Outgoing Introvert

Outgoing Introvert

Saturday, June 03, 2006

It seems as if I’m discovering new things about myself all the time, things about my personality that I may have known, but didn’t realize were so important.

People can be divided into two classes: introverts and extroverts (obviously, generalizations). The definition I like for the difference between the two is based on energy exertion and energy restoration.

An extrovert expends energy being alone. S/he gains energy from interaction with other people. If an extrovert is alone too long, it becomes necessary to interact with people: chatting at a café, drinking coffee, at a party, around the dinner table, etc. Extroverts need personal interaction to keep them energized.

An introvert is just the opposite. S/he gains energy from being alone, and expends energy during social interaction. If an introvert is around people too long, it becomes necessary to have some alone time. Introverts need time with little or no social interaction to keep them energized.

It is not that extroverts dislike being alone or don’t need alone time. Likewise, introverts don’t dislike interaction. Personality determines enjoyment; energy status determines length of enjoyment. I consider myself an outgoing introvert. I love being around people, especially kids. However, there comes a time when I’ve had enough social interaction and I need some time alone to recharge.

I’m finding that here in Puebla, that “recharge-necessary” point comes sooner. My family here is great, but I think Mexicans as a whole (don’t get upset at my generalization) are an extroverted people. For example, yesterday was Juan’s birthday. Dinner with the family was great, the conversation was fun, the food was wonderful. About 9:00, I came upstairs to go to bed, needing to recharge. I woke up at 1:00 in the morning and realized they were still downstairs talking (not loud enough to wake me up – I think that was courtesy of the dog next door). I think they could talk all night – extroverts.

I haven’t yet explained the whole introvert-extrovert thing to them. Mamá asked me one day, “How come you go to bed so early?” This was after about the third day, when I was still acclimating to the elevation and schedule change. At that point, I was just tired, or so I thought.

Now I’m realizing that my introverted personality played a part in that. Being around people drains energy; being around a new family, whom I’ve only known for a week, drains energy; doing all this in Spanish, drains more energy. I seem to reach my fill of social interaction sooner because of all those factors. At home in Twin Falls I have plenty of alone time. I don’t have to seek it out because it is always available when I get home. I don’t have to seek out social interaction because it is available everyday at school.

Today, I will try to explain introvertido y extrovertido, assuming my Spanish skills are sufficient. I’m sure that my new family will understand.