It can be so frustrating!

SapphireStar

SapphireStar

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Im not being racist or anything of the sort, but working in retail and dealing with foreign customers takes it toll. And I mean foreign customers who dont speak a word of English. It can be so frustrating when your working in a busy supermarket and your next customer cannot understand a single word you say.

Today I had a Polish lady come in and give me a mobile phone top up card and £10. She said "£10" and handed me the card. I located top up on my till and asked her £10?" just to make sure thats what she wanted. If I made a mistake, its out of my wages. And she just smiled and shrugged her shoulders at me. I thought she hadnt heard me and repeated myself and she smiled, shook her head and shrug. I thought she may have been deaf, but she heard other Polish customers fine.

The absloute best one was when a woman came to my friends counter and before he could say "Hello" she said "I dont speak any English!" He just stared at her, then me, then back at her. So that was an entertaining sale lol.

I mean, by all means come to Great Britian, but please at least do us the decesence to learn the language of the country you have now chosen to live in. We do it in other countries because we do need to in order to survive, but its like people arent bothering to learn the langauge now and just earn a living without knowing a single word.
 
In the UK there is of course mixed ethnics.
In major cities there are lots and Im currently living in Bradford. Its mainly a Muslim, Asian, Indian, Pakistani communinity.
 
Ya, it happens all the time, but it's the other way around where the clerks can't speak a word of English. We go to Mexican stores all around our place, trying to buy food stuffs for....a decent rate. *coughs*
But whenever we try to make the transaction, the clerk kind of stares at us, and kind of motions to us that she can't speak English.

Kinda tough to understand, though, and it takes a load of time just to finish a simple purchase of tacos. ^_^

But either way, I think there should be a rule:

1.) If you live in a community dominated by an English speaking population, learn the language, or at least learn a few words that might help you in your job. :monster:
And vice versa, or with another language.
It's no use just sitting around, waiting for your friends, or buddies, or relatives, or whomever else speaks your language, to translate anything for you, because you can never rely on any one group or person all the time.
Simple fact.
 
Wow, haha. I am glad I don't have to work in that type of environment.

Here in the US we get alot of Hispanics and it's sometimes hard to understand. x__x.
 
Ugh, you're preaching to the choir there.
I work in retail too, though I rarely deal with the customers (stockroom boy FTW :monster: ) but I still feel it, because whenever a Polish customer (or someone else from the continent) they ask for European sizes in footwear. Not that it's hard to look in a different place on the box, but I like to be stuck in a routine that makes things easier for me.

The best is when you get some guy debating whether or not buy something and asks you how much it is, and then if he can get it any cheaper? Priceless.
 
Haggling? I've done it once or twice myself. :P

One time, my uncle, who was Korean, haggled with a video game retailer, who was Filipino. :monster:
Quite easy to see the conflict there, when I tell you that that uncle could barely speak English.

Point being, like I said, learn the language, and you'll be fine. Same goes for English speakers who go to foreign countries. At least learn a few phrases, right?
 
Haha, I too feel your pain. My frustration isn't so much with the customers (stockroom boy 'ftw', indeed my friend, I too get to be isolated back there). But a considerable portion of our own co-workers also do not speak english and I think they all got thrown on our early morning team precisely so they won't have to be put in the position of having to try to help out a customer who cannot even understand them. I'm in the US as well, and California is right at the border to Mexico so we have tons of tons of immigrants. I don't see too much wrong with that. Not all of them hop the border over here to mooch off the welfare system, these guys are just looking for a better chance at more equal opportunities in a civil and fair-minded workplace that is required by law to recognize their rights. Most of them downright bust their ass, and I have the utmost respect for it. But I agree, for the love of God almighty if you're going to move to a country then take the appropriate measures to begin learning its predominant language. I would hold myself to no less of a standard if I moved to a country that spoke no english.
 
Exactly Ellergy! Even if i'm going on holliday I try my best to learn the basics of the language, even if its just a few phrases. I might sound like a twat but at least I try and it is always appreciated.
 
I know what you mean... I encountered this spanish dude... not a word of english, so we both agreed that we couldnt understand eachother.. lol... we had a laugh though
 
What I hate is when people use their "lack of English" to their advantage..
I work in Next, and we sometimes stand at the front to sell directorys or just say hello.. so there I am on front door and two asian women come in..
I walk up and ask if they'd be interested, but before I open my mouth one of them gives me a dirty look and the other says "she doesn't speak English"
So one of my friends comes up to me and whispers "They do speak English they're regulars"
Typical eh? But what bugged me was she had the nerve to say IN ENGLISH her FRIEND doesn't speak English lol!!

But we have A LOT of Polish people in my area and its pretty irritating I just don't like how they're coming into our country in swarms.
 
Haha, I can relate. On any given day, I'll encounter maybe half a dozen customers who speak close to no english. It'd be great if they'd learn enough of the language to at least purchase food with little difficulty, but whatever...

Honestly, if I went to a country that didn't speak english, I'd be too lazy to bother learning the language. On the other hand, if I went to another country to LIVE there, then I'd definitely make a point of learning.
 
Welp, it can be frustrating. I'm one people can ask questions to without usually feeling stupid.... so other students ask about homework and stuff. And I've had a few foreign students ask me what we're supposed to do, and it takes me like, five tries sometimes just to understand what their saying. And then I have to explain slowly so they understand.

It can be aggrivating, but think how hard it must be for them to live like that and everyone but a few can understand.
 
I don't know how people can actually live here for years and not know english! I actually know a few people here from school who's parents live here and don't speak english! It's gotta make life difficult.

I hated dealing with people who couldn't understand english when I used to work at the mall. I had these two girls who didn't know any English and they tried to pay me in foreign money. I mean c'mon how smart do you have to be to know that the US only excepts US dollars? I mean I wouldn't go to Germany and try to pay with Yen.
 
Mmm...it's the same way in America. I have been to Europe before, and I can see why this can be frustrating. You guys practically have a different language (and then some) for each different country. You never really know what to expect in terms of foreign language over there.

In America, I'd say that 90% of the language barrier is caused by Mexican immigrants. There are quite a few Mexicans in America, and the number just keeps increasing and increasing. Some of them are really nice and put up a GREAT effort to learn English. But I have come across some Mexicans who shake their heads at me for not knowing THEIR language in MY country! o.0
 
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