The scenario which i am about to describe is a real life one. In fact, it is a personal experience, which left me highly frustrated (see picture) and blaming the government (for irrational reasons).
Changi Airport holds an interesting attraction for me, where many 'goodbyes' and 'welcome backs' have been said, many hugs have been given and many tears have been shed. But this recent event has left a slight aftertaste. I was with a couple of friends, and after sending a friend off, we decided to head to Popeyes to take away some fried chicken and biscuits for supper.
So we made our way to level 2 of Terminal 1 (T1) and i joined the shortest queue available. A young lady of Chinese descent was manning the counter and she looked pleasant and friendly. A few minutes later it was my turn to order and i proceeded to make my order.
"May i have set number 2 please? Can i also change the mashed-potatoes to fries?"
My order was met with a blank stare.
"I want the 2 piece chicken meal, and change the side dish to fries" i repeated slowly.
The blank stare became a sheepish smile, and she requested that i repeat my order again, in mandarin.
Now obviously i understood what she was saying, but being a front counter service staff in Changi International Airport, i expected her to be able to converse in simple English. Pointing to the menu, i indicated my choice. I still had to give in and do the change of side dish in mandarin because i didn't know how to use gestures to indicate that.
While she was preparing my order, many thoughts ran through my head and i began to feel really frustrated. Perhaps it was the disappointment in the level of service, and perhaps it was a little bit of irrational nationalism creeping up. Yes, the thoughts of why are there so many foreigners in the midst of us? What if a non-mandarin speaking tourist came, how would he feel about not being able to use English to take his orders in a fast food restaurant from New Orleans? Being the typical Engineer, 'standard solutions' started to fill my head, such as ensuring all foreign workers to be sufficiently competent in spoken English before be put in front line service positions.
Now looking back, i find my 'fears' and 'frustrations' to be irrational. After all, don't i have to order food from MacDonald's in Singlish or Mandarin once in a while? Why do i not have such frustrations when the counter lady is an old Singaporean lady from the heartlands? This Chinese lady is only looking to fill her rice bowl, and many foreign immigrants are in fact doing work that we Singaporeans do not wish to do in the first place.
Intercultural clashes such as this will only become more commonplace in Singapore as we seek to open our shores to more immigrants. Perhaps it is high time we began to integrate them into our society and introduce them to local societal norms and beliefs. After all, weren't our forefathers immigrants as well?
6 comments:
I can understand how you feel, it is sometimes very irritating. You would have to either repeat your order or sometimes speak in a different language so that they can understand you. Sometimes their tone and attitude can be quite rude.
However, there is an increase in number of foreign workers in Singapore lately. I believe this is one way for us to thrive economically. The best solution is effective intercultural communication.
Some of these foreigners may have problems understanding English; we should try to speak slower. Equip ourselves with more than one language helps too.
Sometimes being more tolerant and understanding towards another person’s culture helps too.
Hi Liang Fu,
I think it’s great that you brought up this issue. If anything, the furore surrounding the location of a dormitory for foreign workers in Serangoon Gardens further highlights the necessity to integrate these migrant workers into our societal norms and beliefs.
I believe it is a fine line to tread, when it comes to whether locals should make more of an effort to accommodate foreigners, or whether foreigners should do their best to integrate themselves into local culture. Since we all assume the importance of preserving and respecting each other’s cultures, do you think it is possible for a compromise to be reached, without having to sacrifice the essence of two very different cultures?
Also, just to use your case as an example, why do we not want to speak Mandarin to a Chinese national, and yet when we speak to Caucasians we sometimes feel inclined to put on an accent? Where does this bias come from? What do you think?
Hi Liang Fu, I actually agree that front line service staff should be able to communicate in decent English. This is especially so since this outlet is at Changi International Airport, where many tourists come and go. It would reflect badly on Singapore if front line staff here can't communicate properly. Since the menu of Popeyes' is in English, the staff should be able to speak the language.
Another party to blame would be Popeyes' itself, for not ensuring its employees are well-trained to take on this job. Thus, I agree with your suggestion to ensure all workers are sufficiently competent in English before being given the job. To do this, English courses might need to be introduced.
This is an interesting and highly relevant discussion. I can easily understand your frustration, especially since front line service staff at an international airport probably should be able to converse in English. You accurately present this experience within the context of intercultural communication. It could also be brought up in a business comm course.
Of course, the issue is complex. You ask: "Why are there so many foreigners in the midst of us?"
Well, being a "foreigner in your midst," I can give a basic reason that may apply to many people's situations: economic. In the history of migration, "making a living" is probably the number one reason for people to leave a homeland and take a job in another. Emigrants from China have done that the world over for hundreds if not thousands of years. What you bring up in your post though goes beyond that to the idea of "assimilation." What you expect with your fast food order is a degree of assimilation on the part of your server that allows for easy communication. The real question is: do you have a right to that expectation?
I guess it depends on the context. Think about the many cases where students at NUS complain about not being able to understand a lecturer. Do they have a right?
This would be an interesting research topic!
Thanks, man!
Thanks for commenting everyone!
I sort of expected a reaction like this. In fact, the Serangoon Worker Dorm issue was exactly what i was thinking about when i posted the blog.
Is there a reason why Singaporeans are more tolerant towards some foreigners and not others? Thanks Benjamin.. made me think!
Brad you made a really interesting comment that made me think hard as well. Do we in fact have the right to demand that others fit in? Are we right to have expectations of others? When does having expectations become discriminatory?
My personal stand:
I believe it takes 2 hands to clap. Singaporeans should try our best to make adjustments to our existing lifestyle. There is no place for elitism or over-zealous nationalism, in a country built on meritocracy and built by migrant hands. On the other hand, foreigners in our midst should really try to assimilate into the culture. Beginning with obeying laws, respecting local norms and trying to learn the language (Singlish of coz). More can be done by the authorities to help us all.. but thats another long blog post altogether.. haha
Heyo! I do have the same mindset as you sometimes about chinese immigrants working or even studying here in Singapore. There's always this communication breakdown where we cannot really understand each other especially with their heavily accented chinese.
Nevertheless, it is these people that help us fill up those jobs that Singaporeans refuse to take up. Like food hawkers (those in YIH? Hee), dishwashers and cleaners. Without them, these 'low-class' jobs may not be taken at all.
Actually, I've come across this particular Chinese cleaner at my house once. As I was walking along the void deck, he saw me and gestured to me to come over. He was talking to me in such heavily-accented chinese that I don't know what he was talking about. Then he kept pointing at the public tap which was on to the maximum. I assumed that he was asking me how to turned off the tap but I don't know how to and I was in a rush for my appointment. So I told him I don't know but I don't think he understood me. I left anyway and I really felt bad about not helping him at all. My sis also mentioned to me once that the same cleaner helped her washed her car when there's not a need to.
That's why I feel instead of complaining and loathing their presence, we should be more appreciative of them and grateful to them for helping to boost our economy. =)
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