I was at KFC very recently, and I must tell you that I don't go there very often. I ordered for a bucket and when I arrived home, I discovered that there were a few pieces that were probably left overs from the previous day. Annoying, isn't it?
In the Philippines, if we dine out and find left overs mixed in our food, we are more likely to wrap it in a table napkin and slip it in our bags or pockets. If the waiter asks us how our food was, we would probably smile and tell him it was delicious.
Such well-mannered people, eh?
BUT in certain situations, we do complain. When we do, we lose our temper and scream like a madwoman. Well, I do.... sometimes! lol
Such uncivilized people, eh?
This is why I admire the cool, calm, and composed complaining at which the Dutch are so good. They never raise their voice and they actually believe that they deserve to get what they had paid for, which is the difference between the Dutch and Filipino attitudes when it comes to spending.
Maybe I should say, my Filipino attitude. But I am catching on.
That is good news, right? The bad news is that all my complaining techniques are getting me nowhere. I am simply becoming demanding, annoying, and at times, aggressive. Oh yes, I am turning into a complainer. I think.
Keeping a stiff upper lip was what made me refined, civilised and perhaps, even endearing (friendly) to people. I thought then that if I supress any display of emotion, smile if necessary, pretend that nothing happened, and give my other cheek; everything will be all right.
BUT I am no longer that person, and that ability to be tolerant (civilised and endearing) is no longer useful to me. I will say what I want to say, when I want to say it, and will be responsible for it. I try not to offend people, if I can help it.
Oh yes, I have grown. I have learned the Dutch´s relaxed, confrontational way of dealing with things. And I must admit, I am actually loving it.
4 comments:
even when my gene pool tells me that as an Argentinean of Mediterranean blood I should be the kind to overreact when confronted with annoying situations, I've never been one to do that. Probably British school toned me down quite a notch, and I've always been known as the most polite and soft-speaking person in my circle of family and friends.
Holland has changed that, just as you find yourself changing too. At some point in the last time, I decided that I was done with Dutch openness and bluntness and that I was just going to imitate them. So, no more lectures about how things should be done simply because they think it's better their way and I definitely don't put up with rudeness or bad service any longer - oohhh no sir! :o)
I kind of have an angle over you on this one.
Complaining about something simple is fairly annoying, but then I get my dander up when it is a health issue and I can do something about it, at least most times.
Sometimes it pays to work for a health department...
over here in nc, i ordered a bucketful of KFC chicken breasts and thighs once only to find they put some wings and other parts in the middle. i promptly went back to the store and complained, got a fresh bucketful of chicken breasts and thighs only AND got to keep the first bucket they gave me earlier. poor them. happy us. we had a blast at work.
hmmm...I am still in the phase were I am undecided about how to deal with such situations...while in India we complain loud and clear, in Canada it was all about politeness...and the Dutch blunt attitude leaves me puzzled as to how I should react....:)
Wishing you a very very happy new year 2010!
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