Ever wonder what they're really saying?

#16
When I was in college, I went to a nail place owned by a Vietnamese family, and got to be really good friends with one of the guys that worked there. He told me that they do talk about customers sometimes, but that it could be complimentary or not, depending on the person and the situation. So, I guess that if you don't speak the language at the shop that you go to, you may never know exactly what is being said. I guess that you have to deal with it, or go to another place.
 
#17
Actually, we busted people talking about us in a restaurant in Miami - in Spanish - not sure why they assumed none of us spoke Spanish - but one of us did, fluently. So yeah, they could be talking about you, but they probably aren't.

I've also busted someone being rude to her mother in a foreign language, with the excuse that 'none can understand me.' I let her know in English that someone could, just not to embarass her mother who didn't appear to speak any English.
 
#18
I used to go to a nail place with 20 work stations. I didn't think the ladies were talking about me or the customers but it was very uncomfortable that only a few of them bothered to chat with the customers in English, the rest of them just spoke to each other loudly in their own native language, sometimes involving 5 or 6 nail ladies working at their own workstations.

What I don't know won't hurt me so I don't care if they are talking about me or not, but I do expect a certain degree of customer service and personal attention. So now I am going to the guy who left that nail place and started his own business. His English is OK but we have lots of fun chatting, and he leaves me alone if I just want to read magazines.
 
#19
I always figured that they were saying something like "gee, when I was a little girl I did not dream of doing peoples toes for a living". I am always humbled by the dignity of the girls who do my pedicures, all smiles while doing my feet..
 
#20
haha. yeah but everyone feels paranoid. sometimes i get that feeling when i go over to my bf's house for dinner and his parents start speaking italian to each other.
 
#23
i know some girls that work and run the nailshops. They don't really talk about their customers when they are there. If they do talk about the customers, they talk when the customers have left the salon. I agree that it's kinda uncomfortable to be there and they talk in different language. Thats not really excellent service. However, they really do a good job.
Again, if we really want excellent services (staff don't speak in their native language), we can always go to really upscale nail salons, right???:yes:
 
#24
Irishgal said:
I always figured that they were saying something like "gee, when I was a little girl I did not dream of doing peoples toes for a living". I am always humbled by the dignity of the girls who do my pedicures, all smiles while doing my feet..
Click to expand...

Why not have dignity? It's a well-paying job. As a nail tech I can tell you: I'm all smiles. I'm getting paid.
 
#25
My boss and I went to get our nails done a while ago and I busted people talking about us. It was ran by korean owner and I am Korean. I caught them talking about how my boss is so loud. They didn't know I spoke Korean. I asked them in Korean "Is she that loud?" and they got all quiet and I saw this one lady running to the back room to let other girls know that there's a Korean customer.
 
#26
When I'm a customer at a place where English is not the primary language I don't worry about it. I just relax and enjoy getting my nails done, for example. I really don't give it a 2nd thought.

I did have issue with this in a former workplace. I worked for a company where the owners' first language was not English. Their English was very good (much better than my attempts at their native tongue). Often times I would feel very excluded from things b/c they would conveniently shift into their language and I took it as an attempt to exclude me. Who knows what the reason was. But I knew going into that job that I would be at a disadvantage. I did the best I could and stuck it out for over a year and learned quite a few words! :smile:
 
#27
Haha. I think the same thing when I go to get it done in an Asia salon but I also go to a Russian lady and I speak Russian so I feel better. But i do wonder. LAMIASTELLA if you want next time you go, dial me and i will translate and let you know what they are saying. HAHA.
 
#28
It doesn't really bother me at all...I just read a magazine!
My brother was dating a Chinese girl whose parents owned a Chinese Restaurant. She (brother's girlfriend) was born and raised in Canada and spoke both English and Chinese fluently. Her Mom spoke very very little English (they've been in Canada 20+ years) and would seldom greet customers...would only say "hi". Her Dad was learning English but mostly worked in the kitchen. They would hire hostesses/waitresses who spoke both languages...that way customers could order in English but the wiatresses could translate everything into Chinese for them.
They try really hard to speak English...but they shop in Chinatown and ALL their friends are Chinese, so they have no need to speak English.
I saw kudos to them for hanging on to their culture and heritage...but at the same time making it easy for their customers to order/pay, etc.

As an aside...their restaurant is attached to a hotel with a bar...and he would go gamble in the bar (it's legal in Canada (Winnipeg) to have slot machines in bars) and the waitresses and bartenders were teaching him English....but only slang and the national anthem...it was quite funny and cute hearing him say things with his really thick accent!
 
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