Practical Diplomacy, Friday, January 11, 2019

[sith_happened]

"Another peril of diplomatic life is having to attend local cultural events and pretending to be impressed," Anakin shouted over the sound of drums and some sort of weird horn thing that was being played with great enthusiasm and very little skill by the troupe dressed up in some form of local attire in the Danger Shop behind him. "Today I have five different scenarios that you will have to work through while maintaining a proper diplomatic expression--not laughing, not saying 'ew', and not saying no to any of the weird requests they will make of you."

The drummers behind him got even louder. You lucky, lucky students.

Comments

Activity #4

[sith_happened]

You're at an award ceremony and being shoved towards a huge rack of traditional clothing--lots of very tall hats and long, drapey capes -- backstage. You have five minutes to get changed and then present the award for best new musical act to a band with a name made up only of consonants!

Ask for assistance with both the getting dressed and the pronunciation without offending anyone or looking like an idiot for needing the help!

Re: Activity #4

[in_sidon_we_trust]

Ah, the self-effacing charm at work yet again! Which whenever it came to clothing, was never too much of a stretch, and Sidon, his bright smile never dulled even by sheepishness, bowed his head slightly to someone helping out, and offered his apologies. "Begging your pardon," he said, "but I fear such marvelous and stunning garments are beyond the ken of my people's much more humble and simple accouterments. I trust you can lend your knowledge of such things to assist me in ensuring that I am sporting them properly and doing them the fine justice they so richly deserve? I can hardly believe I have been graced with such an honor as to don them myself! And this band...such a wonderful name! Though there's nothing so beautiful in my own clumsy language. Perhaps, if you don't mind, correct me if I'm getting this wrong? I would so hate to mar their moment of well-deserved glory with a fumble of my own incapable tongue." And he tried the name with careful caution. "Am I getting that right?"

People, he found, were far more tolerant of a fool when that fool was just so gosh-darn nice.

Re: Activity #4

[chirpchirpchirp]

"Huh." Vette was so not a hat person. But she was rifling through the capes anyway, because those seemed fun, and was babbling away with whoever was closest, hoping beyond hope that one of them would say the name of the band so that she wouldn't have to ask about it.

...

"My mouth doesn't work like that."

Crud.

Re: Activity #4

[unusual_sith]

Hats and caps? Lana was Sith - she had this.

"What do you think?" she asked someone nearby. "Are these flattering enough for - I'm terribly sorry, I really want to do them justice, could you go over my speech with me once again, please?"

Re: Activity #4

[mylandmyrules]

"Gosh," Nell said with a sweet smile. "I can't say as I ever wore such fancy clothing before. I wonder if one of you'uns would be willing to help me out. I wouldn't want to make anyone look bad or offend anyone by messing up. And maybe someone could help me make sure I get this here name right? I sure want to make sure I honor them and all of you'uns correctly.

Sometimes the best way to not look like an idiot was to say you were an idiot in a polite way and let them help you.