Co-workers, as mama Gump might say, are like a box of chocolates; you never know whatcha' gonna get. You might have some slackers, a few complainers, a suck-up, a couple of busybodies, and what have you. However in my case my co-workers aren't a box of chocolates, but more like a bag of M&Ms; and I'm a Skittle.
Although it is less awkward now, back when I first started it was very awkward working with my co-workers. And here the reasons why:
- They are of different gender.
When they start talking about shopping or about how handsome and cute Hyunbin from Secret Garden is, I find it hard to chine in.
- They have different cultural background.
Even though I'm Korean and I've lived in Korea for the past year, it still not as comfortable speaking to Koreans than it is speaking to Americans.
- They are in a different age group.
The average age is probably around 40. The low is (I think) 27 and the high is (again I think) 55. So I have maybe 2 noonas, 2 emos, 2 ummas, and 1 boarderline halmanee.
- They have a different livelihood.
They are all wives and mothers. Yes even the youngest one of the bunch already has 2 children sooo....
But now it's a lot better. They've gotten used to my dead silence, with a comment here and there. And it's really not that bad because they're truly a group of nice and sincere people. Plus my manager is a hoot. She jokes around a lot which is how I like to be managed.
Although the movie itself was pretty awful, Evan Almighty had one memorable scene. In a nutshell, Evan's wife was doubting and reevaluating if she should continue to support Evan's building of the ark. Morgan Freeman, as God, posed these questions:
"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"
I think this can apply to me. I deal with many many patience-testing customers everyday. So maybe God is giving me the opportunity to be patient and to be more loving. And I realize sometimes God answers our prayers but it's us who don't realize it.
