Search the Internet Here...

Custom Search

Materials here are free but we depend on contributions from viewers & readers like you!

2.02.2012

Asserting Myself as I Order "Large Coffee" in NYC Coffeehouses


Lately, I've experienced at least 3 times being misheard for ordering "large coffee", and the barista would give me 'iced coffee,' instead. The last time this happened, I flared up a bit and heightened the tone of my voice so everybody within 5 feet distance from me would hear what I wanted to say.

"I said, 'large coffee', not iced coffee. Is there something wrong with the way I pronounce it?" and in exasperation, "I'm sorry, I have a different accent," as I tried changing my tone in an instant (laughing somewhat in my mind and imagining how amusing I must have looked before them).

But the barista already apologized to me by quickly saying "I'm sorry. It's OK, I'll get you what you ordered" (or words to that effect), and in a few steps and less than 5 seconds, handed me my 'large coffee.'

And myself, being annoyed, said aloud "It's getting to be disturbing; this has happened to me at least twice." And I noticed one of the owners (or probably a manager) gave a me a look, but smilingly said "We're sorry (again, 'words to that effect' as I would not want to hear anymore words from them)." I just wanted to leave the  place as soon as possible, or else, I would be saying something more ugly to create an effect.

I just wanted to make a point. I can only imagine why they would mis-hear me. I hope I'm wrong but maybe because I look different from their usual customers in the area. Even those 2 guys in suits standing at my side paid attention to me when I asserted myself. Or most of them in that coffee shop must have thought I'm hispanic or something similar, just like those 2 or 3 guys I noticed helping inside the kitchen. Or is it just me imagining these probabilities with implications because I've got my own set of biases and prejudices, too? Whatever; I know I'm fine and happy having my cup of coffee as I switched my mood. It can happen to anyone here in NYC, I suppose.  I can only wish most would be exposed to other kinds of people in every moment of their lives here so they'd know how to listen and listen very well. And there would be no need to tire oneself over such a seemingly petty but really important matter when one is in business as serving coffee.

Search The Net!!

Custom Search
taking lead now (42) NYC (30) take it as it is (24) travel (21) philippines (19) Filipinos in NYC (16) books (14) life (11) leading this life according to God's purposes for me (10) book reviews (8) food (7) getting a life (7) art (6) being strategic (6) book (6) filipino films (6) love life (6) people in nyc (6) Filipino communities in NYC (5) Manhattan (5) Staten Island (5) artists (5) being yourself (5) business (5) freelance work (5) Religious Activities (4) artworks (4) being cunning (4) being true to yourself (4) jerome baladad photos (4) part time jobs (4) Brooklyn (3) Filipinos (3) being tactical (3) cooking (3) dyerohmeb (3) e-books (3) getting jobs (3) immigration (3) museums (3) prayer gathering (3) recipes (3) unique people (3) 42nd St (2) 5th avenue (2) Bridges (2) Brooklyn Bridge (2) Chinese food (2) FIT (2) Manhattan Bridge (2) Philippines as US colony (2) cloisters (2) dancing (2) death (2) employment (2) entrepreneurship (2) guidelines in keeping your job (2) jobs (2) living (2) living in new york city (2) managing in difficult economic periods (2) moving on (2) nature of work (2) one ordinary day (2) parks (2) personal growth and development (2) philosophy (2) photography (2) prayers (2) sharing (2) tagalog (2) walking (2) work (2) Ako'y sa Iyo (1) City Hall (1) DFA (1) Dumbo (1) Filipino choirs in the US (1) Filipino literature (1) Filipinos abroad (1) Fr John Azzali (1) Ft. Greene (1) Governor's island (1) HR work (1) Hudson River (1) Ika'y Akin Lamang (1) Italian food (1) J.M. Coetzee (1) Josephine Tey (1) LES (1) Lady Liberty (1) MJ deMarco (1) MOMA (1) Napoleon Hill (1) OFW (1) Overseas Filipino Workers (1) Philippine-US relations (1) Pipilotti Rist (1) Project Gutenberg (1) SUNY (1) Sakay (1) Serendipity (1) Simbang Gabi (1) St Patrick's Cathedral (1) Statue of Liberty (1) Sts Sergius and Bacchus Parish (1) The Forgotten War (1) The Millionaire Fastlane (1) The Philippines (1) Think and Grow Rich (1) US visa (1) US wealth (1) Williamsburg (1) YouTube (1) adventureT (1) adventures (1) advocacy (1) agribusiness (1) animals (1) art gallery (1) atlantis (1) being physical (1) being prepared (1) black (1) blind men (1) boni mitchell (1) bookselling (1) both sides now (1) candles (1) caregiving as a work (1) christmas tree (1) clouds (1) colonization (1) colonizer (1) colony (1) cornfields (1) couples (1) cuchifritos (1) customers (1) darkness (1) democracy (1) design (1) disability (1) disgrace (1) dragons (1) dynamics of discrimination (1) economic growth of the Philippines (1) entertainment (1) exercises (1) family (1) fashion (1) father (1) fear (1) festivities (1) fiction (1) films (1) fitness (1) flcker (1) flowers (1) free climbing (1) freelancer (1) friends (1) fun (1) galleries (1) gambling (1) getting a US visa (1) globalization (1) google (1) gothic (1) grief (1) happiness (1) honesty (1) hudson river park (1) i believe i can fly (1) income (1) international cuisine (1) jerome (1) labor market (1) leading an honest life (1) leaving las vegas (1) life in an island (1) living alone (1) living in an island (1) lizzo (1) loving yourself (1) making a living (1) metropolitan museum (1) motivational (1) net-worth (1) nevada (1) novenas (1) nuggets of wisdom (1) online storefront (1) outlook (1) peppermill (1) philippine government (1) prayer meeting (1) quotes (1) real lighted candles (1) reno (1) revenge (1) reverse migration (1) sayings (1) search for meaning in life (1) selling (1) solitary life (1) st paul the apostle prayer community (1) sunset (1) tapestry (1) technology (1) thomas jefferson (1) tips (1) traditions (1) unicorn (1) upstate manhattan (1) war films (1) war movies (1) wisdom of our ancestors (1) wiva waiver program (1) yoga (1) zen (1)

Creative Commons License