PRC Workers

7 PRCs.

Today.

TOUGH ON ME.


Who in Singapore can actually hold a decent conversation in perfect mandarin?!?! YOU TELL ME YOU TELL ME!!!


First, I have to introduce them to people.

Who knows how to say ''RECEPTIONIST'' in mandarin?!?! YOU TELL ME YOU TELL ME!!!


Then, I have to bring them around the premises and let them know what is what, and where is where... and what goes to where... and where puts what.

How to say "SECTION A & SECTION B" in mandarin?!?! And what is "forklift" in mandarin?!?! So stress... ... ... (-_-")


Plus, when they talk, it's like they are Ah-Mi-Nan (direct mandarin translation for Eminem). And they're rapping in mandarin. No comma, no fullstop. It's like they can talk in 2 whole paragraph without taking breaths.

*applause*



2 of them were from the city. 5 were from the countryside (as in, they are farmers).

You can tell that the ones from the city are more tech-savvy. 1 of them even have a hand-held PDA English-Mandarin translation thingy. And the other one has the mentality that Every Man is For Himself.

Whereas the farmer boys were more unselfish. They were more obedient. And more willing to help. In fact, they had shown male chivalry.


I was actually impressed by one particular guy.

He was extremely pleasant and he could even hold a decent & polite conversation. And whenever I held something bulky / heavy in my hands, he would IMMEDIATELY come over & help me hold it.

Seriously impressed.

Some guys (make it MOST guys) won't even bother to hold my shopping bags. They don't even let you walk thru a door first. Nor hold the door for you.

Also, this particular guy would be so damn helpful to the rest. He would get water for all of them (and previously, one guy that came from the city actually had the stupidity to tell me that he'll fark care the rest & if they were thirsty, they can get the water themselves).


And when squeezing thru tight corners, he let me walk thru first & didn't stand too close to me. Whereas some of the others would stand REALLY close while talking.

He's such a nice nice fella. I hope all good things will be bestowed upon him. And may he never get bullied by others.




The cutest thing of all was that they'll actually STAND whenever the management steps into the room. Like what we used to do when we were in Primary School whenever the teacher enters the class.

HOW CUTE IS THAT?!?!?!?!?!

I mean... who taught them to stand in unison and greet the person??? I'm sure Singaporeans do not do that (cuz I don't).

And the minute you finish presenting the orientation slides to them or after someone finishes a very INFORMAL speech, they give a very WARM & HEARTY CLAP.

omg...

And when you ask a question, they all reply. So unlike Singaporeans... who keep very quiet and unresponsive.

Imagine. These are people from the farms. And they have such polite behaviors.


But of course, they still have the tendency to WANT to spit on the floor. And when they yawn, they just give a very big audible 'yawnnnnnnnnnnn'.

To some of us, we probably will think that they are being rude.

But to them, it's just a normal human thing.



It's nice to know that some guys out there are still sweet & innocent.

Or... maybe that's just the surface. But who knows. For now, this is my 1st impression of them.