Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Foreigners V. LocalsI’ve been told by fellow locals that not all foreigners are really all that nice and good. But Hey! I’ve got news, not all locals are all that nice and good, either. In fact, just within a day, which is yesterday, I have seen both sides of foreigners and locals in four different people.
On my first shift, I met Mr. Correspondent from Shanghai again, this time round he gave me his name card, which was really nice of him, and we talked about more interesting stuff. He told me about the different places and people in China. That Tibetans are a group of exotic looking minorities in China who don’t look like Chinese at all, and the place they live are way above sea level on snow-capped mountain and the air pressure there is so low, visitors had to bring along with them oxygen bags.
I’ve also learned a lot more about what is going on for IMF through him. He told me US adding pressure for China to re-evaluate and to appreciate their exchange rate, and explain the rationale behind it. China’s trading economy will be greatly affected if the appreciation is too drastic, too fast. People will stop getting imports from China because China will no longer have price advantage over US, or any country for the matter, which will result in a drop in their trading economy.
He is one of the few people I’ve ever met who really has a purpose in life. He is obviously smart yet he is humble and constantly seeks for ways to push himself towards improvement, and I do respect him for all that.
On one of the other shifts, I met this American lady, who excused me from entertaining her because she has been in Singapore for more than 2 ½ years. I was thinking to myself, it didn’t matter even if she’s a local, if she wanted to talk, I would have talked to her. But I left her on her own anyway; the bus journey was smooth but long. Before she alighted she told me it was crazy that the bus journey took so long and she could have reached here faster if she had walked. I had doubts that she could walk that far but kept it to myself because I felt quite bad. She thanked me halfheartedly and I apologized to her, hoping very hard to appease her but I doubt it would do the trick.
One positive encounter and one not so pleasant encounter with two foreigners.
There are many pleasant locals; my bus uncle, Lim, was one of them. Initially, I heard from a friend that he is very quiet but it turned out that he does talk but only when there the right kind of topic. He talked to me about a number of things and I learned a lot from him too. After Mr. Correspondent alighted, he was the one who showed me the image of the snow-capped mountain, and he was really excited when he talked about it. His traveling experience to 62 countries, I remember, we talked about him in China and US, he even advice me to go Orlando if I ever visit US. He seems quite proud about his experience, like a father talking about his son, so I just listen and allow him to indulge, it was nice, really.
He also talked to me about the IMF, BRIC, which represents Brazil, Russia, India and China. These are the countries who owned lots of natural resources. What a knowledgeable bus uncle!
Then, lastly, is my very unpleasant encounter with the policeman. What a drastic change from Mr. Hottie, they decide to throw me a challenge, to Mr. MCP. About the policeman I got yesterday, body odor aside, he had a very arrogant mannerism about him that really makes me feel like squeezing his neck and he had nothing good to say about anyone. He must be the most miserable man on
Earth;
heavens have mercy on his wife. He had nothing good to say about Mr. Correspondent or Ms. America, he even throw me looks when the bus uncle talks about his experience overseas. He is the kind who would tell me that foreigners are lousy people, yet he is worst. And he was crowding
MY SPACE!!! I absolutely hate it when guys get too close whether he is hot, or NOT, in his case.
I really
HATE it when the bus is so empty and huge, he and the policeman I got first day, had to stand so close to where I am sitting. Worst, sometimes after checking that no one wishes to take my bus and I wanted to walk back to my seat. He had to be standing up put his arms up, shift his body aside and, poor dear me had to bend my head to get to my seat under his, did I mention he has body odor?, arm.
Cringed!!! I hate all men, at this moment. Disgusting, fat and stinking MCP. By the end of my last shift, I couldn’t wait to break free from the stifling bus…
Let’s see, if a guy ever tries and be funny,
Funny guy: “I smell fear in you…”
You: “oh, Yeah? I though it’s your body odor we’re smelling.”
Argh…Yup, one pleasant encounter with a local and one extremely lousy encounter with the reservist policeman. Yikes!
Sigh, working towards being
more tolerant and a better
mind, body & soul.
PLEASE READ THESE TERMS:
JOANIE
I am pretty much like every other girl. Perhaps not that much. I like thinking for my own. One thing I can't tolerate is for people to tell me they know me. I find that terribly arrogant.
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