The "I" is for International

The world has become smaller in 40 years, but I am still amazed at how I have been able to interact world-wide. How wide is the International VM influence in my life?

• Earlier this year, I commented on the birthday wishes posted on my Facebook page from so many countries. Friends mostly made through working with VM. 
• The stats on this blog currently show readers from 13 different countries and every continent except Antarctica.
• I have made live presentations in 13 countries; and webcasts to many more.
• My record for a single day is individual phone calls with customers and IBM account teams in 8 different time zones.
• I have been yelled at in 6 different languages, 7 if you count American English and British English as different languages. :)
• I've lost count of number of countries from which there are people I have discussed VM while having a beer or coffee.

I can't say enough about my international customers and fellow IBMers, how gracious they are and what wonderful hosts they were. They forgive my inability to speak more than one language; and some would assert that I don't even speak that one particularly well. One of my first international discussions was done over email (VM notes at the time). I had reviewed some VMMAP data from a customer in Europe. After I reviewed the data, I could see the disk activity was very high and delays were forming there. However, instead of saying that, I used a phrase that did not translate very well:

It looks like the DASD got pounded.

The IBMer in Europe replied with something along the lines of:

Bill, the DASD subsystem is in good order. Nothing has hit it, there is no physical damage that I can see.

Those that know me, know I tend to use a lot of slang and colloquialisms. I know I am difficult to follow at times, but I appreciate the patience people have with me as a speaker.

Through the friendships that have developed around the world, I've become more aware of world events. I'm able to empathize with those facing hardships, whether they be earthquakes in Japan or fires in Australia. And I've been able to celebrate the victories such as World Cups, Olympic Games, or other fun events.

I recently was on the road working with a customer with an IBM team that had people who had boarded planes from four different countries to get there to work with a local IBM team that hailed from three other countries. It truly was an International Team. As this isn't unusual for me, I need to stop and think every now and then about how special it is to be part of something like this. So many people, different in many ways, brought together by a product and a love for that product.