Get your Head in the Game!
Article provided by our client Kurt Inagaki

It’s a hot summer day, you’re taking batting practice and your coach is giving you some instruction:

    Good stance, feet shoulder width
    Keep your hands up, but not too high
    Choke up; relax
    Quit moving your bat around, who do you think you are?
    Balance your weight, what are you doing with your front foot?
    Close your hips
    Now keep them still, you’re not doing the “Hula”
    Look at the pitchers release point
    Recognize the pitch
    Swing!
    Arghhhh, no, no, no, no, No
    Your weight is all on your front foot, no power
    You opened up too soon, got to keep that front shoulder closed until…
    Where’s the extension?
    Your not watching the ball, your head is in left field

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, you’re 12 years old and about as confused as a 12 year old can get—what will happen in the game tomorrow and the pitches are real?

Ok fast forward a couple, three decades and you’re on your way to Ukraine, Russia, or any number of other countries of the Former Soviet Union (FSU)…

    Only odd numbers of flowers
    And absolutely not the yellow ones
    Don’t shake hands or exchange greetings across the threshold
    “Privet” is too familiar, use the one that you can’t pronounce that starts with “Z”
    Remove your shoes in the house and yes, wear the good socks, ones that match
    First toast is for, 2nd is, 3rd is for women, oh sh*%, I’m gonna get drunk!
    Drink the whole bottle, no empty bottles on the table
    Oh sh*, I’m gonna get drunk!
    You can’t sit that way, the soles of your feet…
    C’mon pay attention, keep your head in the game!

And there are many more do’s, don’ts and under no circumstance should you ever….and you feel like that 12 year old again.  What will you do in these coming days when the pitch is for real?  Home Run?  Strike out swinging?

Rewind a couple months, you found:

DU Counseling site where you learned about international dating, consulted with an expert in international relationships, received an objective evaluation of the woman (women) you are going to see based upon correspondence, interpreted 3-way meetings, phone calls, deliveries and more.

Discover Ukraine travel planner and guide, where you found a great apartment, scheduled excursions and planned your itinerary, complete with recommendations for sights to see, restaurants, activities. You met your interpreter and guide and all of your travel arrangements have been made and finalized, planes, trains, busses, taxis, it’s all done—peace of mind.

Discover School of virtual studies and educational tourism, where you found the Romantic Russian Phrasebook and took the Romantic Russian Cultural Course (coming January 2008).  You now know exactly what to say, how to say it and when to say it to have the most impact and to melt the heart of the woman you are pursuing.  You can meet her parents and friends with confidence.  You have gained an insight into her world, her culture that communicates very clearly to her you are different, you are special, you respect her and her culture and now you have her respect too.

DU Community site where, via the chat room you have been communicating with other men on the same journey, and more importantly with a group of intelligent, open and charming Ukrainians anxious to share their insights into their fascinating country and culture.  Maybe even the woman (women) you are going to meet.

Having this experience, now how do you feel about your trip?  Confident!  You can now focus on the reason for your trip, her.

Finally, consider the parable of the two farmers.  During a terrible drought, two farmers prayed to God for rain, one farmer prayed all day, the other farmer prayed while he prepared his fields.  It rained, both their prayers were answered, but who received the greater blessing?  Are you preparing for rain or just praying for it?