Thursday, Jim and I broke the diet.. again and had drinks and food down the local. I perved over the New Hunky Barman (who Jim believes is an emotionless automaton, whereas I am more gracious and consider him a "himbo"). Jim was very... erm... jolly? Whilst playing with the pub cat (Pamula) an American couple in the corner politely introduced themselves to me with handshakes and formal standing up. For all I mock the Americans, they are often mindbogglingly polite in person. You've gotta give them that.
Had a nice evening, lots of chatting and laughing.
Dragged myself into work on Friday, and then dragged myself down The Old Suffolk Punch for a leaving do for Julie, who trained me when I first started at my new job. It was a lovely evening, lots of chatting and fun.
Today Mum and the Twins came to visit. Jim cooked up a storm in the kitchen and all was good :D
And that is all for now...
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For all I mock the Americans, they are often mindbogglingly polite in person.
ReplyDelete- particularly if they're from the mid-west or one of the southern States, in my experience. During the first Gulf War, when I was still in the Middle East (in Abu Dhabi) I met many US service people, some in social settings and occasionally in an office setting. They were always exceptionally polite - my mother happened to be staying with me for a month or so just before the aerial assaults were launched and whenever we met US military personnel in hotel lifts, for example, their politeness was almost from a bygone era - naturally my then quite elderly mother was utterly charmed. I've had the same exerience with hotel staff in many parts of the US too, specially were they were originally from small towms before mmigrating to the 'big city' for work. There is a 'courtliness' in a lot of Americans that simply no longer exists in Britain (or at least long before my personal memories reach back).
Yes, I noticed my American colleagues were always polite and formal until they had become more used to you (and then most still remained at least polite!). I agree that the mid-Western and southern state Americans are the most "oldie-worldy" in terms of their politeness with my Mormon colleague from Utah being possibly the most courteous person I've ever met!
ReplyDeleteActually...I think its just called "good manners", something we seem to have completely lost the knack of in the UK...
ReplyDelete