Monday, August 17, 2015

I only speak English. No, really, I'm being serious.

^^ Downtown Melbourne pt. 2

Do you know what it’s like to have someone ask you a question in a language you are unfamiliar with, and if you answer the question right, you’ll receive a million dollars, but if you answer the question wrong, they’ll gouge your eyes out?

Well neither do I, but I had an experience that can relate to such a scenario.

I had the privilege of a working interview at a nearby Dental office on Saturday. Meaning I would go in for about 4 hours, I was scheduled from 10am to 2pm, and assist the dentist, after which she’d decide whether or not my skills were worth her investment. I was nervous, since I’ve received little experience in my recent hours at an office, but tried my best to go in confidently and act as if, yeah, sure I know what this hook thing is, oh you want it? Yeah I know how to hand it to you.

The only other assistant there (it’s a brand new office) has been there for a little over a month and was barely familiar with where things went and should go her self. But as the day went on, I got the impression that the dentist was a bit flustered with me because I didn’t already know the in’s and out’s of the office and the secret combinations to all of the hidden vaults. I also had no idea where the hidden vaults were. Or what was in them or if I was supposed to be getting something from them.

*Side note, turns out there were no hidden vaults. My problem may have been that I spent so much time searching for them that I was useless and ultimately unimpressive to the dentist. Australians are so hard to read.

The dentist was also of a different ethnicity, she sounded as if she could be Indian, and talked with a very heavy accent. At one point, a man came in that was of her same ethnicity and they would frequently switch from English to their native language mid sentence. And apparently, I was supposed to know when she was talking in English (bear in mind she also had a mouth mask on) and when she was talking to me so I could hand her said instrument or prepare for some procedure. But I could only know such things when the conversation between doctor and patient had stopped for an uncomfortable time and she turned to look at me. I would then try to hide my terror as I racked my brain for anything in the recent conversation that resembled an English, dental term. I then concluded that this was indeed comparable to a sub category of my own personal hell.

Some time during a procedure, when she had to come over and direct me to the needed equipment because REMEMBER HOW I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THIS OFFICE EVER BEFORE AND YOU ARE ALSO SPEAKING THROUGH A MASK IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, and said (I am obviously paraphrasing because I cannot recall the exact words because frankly I cannot recall what really happened that day because we weren’t really having a conversation as much as talking at each other in our native languages) “It is easier to have all these things ready before hand.”

Gosh. That made me angry. I was already frustrated because this was my first interview and I was trying so hard to do the absolute best especially since I wasn’t familiar with the office, the way it was run, or what even she was saying to me. But. I accepted her comments, asked questions when I just absolutely could not make out what was needed from me, and did my best at anything I knew was necessary protocol. Honestly, I thought I performed fantastically for the circumstances I was in.

I assume the office would have called by now should I have gotten the job, and they have not, so I’ll keep on trekking. I’ll find an office. And they will like me because you know what I CAN BE A LIKEABLE PERSON I AM ACTUALLY REALLY COOL SOME OF THE TIME.

Sometimes I think I want to cry but really I just want to not get bitten by a spider. We found one outside my room today. It was like a daddy-long-leg on steroids. I pulled my mattress away from the wall so that spiders can’t fool me and surprise attack me in the night.

Unless they crawl under my door … or hide in my closet … OR SMASH THROUGH MY WINDOW. Oh no.

SOS


MP

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