COMING to the U.S. for the first time is quite a challenge, specially, in the workplace.

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Ross Wilcox
7 years ago
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1 COMING to the U.S. for the first time is quite a challenge, specially, in the workplace. Some friends had shared with me their varied experiences. Here are some examples: Do you speak English? an irate elderly patient insultingly asked my wife on her first few weeks at the hospital. She was already talking to her in English, yet she was talking to her in a condescending way. 1 / 8

2 As we all know, English is the official language in the country since the Americans landed in the 1900s as part of the Spanish-American War in Yes, I speak English. I speak English since I was 7 years old in the elementary grades up to college, my wife replied quite indignantly. But I don t understand any word you said, the patient answered back with a bit of sarcasm in her voice. Annoyed, she moved a bit closer to the patient s bed, and said, Ma m, actually, I speak seven languages. The patient s lips opened up in disbelief, her eyes suddenly dilating wide and wider. Oh, my God! Really? What languages? My wife, started counting her fingers, I speak English, Spanish, Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan and Visaya. Never heard of those languages, the lady seemed confused with what she had heard. But my wife is just too smart for that kind of situation. Well, she explained, because we are world travelers. We are everywhere. 2 / 8

3 Then she asked her, Have you been anywhere outside the U.S.? She didn t answer back. She just went back to sleep. A close friend of mine narrated this to me. According to him, at that time he was working at the NY Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, when a middle-aged woman was admitted for some tests in the nuclear medicine department. He began talking to her, explaining the procedures to be done. But the patient seemed not at ease with the way he was explaining, halting English, heavy accent and all. After about 15 minutes, she cut him short, rudely motioned him to leave. Excuse me I want someone else to explain them to me. So my friend left and went back to his office. Just so happened that an American nurse was passing by so the patient made a request, Could you please let me talk to the supervisor of the nuclear department? 3 / 8

4 Oh sure, I will be right back, the nurse assured her. The nurse and my friend came together to the patient. Right away, the patient protested, Oh, please, I said I wanted the supervisor. The nurse quickly explained to her, He is the supervisor. He is the one in-charge here and the very best that we have. The patient was speechless. Kuwento naman ito noong isang kaibigan tungkoldoon sa kababayan niya na ipinasok niya sa isangmalaking publishing company. Bagong graduate kaya wala pang job experience. Iha, sabi niya, Pag lapit sa iyo ng boss, palihimakong lalapit din sa iyo para pakinggan ang mga instructions niya. Basta t sabihin mong palagi, Yes, I will do it. At ako ang gagawa para sa iyo. Tuwang-tuwa naman iyong bagong hire. Ganito palagi ang nangyayari sa loob ng mga ilang buwan. 4 / 8

5 Darating ang boss, makikinig si kaibigan, at siya ang gagawa ng mga trabaho. Pero minsan, nagpunta si kaibigan sa bathroom at tiyempo namang dumating daw si boss. Nataranta siyempre si bagong empleyado. Nagkaroon siya ng panic attack. Nang bumalik na iyong kaibigan, hindi niya makita ang kaniyang kaibigan na pagong pasok. Umuwi daw bigla at grabe ang sakit niya. Kawawa naman. Ako rin ay may kuwento. Noong araw, may dalawang Japanese consultants kaming bisita saupisina. Dahil medyo mahirap ang English communications, ako ang pinaharap ng aming boss. Maybe they will be at ease talking to you, suggested by the boss. 5 / 8

6 Kaya ganoong nga ang nangyayari. Panay ang biruan naman. Nagpakawala din ako ng mga ilang Japanese words, Arigatoo, Hai, Sumimasen at saka Sayonara. Akala nila linguist na ako. Minsan dumating sa cubicle ko si Mr. Shinoda. Yumuko siya, yumuko din ako. Mr. Castoro, umpisa niya, am very sorry, me not coming tomorrow. Why? tanong ko dahil mayroon kaming scheduled na meeting sa kinabukasan. Because, tomorrow, we have horiday in Japan. We have Erection Day. Bigla akong napanganga. Tumingin ako sa paligid para alamin kung may nakakarinig. Tahimik namang nakaupo iyong kalapit namagandang secretarya. 6 / 8

7 What do you mean erection day, you mean that thing, hindi ko maderetso ang words. Patuloy niya, It s everybody doing it once a year, every four years. Men, women, everybody. Even children too? No, no children. So what do you do...you, you all lie down, I muttered very nervously. No, we all walked. Now I am at a loss. My imagination ran wild in all directions at full speed. I was imagining the whole country of Japan with adults all dressed in straw mushrooms. Then Mr. Shinoda took a glance at a newspaper spread on my desk. It s like him, Mr. Reagan, being erected president. 7 / 8

8 Oh, God, forgive me. It s Election Day, not Erection Day. What a difference a letter makes. I shook his hand and bid Sayonara. The secretary behind me was blushing red and mouthed the words, I am going to kill you. Then she laughed, and we all laughed at the office. What a day! bcastro99@verizon.net 8 / 8

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