I took a chance today to socialise with my 2 kids. And it was a big chance cos it was with my new GM and his wife. AND it was to a road-side stall selling wanton noodles.
I was very apprehensive and right up to this morning, I was thinking of pulling out. But hey - you do not pull an aeroplane with your new boss *grin*
Seeing how the boss-man is new in town, from Switzerland (the Italian side) and nothing has been said about his wife, I wasn't too sure what to expect. Add to it is the fact that they do not have kids, hence I painted this picture of a pair of expatriates who might be a bit on the hoity-toity side.
But they surprised me! Totally and thoroughly as they played with the kids as if Lydia and Luke were their very own. My boss had no qualms of finishing Lydia's leftover. And they called her Princess and Luke - Champion. Needless to say, the kids opened up to them in a way seldom seen.
As we drove thru the city and I pointed out the sights, they looked around them taking in everything. It made me realise that cos we live here, we never take the time in the traffic jams to observe the intricate architecture of years past.
But my highlight of the night was when we drove past our workplace and I pointed it out to them. His wife let out a gasp and my boss had this excitement in his voice. Then he turned to me and said - Thank you. They do not have a car and I guess she has been trying to imagine what the place her husband works in looks like. So if not for tonight, she might have had to spend a few more weeks wondering.
My boss's wife speaks very little English and he had to stop mid-conversation ever so often to translate for her. But in whatever halting English skills she had, I knew for certain, tonight was the best night they both had since arriving here 2 weeks ago.
And I'm glad to have gone the mile to do this, to take them out, to get to know them.
As they say in Ireland as a standard greeting to any foreigner, "You're very welcomed here."
You bet ya Swiss-Italian butts you are *grin*
I was very apprehensive and right up to this morning, I was thinking of pulling out. But hey - you do not pull an aeroplane with your new boss *grin*
Seeing how the boss-man is new in town, from Switzerland (the Italian side) and nothing has been said about his wife, I wasn't too sure what to expect. Add to it is the fact that they do not have kids, hence I painted this picture of a pair of expatriates who might be a bit on the hoity-toity side.
But they surprised me! Totally and thoroughly as they played with the kids as if Lydia and Luke were their very own. My boss had no qualms of finishing Lydia's leftover. And they called her Princess and Luke - Champion. Needless to say, the kids opened up to them in a way seldom seen.
As we drove thru the city and I pointed out the sights, they looked around them taking in everything. It made me realise that cos we live here, we never take the time in the traffic jams to observe the intricate architecture of years past.
But my highlight of the night was when we drove past our workplace and I pointed it out to them. His wife let out a gasp and my boss had this excitement in his voice. Then he turned to me and said - Thank you. They do not have a car and I guess she has been trying to imagine what the place her husband works in looks like. So if not for tonight, she might have had to spend a few more weeks wondering.
My boss's wife speaks very little English and he had to stop mid-conversation ever so often to translate for her. But in whatever halting English skills she had, I knew for certain, tonight was the best night they both had since arriving here 2 weeks ago.
And I'm glad to have gone the mile to do this, to take them out, to get to know them.
As they say in Ireland as a standard greeting to any foreigner, "You're very welcomed here."
You bet ya Swiss-Italian butts you are *grin*
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