A bit of balance
I wanted to write this piece...and add it straight away to balance the last entry.
Last weekend I was invited to a countryside wedding. The bride and groom were both KOTO graduates. They both now work in the hospitality industry.
We boarded the mini bus and, as is traditional, there were parties at both the bride and groom's house. Having eaten and rice wined at the grooms we set off to see the bride.
She was looking amazing and was surrounded by family in her modest countryside home. Our group of KOTO volunteers were given seats of honour as the family gathered round us.
Then the mother of the bride started to speak. She told us, via a translator how proud she was of her daughter. Who would have thought it? Her daughter, working at the Hilton. She wanted to thank us all. She was in tears. And then we were in tears.
So there. That's it. The balance. The young girl from the countryside building a career serving ex-pats and tourists. The ends justifty the means.
Doesn't it?
posted by OMIH @ Thursday, March 09, 2006
1 comments
1 Comments:
Service. Servant.
Two words, worlds apart in their implications.
Perhaps too many, `stereotypical', ex-pats, however unconsciously, succumb to confusing the two words above.
I respect and appreciate anyone who provides me with a service which I value and, in doing so, delivers that service with care, commitment, intelligence and grace. Be they Doctors, housemaids, butchers, taxi-drivers, whatever. I never think of anyone providing me with a valuable - to me - service as a `servant'.
Anyone,waiters,houseboys,...or doctors and dentists...providing any such valued service has every right to be proud of their own area of expertise and to expect that that expertise is appreciated.
KOTO kids are going on - proudly - to deliver great service; not to become servants. Hope all those they may deliver service to in the future will know the diffeence and act accordingly.
Keep the faith.
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