**Steem4nigeria Accelerator Contest Week 91: Not what you think.

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In human life there's misunderstanding. It happens to everyone at a point in time. Sometimes I personally fall for it. Someone said buy 5-packs, but I bought 4 because that's what I heard. It's a normal character but it can also cause a serious problem, break friendships, divide families, and so on. Let's dig into what misunderstanding means and what we can do to avoid it.

What do you understand by being "Misunderstood"?

A teacher is in the classroom for a math class. He teaches his students about BODMAS(Board of multiplication, Addition, and Subtraction) He explained that this simple logic:

5+5=10
5×5= 25
5÷5=1

By looking at the above calculation, if the teacher does not clearly explain each of the methods he uses to get the answers, his students will freak out. Most of the time (actually me), the, teacher will shout out: Do you understand.....and everyone will respond: Yes, sir,

Funny enough, that Yes sir doesn't mean they all understand it. How, because when it's time for the practical, you'll realize that most of the students didn't know the math formula. That's how we got the word misunderstood. So if the teacher wants to carry everyone along, he will start again in explaining the logic, each formula, and the answer. This time the students will pay more attention and they'll be able to understand the subject.

Sorry, it looks longer than I thought, but this word can be simplified in different ways. I am using math solving in the education section. Some other words to replace it are: you got it wrong, or false information. *So generally misunderstood means when you or I do not have the proper knowledge of something or a task to be carried out, wrong information, and ignorance.

Have you found yourself in such a situation? If so, kindly share with us your experience.

So many times, sometimes it ends up in a funny or a bad one. Here we go: I am currently living in Lagos state, and we have different languages here. People come from different states and villages to LAGOS for business because it is the most popular state. To to blend with it, one must learned how to speak and understand the most widely used language, which is Yoruba.

Some people learn it faster, but others, like me, might take about 5 years. I tried to learned, but trust me, learning a new language is not a day job. Right now, I know I know about their alphabet and numbers, greetings, and how to communicate with customers. But the funny part is that sometimes when someone says something in Yoruba, my brain translates the meaning, but for me to say it out or respond to the person......that's my obstacle.

Now let me show some facts about this language and the similarities. Sometimes what I hear and what my brain translates to may not actually be what it is. That's a language barrier.

Another form of misunderstood is the time I had a talk with my best friend who just got admission into the college. I told her to use the opportunity wisely and make me and her family proud. But before I finished she was angry....... something I never experienced once we had been friends. She was like; Stop advising, I'm not a kid, I can live my life.....I was just mute, nothing to say.

How did you feel and how did you handle the misconception?

That's the problem with wrong information, false interpretation, and inadequate understanding. At first, I didn't want to put more fuel into the fire, so I kept quiet. I allowed her to say her mind without interruption. I was patiently waiting listening to everything she said.

After paying much attention to what she said, I realized that something is bothering her mind, which causes the reaction. I take time to explain to her that I am about her welfare, not that I don't want her to enjoy her life. But there should be a balance. After a long explanation, I was able to let her know that I wasn't just advising her but to show my support to her as a friend. It was hard fun that day as there was a lot of gist we discussed afterwards.

Is there any advice you would love to give to your readers so they don't find themselves in your shoes?

To my readers, being patient is important for solving problems. Instead of shouting at the person or making him look stupid, be patient and listen. It might solve the problem in a way you didn't expect. Also, remember that we, at one point in time, may be understood too. What you'll like someone to do to you do the same to others.

In conclusion, misunderstood are those "I thought," "you got it wrong" expressions about something. You might not have understood someone or someone misunderstood, but nevertheless, I chose to be patient. **Thank you all%.

I would like to invite @joymm, @kwinberry @sadaf09 and @ukpono to participate in this contest, contest link here

Cc;
@steem4nigeria

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