Comments on: “Hello, and welcome. How may I help you?” http://betterthingsahead.com/hello-and-welcome-how-may-i-help-you/ Life as a family of expats Sun, 10 Oct 2010 20:11:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jenna http://betterthingsahead.com/hello-and-welcome-how-may-i-help-you/comment-page-1/#comment-1613 Jenna Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:01:20 +0000 http://betterthingsahead.com/?p=641#comment-1613 I had a similar experience when I moved from NYC back home to the Pacific Northwest - the people at the grocery stores would scare me with their overt friendliness because I couldn't figure out if I was supposed to know them, if they wanted something ... or what. It took awhile to get used to again. I had a similar experience when I moved from NYC back home to the Pacific Northwest – the people at the grocery stores would scare me with their overt friendliness because I couldn’t figure out if I was supposed to know them, if they wanted something … or what. It took awhile to get used to again.

]]> By: Rachel McAdams http://betterthingsahead.com/hello-and-welcome-how-may-i-help-you/comment-page-1/#comment-1612 Rachel McAdams Sat, 14 Mar 2009 12:09:46 +0000 http://betterthingsahead.com/?p=641#comment-1612 Oh I SO am in the middle of what you are talking about here on American soil. The first week or so we were here, a man in the Walmart parking lot apparently was speaking to me and being friendly but I was ignoring him like I had gotten used to. He got upset with me for not being friendly back to him yelling "I'm a person! You gonna ignore me?" I was shocked, and had no idea even of his presence, after all we're supposed to ignore strange men. And yes the Target cashier has been extremely chatty and I got annoyed with the Bath and Body Works ladies yesterday for being so smiley and following me around trying to be helpful! That does NOT happen in our mutually shared home across the ocean. And yes EVERY time we are at Chick-Fil-A, we are constantly amazed at how nice and helpful and genuinely interested in our well-being they are. One time a worker actually ran across the parking lot in the rain with an umbrella to help me and the kids get in the restaurant without getting wet! I don't know how long they've been around, but we are LOVING how they provide those tape-on plastic placemats there - genius! The wife of the owner of 2 of the Chick-Fil-A's in our hometown is part of the group coming to visit us in July and I am seriously considering asking her to bring me a bunch so I can carry them around after we return! Oh I SO am in the middle of what you are talking about here on American soil. The first week or so we were here, a man in the Walmart parking lot apparently was speaking to me and being friendly but I was ignoring him like I had gotten used to. He got upset with me for not being friendly back to him yelling “I’m a person! You gonna ignore me?” I was shocked, and had no idea even of his presence, after all we’re supposed to ignore strange men. And yes the Target cashier has been extremely chatty and I got annoyed with the Bath and Body Works ladies yesterday for being so smiley and following me around trying to be helpful! That does NOT happen in our mutually shared home across the ocean. And yes EVERY time we are at Chick-Fil-A, we are constantly amazed at how nice and helpful and genuinely interested in our well-being they are. One time a worker actually ran across the parking lot in the rain with an umbrella to help me and the kids get in the restaurant without getting wet! I don’t know how long they’ve been around, but we are LOVING how they provide those tape-on plastic placemats there – genius! The wife of the owner of 2 of the Chick-Fil-A’s in our hometown is part of the group coming to visit us in July and I am seriously considering asking her to bring me a bunch so I can carry them around after we return!

]]> By: Shanie Rhodes http://betterthingsahead.com/hello-and-welcome-how-may-i-help-you/comment-page-1/#comment-1610 Shanie Rhodes Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:03:03 +0000 http://betterthingsahead.com/?p=641#comment-1610 Americans are definitely more out-going that most other cultures - be they European or other cultures. Growing up outside of the U.S., people often thought of Americans as superficial because of their warmth towards, and interest in, total strangers. I don't know, life is different wherever you go. And having grown up in varied cultures, I can honestly say that I don't believe there is a "good" or "bad", just multiple ways of going about life. And ultimately, we can all learn from each other. I liked your post. I thought it was respectful. Americans are definitely more out-going that most other cultures – be they European or other cultures. Growing up outside of the U.S., people often thought of Americans as superficial because of their warmth towards, and interest in, total strangers. I don’t know, life is different wherever you go. And having grown up in varied cultures, I can honestly say that I don’t believe there is a “good” or “bad”, just multiple ways of going about life. And ultimately, we can all learn from each other.

I liked your post. I thought it was respectful.

]]> By: mikki roo http://betterthingsahead.com/hello-and-welcome-how-may-i-help-you/comment-page-1/#comment-1609 mikki roo Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:08:57 +0000 http://betterthingsahead.com/?p=641#comment-1609 You know, I'm Canadian and we like to think we're not that different from Americans... but I've definitely noticed - from the Americans I personally know and from travelling down there - that you guys are a lot more gregarious and personal! Not to overgeneralize, because I realize there's many exceptions, but as a whole I definitely agree with you! And we're not across the ocean even... =) You know, I’m Canadian and we like to think we’re not that different from Americans… but I’ve definitely noticed – from the Americans I personally know and from travelling down there – that you guys are a lot more gregarious and personal! Not to overgeneralize, because I realize there’s many exceptions, but as a whole I definitely agree with you! And we’re not across the ocean even… =)

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