Cross-Cultural Conversations

Observations by a Malaysian studying in Australia

 Phone survey

My first day off. It just feels so good to not have to go to work. I have only been working for 3 days and I already get to experience the same joy billions of people feel during the weekends.

The phone rings. I pick it up. A sweet, female voice, around my age, was on the other line. She asked if I would be kind enough to participate in a phone survey.

Now, normally I would politely say no and quickly hang up. But this time it’s different. It’s different because less than 24 hours ago I was doing the exact same thing this girl’s doing right now. I didn’t do it through the phone of course, but I pleaded with complete strangers to participate in a survey nonetheless. She promised it wouldn’t take too much of my time. That’s my line, woman.

I know how horrible rejections can be. It breaks your confidence. It makes you feel ignored and unwanted. I did not want this girl to feel unwanted. So I agreed to be included in the survey.

It turns out the survey was for a company that is planning to construct a shopping mall in KL Sentral, the transportation hub I go to everyday to get to my workplace, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The girl asked me my opinions on shopping malls, which, if you have read my previous posts on Midvalley Megamall and Ikea, is quite extensive.

 Needless to say I was actually enjoying giving out my two cents’ worth on a subject I feel very strongly about. At the end of the conversation she sounded sincerely happy that I obliged to the survey. Either she’s very good at making people feel appreciated, or she’s been rejected a few times too many.

posted by: Tembaga2 at 04:24 | link | comments |