When I came for the very first time to London to visit my son who had started to work there, I went to a supermarket to do some shopping. I had never been in one before. I realized that our weight measures were not yet the same, and had to do the conversion. A year later in 1995 it was easier for me because besides the lbs the kgs were mentioned too.
What surprised me the most was the kindness of the cashiers everywhere I went. They greeted me with "Hello my love" and "how are you today" Never ever in my life a Belgian cashier had called me "my love" or even "my darling" I was used to sour looking faces who didn't even look at you or just said "Good morning" If I had a good day or not was not even a question.
I experienced the same with bus drivers, our bus drivers are not even polite, they just ignore you or grumble something if you don't show your ticket quick enough.
What a difference to be greeted like this when you have done your shopping and you pay ! I wished I could import this cashier's behaviour or at least that they learn to smile !
When I returned home and did my shopping I wasn't "my love" anymore I was just an anonymous transparent person and the first bus driver I met had a rant with somebody who only had a banknote and no coins !
more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday
Hello my Love!
ReplyDeleteNice to read!
Have a lovely week, Gattina :)
More so the last time we visited rather than the first time, we found staff everywhere in England we went to be really terrific. Staff in Australia are generally quite good. While generally the staff in Austria and Germany were more like you describe, the staff in two places in Cologne were really good.
ReplyDeleteIn the deep Southern States here, they call everybody "darling" (without the g sound in their accent) or honeychild. After we spent some time there, we missed that ! We also found people in London to be very friendly however, and helpful!
ReplyDeleteI also noticed the rudeness in Holland and Belgium when I was there for a day.Especially the children were rude.and porn was everywhere, on all the walls. So guess nothings changed lol
ReplyDeleteIt's a western thing for cowboys of a certain age to call women, "Darlin". I think it's kind of cute...
ReplyDeleteI don't find the staff in London anywhere near as friendly as the ones in Manchester.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, a smile and a nod hello goes a long way♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/lone-pod/
ReplyDeleteNo..now I read that you are German...and live at the French part of Belgium, and your Husband is Italian...tjee,my English is bad...so I can't react not so much...
ReplyDeleteSweet post and isn't it wonderful when sales people are pleasant ~
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend to you,
artmusedog and carol
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ReplyDeleteYou'd feel perfectly at home with our bus drivers and cashiers :( They are terrible.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely experience. Isn't it amazing how a little genuine kindness can make such a difference in our days?
ReplyDeleteHello my love is a nice friendly way to be greeted. In Australia it is usually "owyergoinmate". You might not understand it but it is a friendly greeting.
ReplyDeleteI melt when I hear "My love." It doesn't even have to be addressed to me.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, Gattina. I love London also !!! Our daughter and her family returned last July after staying there for almost five years (she works for BP).
ReplyDeleteI think Londoners are very polite and well mannered. Most of them don't carry guns either.
We went about twice a years, or more, to see them. Our grand-daughter is now five.
The other grand-daughter is seventeen and is staying to finish high school so we will be going again for her graduation in May.
We have visited Bruges and Brussels. We liked Bruges better, but I is also geared towards entertaining tourists. My favorite food there was the ice cream.
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love, i used less and less. Some people will say "Who is your love."
ReplyDeleteAw....sweet! My love is a wonderful term of kindness as well as endearment with those we love! I agree too many grumpy faces wherever we go! I don't like giving my money to those who are not respectful and the world seems to be going mad! I am glad you came across these wonderful souls! Have a beautiful week and enjoy it!
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