us what was wrong.

Daniel: I learned that being clear isn't the same as being understood. And that sarcasm doesn't travel well.

Dr. Dlamini: My health workers led today's session. That's how I know this is working.

Amara: On day one, I said, "How hard can it be? We all speak English." It turns out language was never the hard part. Listening was. Asking before assuming was. Letting other people decide how they want to be seen was.

Narrator: Amara isn't finished. Your readings would call her consciously competent: she knows what to do, and she still has to think about it. Intercultural learning is lifelong.

Narrator: Now it's your turn. If you were leading the next Wellspring team, what's the first thing you'd do differently, and which ideas from this course would guide you?