We new coming back there would be things we said or that our kids said that may sound awkward or bad. We tried to train the kids not to say those things but also decided to give them one less thing to worry about in transition, to not hound them about it.
We had some friends over the other day and they very politely told us,
"your children said a word that I don't think would go over very well here... I thought you should know."
there are several words in their vocabulary that are not Politically Correct for one reason or another. We live and work in a country with multiple cultures, and American culture is one of the most politically correct countries in the mix.
One of the acceptable terms for a Papua New Guinean is 'blackskin'. They call us whiteskins and themselves blackskins. It sounds racist and rubs an American the wrong way as it did us for a while... until our kids got used to it in hearing the other kids talk.
Here of course that would really rub someone the wrong way.
One term we no longer use is 'native'. In training we were taught 'national' was more appropriate.
In talking with people about PNG often folks will ask about the 'natives'. We don't bother to restate or correct folks, but it strikes me that ....
language works both ways now. We'll say things that will offend here, and hear things that would offend there.
The key is... to try and avoid taking offense, assume the best, and put on a learning spirit... ask questions... and that is how we avoid conflict.
So please, if we say or do anything you find offensive let us know, it'll be a learning experience for both of us... we definitely don't mean to offend.
I think as adults we have the ability to consider what might be offensive and not say it, but the kids don't have that filter quite yet. (-;
