This is really annoying me..

[KAIA]

Hi! I've been pretty annoyed.. is a job related issue because I work at the mall, in some Pizza place, the thing is that Spanish speaker customers (most of them) get mad at me, because I don't talk in Spanish to them! I do speak fluent Spanish, I'm Latin.
But they make SUCH a big deal, I don't wanna offend anyone, but I have this problem JUST with mexican customers.
me: Hi! How are you, how may I help you?
customer: ( start speaking in spanish to me and they don't even say hi back)
I understand that there are people who do not speak any english, but they should ask, for courtesy, excuse me do you speak spanish? when people asks me this I'll gladly help you.. my point is, when you are emmigrating to an "X" country we AS IMMIGRANTS are supposed to get USED TO THIS COUNTRY, we have to ADAPT TO THIS COUNTRY... not all the way around.. am i wrong?
It bothers me, because other customer that are in line, they look uncomfortable, since probably don't understand what are we talking about, and it's just rude.
The funny thing is that some customer speak english but they STILL WANT ME TO SPEAK TO THEM IN SPANISH, and if I don't they just snap, trying to say that I'm not proud of my heritage and blah blah (which is not true) I don't have to keep my car with 300 bumper stickers all over it with my country's flag, I know where I'm coming from and I don't need those to remind me... duhh
Here's another example, one of my co-workers is born and raised here, but his parents are Latin, he's spanish is veeeeery basic. One day this customer kept talking to him in spanish, even though he said " yo no hablo mucho espanol, sorry" ( I don't speak too much spanish, sorry) and then I heard them (customers) ranting.. " Yeah right, he looks latin he should be talking to us in spanish " ( they said this in spanish ) so I heard all this and told them that they should STOP ASSUMING that people speaks spanish just because he "looks" Latin.
I have people coming to me boyfriend/boss (LOL) talking in spanish, (he's not latin) he's like... WTF???
And I have met people from other countries and cultures, and I swear they never come to me and start talking in another language I don't understand...
Anyway.. what do you think about this?? also, do you have any similar stories?? or it's just in my store.???

 

[MACATTAK]

This happens everywhere & I agree with you totally. I am Hispanic but I don't know how to fluently speak Spanish. I know a few words & phrases, but I can't carry on a conversation in Spanish. I work at a school & parents will come up to me just having a conversation in Spanish with me...Hello...you should ask first. I am pale white & without knowing my last name, you wouldn't know I am Hispanic. Some will ask, but many just start going off. I feel that if you are in the US...then you should either know English, or at least be attempting to speak it. If I was in a different part of the world, it would be my responsibility to learn their language, not expect everyone to be speaking to me in English. That's just how I feel.

 

[sexypuma]

That's quite annoying nut it happems all the time. I had people try to have a converstion in spanish with me (I don't speak spanish at all) but most would ask me first. In any event. I agree with you. They should either speak to you in english or ask you if you would carry the conversation in spanish.

 

[Beauty Mark]

I think that's annoying and- I can't place my finger on why, but it's really shitty of them to think and expect you to speak in Spanish to them. Until you wear a "I know Spanish!" button or sign, that's dumb that they assume it. If they know English, what's the big deal about them speaking it?

The worst I have happen with people are Asian tourists directly asking me for help, even though some white people are telling them the same thing I am. They flat out ignore the white people, even turning their backs, preferring to talk to me. I have no accent, and I don't speak any language but English. Do people not realize how incredibly rude that behavior is?

 

[kimmy]

when i was working my first job, a man came in speaking spanish to me. i kind of got the jist of what he was saying, but didn't have the means to answer him back. he yelled at me, i walked away. my boss came to talk to him, he yelled at my boss for not speaking spanish as well. long story short, the police had to be called to remove him from the premises for making such a scene and being so volatile. when the cops questioned him, he magically spoke perfect english.

 

[sitasati]

Happens all the time to me. Supposedly, I look spanish (I'm indian) they walk right up to me talking to me in spanish. I'm like "um I don't speak spanish" so they walk away blabbering something. I work at a pharmacy so they have to ask me questions about their health or medicine ..but because I don't speak spanish they won't talk to me. Some of them refuse to even try to speak english. It's mind blowing sometimes. Some will just force a cell phone on me and be like here! ....I hate that!!! Cell phones are so germ-ridden!!

 

[tsukiyomi]

I totally agree with you. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage but America's language is English. Not Spanish. Some people don't seem to realise that.

 

[xmrsvindieselx]

my dad is 100% puerto rican while my mom is german.. my problem i ALWAYS get from people " why dont you speak spanish?!?!"

let me think.. how would i talk to my mother then? and i usually get this from people who know that im not 100% PR. its really makes me mad. my dad is bi lingual so he knows perfect english...and my mom knows NO spanish lol..

 

[CantAffordMAC]

people used to walk up to me and just start speaking spanish (i'm not...at all lol) just because I looked spanish I guess. i just shook my head and said "no" lol

my boss and her husband were in the salon one day and they are both spanish, and were speaking it...my boss turned to me and said "are you spanish? do you know what we're saying?" i told her i wasn't but i still knew some spanish

 

[MxAxC-_ATTACK]

My mom is a nurse in Labor and Delivery, and she knows spanish,(you pretty much have to learn it these days) but shes your typical blonde haired blue eyed woman so know one knows it. shes had patients talk "junk" about her right in front of her, thinking she doesn't know spanish. I wish I could have seen the faces when she answers back in spanish.

 

[glam8babe]

when i went on holiday to the caribbean most of the spanish thought me and my bf were from sweden and spoke swedish [or dutch wotever] because we are both blonde.. i mean WTF lol it happens everywhere hunni

 

[sleepyhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark The worst I have happen with people are Asian tourists directly asking me for help, even though some white people are telling them the same thing I am. They flat out ignore the white people, even turning their backs, preferring to talk to me. I have no accent, and I don't speak any language but English. Do people not realize how incredibly rude that behavior is?

my bf is an east asian looking filipino, and i'm a very filipino looking chinese, so whenever we are out together, the tourists always ignore me and start talking to my bf in chinese. when i answer their questions in chinese, i always get an "apology" like "sorry, we did not know you were chinese. you look too dark to be chinese. giggles" (i'm NC30!) some of them even decided to tell me that i should find a chinese speaking boyfriend. now THAT's rude!

 

[makeupgal]

You know, this boils my blood! I am Cuban and I mean 100% Cuban. Born there, moved here when I was 6 months old. I learned how to speak English by the time I was 4 because I would be starting Kindergarten. I am adamant that if people are going to live here LEARN THE LANGUAGE! The law states that you must be able to speak English before you can become a citizen. I do not speak Spanish to my children. I can't even count how many people chastize me at the mall or at the grocery store because my kids don't speak Spanish. When they see me, it's obvious that I'm Hispanic. My children have blue eyes and fair skin, so they ask if they are my children. Once I say yes, they start rattling off in Spanish to them. My kids tell them they don't speak Spanish and I get the dirty looks and speeches about how I am a bad mother for not teaching them how to speak Spanish. The sad part is, if you were to tell one of the customers to learn the language if they are going to live here, you would get fired! Unbelievable!

 

[aziajs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by makeupgal You know, this boils my blood! I am Cuban and I mean 100% Cuban. Born there, moved here when I was 6 months old. I learned how to speak English by the time I was 4 because I would be starting Kindergarten. I am adamant that if people are going to live here LEARN THE LANGUAGE! The law states that you must be able to speak English before you can become a citizen. I do not speak Spanish to my children. I can't even count how many people chastize me at the mall or at the grocery store because my kids don't speak Spanish. When they see me, it's obvious that I'm Hispanic. My children have blue eyes and fair skin, so they ask if they are my children. Once I say yes, they start rattling off in Spanish to them. My kids tell them they don't speak Spanish and I get the dirty looks and speeches about how I am a bad mother for not teaching them how to speak Spanish. The sad part is, if you were to tell one of the customers to learn the language if they are going to live here, you would get fired! Unbelievable!

It boils your blood and mine. It's bullshit. I feel insulted that as an English speaking American it is getting to the point that I have to learn Spanish. There are many jobs that won't even consider you if you don't speak it. It's ridiculous. There are so many immigrants in this country and we, as a country, have never catered to a group so much. You don't see other groups, essentially, mandating that we learn Polish or Japanese or German or whatever. I don't even know if I am making my point clearly but like I said, it's just ridiculous.

 

[xsnowwhite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aziajs It boils your blood and mine. It's bullshit. I feel insulted that as an English speaking American it is getting to the point that I have to learn Spanish. There are many jobs that won't even consider you if you don't speak it. It's ridiculous. There are so many immigrants in this country and we, as a country, have never catered to a group so much. You don't see other groups, essentially, mandating that we learn Polish or Japanese or German or whatever. I don't even know if I am making my point clearly but like I said, it's just ridiculous.

i completely agree!
I think its silly for us to all have to learn spanish when everyone else has had to learn english...

 

[mjalomo]

Actually, the original language of this country was probably one of the early Native American languages. There is no "true" language, just the languages of the dominant culture. American English originates from several languages. I am glad we still have some cultures in this country that have not completely assimilated. I live in a multicultural city and hearing Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, English, and all other languages spoken in public is music to my ears. Rudeness is in every culture and not limited to one ethnic group.

 

[MiCHiE]

I wanted to slap the shit out of a coworker of mine. She walked up to me and began ranting about one of the guys at work, saying she asked him if he spoke Spanish. He replied no and she was offended, not because he didn't speak Spanish but, because he was obviously Hispanic and didn't speak it. She even asked him, "Where are you from?!?!?" and he replied, "Miami."
So, she told me she got in his face and was like, "No, you know what I mean...Where are you from?"
His parents are from PR.
I just thought that was rude and harrassing on her part. But, I find that a lot of people I've worked with use Spanish as their solidarity. They sometimes hate each other, but will feel they have to stick together because they speak Spanish.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjalomo Actually, the original language of this country was probably one of the early Native American languages. There is no "true" language, just the languages of the dominant culture. American English originates from several languages. I am glad we still have some cultures in this country that have not completely assimilated. I live in a multicultural city and hearing Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, English, and all other languages spoken in public is music to my ears. Rudeness is in every culture and not limited to one ethnic group.

The issue is, though, it's incredibly detrimental for people to come to a predominantly English speaking country and not know English. You're screwing yourself, because you do need to know some English to get a decent job. You're endangering yourself, because you might not be able to tell the police you were mugged or the doctors what's wrong with you.

Assimilating in language is something everyone should do; if I moved to any other country in the world, I'd be expected to learn their language. When I studied abroad, I had to assimilate to British spellings and even some pronounciations. If language is the only tie to your original country, that's really sad.

Quote:

So, she told me she got in his face and was like, "No, you know what I mean...Where are you from?"

I almost got in a physical fight when I refused to answer that and asked why that was important. Really, I have no accent beyond a Mid-Atlantic USA one, I have the frickin' "American" name... and beyond that, it's none of your business.

I hate people who get so wrapped up in their "culture" that they decide it gives them the right to be assholes

 

[MiCHiE]

I felt so bad for the guy because, like another poster said, he was one of these kids who had not learned Spanish and she was trying to converse with him that way. And, you could look at him and she that he was Hispanic. I guess she felt he was turning his back on his culture, but like he said, he was born and raised here.

The whole thing with the languages pisses me off, too. You really can't get a decent job in some places without being able to speak Spanish.

 

[sleepyhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark Assimilating in language is something everyone should do; if I moved to any other country in the world, I'd be expected to learn their language. When I studied abroad, I had to assimilate to British spellings and even some pronounciations. If language is the only tie to your original country, that's really sad.

i agree with you. learning a new language somehow really scares some people though. my family moved to canada 8 years ago, and my mom still does not speak any english (as in cannot even recite the alphabet). she's always complaining about how she would get paid much better and work less if she could speak english. yet she laughs at her friends for being lazy and not wanting to work because they are going to language school. i guess i will never understand her logics.