I recently stopped in here while visiting Elkins,W.V.
The people were very kind and the beer was great. I’ll be back to try some more!
If you ever get the chance to stop in the Big Timber Brewing Company in Elkins, W.V. you won’t regret it!
Tag Archives: people
SON
Son asking if we are ready to move on..
These young boys were sitting along the road with three bottles of eels that they had caught.
While in Vietnam I planned a trip to go trekking in Sapa. I had been hiking before, but this was like no other experience I have ever had in my life. It was simply breath-taking. My tour guide was Son. She was a small but cheerful woman filled with all kinds of knowledge. I was lucky to have her as my guide. While hiking, trekking up hillsides, and tip toeing through rice terraces we had a lot of meaningful conversations.
Son has a family with five children and husband. Her kids attend school and her husband goes to the hospital twice a week for his kidneys. She has been doing these hiking tours for the last five years. While doing these tours her wages have changed since she started but not by much. Son gets paid 7 dollars per trekking tour. These tours can rage from a day to 3 days, and I’m sure longer if planned ahead. When Son first started doing tours she didn’t get paid and she couldn’t speak any English. She learned to speak English from all the people she has met by doing the tours and practicing conversation. She still can not read or write.
Haha.. Can we make it across??
Why yes we can!
Son has never left Sapa. She has lived and stayed there her whole life. Can you imagine never leaving your home town? She said she loves her job no matter how much she gets paid. Each person that did this tour paid through a hotel or agency. The cost was anywhere between 50-75 per person. Son gets $7.00 per tour she does no matter what the group size is. These tours aren’t exactly what I would call a walk in the park. I am young and able to do this and it was difficult for me. We trekked 26 kilo or 16 miles in the matter of 2 days. Most of the time Son was way ahead of us and hopping and skipping over the hillsides. She was such a strong woman physically and mentally.
Son took good care of everyone in her group with an honest heart. She had no secret intentions to get us to buy things. She warned us not to buy things from the kids selling bags and bracelets along the way because they weren’t in school, and they should be. Instead they were out trying to make money for their family off of all the tourist that were passing through the mountains.
We stayed overnight at a homestay that consisted of a family style dinner with rice wine…a little too much. I really think the group I was with was something special. I have been traveling and working abroad since last September and I have never felt so accepted and welcomed by such a variety of people in my journey alone. Being the only American with a mild twang … well you know how that goes .. haha. We had people from Israel, Australia, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Belgium and France. Everyone was so open and we shared a lot of stories along with personal experiences. So thanks to everyone who made me feel so welcome and happy. Our homestay was cozy and we each had our own mattress on the floor.
Son bought us ice cream once we were close to our homestay. We were grateful.
Over lunch the next day a couple of boys asked me if I was staying longer and I said no I had to be back for my flight. Son quickly spoke up and said “If she was staying I would invite her to stay with me.!” She then proceeded to tell me that if I did a “real” local homestay things would be different. We wouldn’t have wi-fi. I would sleep downstairs and the family would sleep upstairs. Theres a bathroom and shower but they both were outside of the house. If you want warm water you must heat it over the open fire. If I ever go back to Sapa or if you ever to Sapa. I would recommend just getting the over night bus or train and then planning a local stay once you get there. The money will go directly to them and it will be a great experience with the locals. Her name is Sung Sapa on Facebook or get ahold of me and I can get in contact with her. I couldn’t recommend the trip any more. It was my favorite thing that I have done during my travels and I wish I could have stayed longer.
It was clear that Son has overcome a lot. I’m sure that there is more to her story that I haven’t heard. Regardless she has left a huge impact on me already.
P’ Toy
She walked up beside me while I was talking to a student and said “hello” I quickly replied “Hello, how are you?” Her response like so many other people when asked was “I’m fine, thank you and you?” I said I was doing well.
I finished my conversation with my student and went over and sat down beside her. I asked her if she spoke English and she said “Verrrrrry little bit!” We got to talking and she told me her nick name was p Toy. I asked her if she had been to see the students art display she said “No I have to finish work.”
She does three different jobs at the school including washing the dishes after breakfast ,lunch, and dinner, cleaning the toilets, and working with the students to help them set up for different events.
She began to open up and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her. She always wanted to speak English, but was scared. It turns out she speaks pretty well and it was easy to understand!
P’Toy had previously been married and lived in Australia and her Ex husband treated her more like a maid than a wife constantly screaming to make him something to eat or demanding work to be done. She was criticized for not knowing much English, but who would want to learn it when your being screamed at all the time?
She divorced and moved back to Thailand. She started working two jobs for real estate and for a cleaning service in a hotel. The money was good, but she was working long hours and didn’t feel happy.
I asked her if she liked her job now and she said ” Yes, I get paid little now but my heart is happy.”
It was so nice to sit and talk as she washed dishes and I think she like it because it made the time go a little faster. When I left Thailand she gave me a scarf she had knitted and a hand made wristlet.
People, Please!
You walk into a restaurant and the hostess seats you at a table. It’s a typical busy Saturday night and you have to wait a few minutes to get your drinks. The server brings back your drinks and takes your order. Time begins to pass and before you know it your food has come out before your salad or your soup. So you scream at the server who brings out your food. “We haven’t got our soup! We haven’t got our salad! And we are leaving!” You storm out of the restaurant without talking to the manager, or even giving the server time to explain anything or give you different options. The server takes your food back to the kitchen and tells the manager you left, because service wasn’t fast enough.
People, Please!
I recently came back home from Korea and I have been working two jobs. I am a substitute teacher during the day, and I wait tables at night. The story I told above happened to me my first night working alone. The sad part is I wasn’t even their server. That incident all happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to process what to say. They marched out before the manager even had time to come out and reconcile things.
People, Please!
If I would have had time to respond in an appropriate manner I would have said this. ” Sir, I am not your server, but I can get the manager to try to resolve this problem. I really don’t appreciate the way you just spoke to me, and I’m pretty sure if I were your daughter you wouldn’t want someone speaking to her that way either.”
1.) When you go out to eat you have to be patient, especially if it’s on a Friday or Saturday night.
2.) Stop being selfish, and think about everyone else and what they may have going on in their lives as well.
3.) Don’t take it out on your server if your food is prepared the wrong way. The servers aren’t the ones who cook the food. And cooks are bound to make mistakes. No one is perfect.
4.) Stop acting as if your better than everyone. You put your pants on the same way as I do everyday.
5.) Tip! Servers make 2.35 an hour plus whatever tips they make. Imagine if you have worked 3:30 to 10:30 and went home with 40.00. I don’t think you would be very happy. that is 40.00 for 7 hours of work at 2.35 an hour. I have heard people talking on numerous occasions about tipping. The older generation tend to leave the minimum amount. Some people aren’t aware what servers make, and others just see it as I get your drinks and bring out your plate. I do get your drinks and bring out your plate of food. I also check on you numerous times to make sure you are alright, get your drink refills, greet you when you come, and when you go, and do all the prep and clean up before you come and after you leave.
6.) Get off your phone! There’s nothing like going to a table and asking if you can get them anything; to be completely ignored. Come on people! You go out to eat to enjoy each other or the experience. Put your phone away for an hour.
People, Please!
I see when you’re looking around impatiently. I see when you’re tapping your foot or your fork on your plate. I can tell that you are getting irritated when your food doesn’t come out fast enough. I see the death glares because you are “hangry.”
I can tell that you are higher class and what things the way you want them. I am an educated individual, and I don’t like being treated like a servant. I am there to make your experience a good one. I am there to get you what you need. Don’t take it for granted by running me to death.
I notice when I am introducing myself, and asking for your drink order that you snap back and say “We are ready to order!” Well how about taking the time to ask me how I am doing? How about saying “Okay, thanks Lillian.” Servers are people too. Remember that.
I work in the mornings from 7:00 a.m. to 3:06 p.m. substitute teaching at different schools around the county. After that I get in my car and drive to my second job waiting tables. I change in my car since I don’t have much time. The last thing I want to deal with are a bunch of demanding people who are impossible to please. I have already had a long day before I came to the table to greet you.
I am dealing with my own battles, and the last thing I need is for someone to scream in my face, because their food took too long. Please ask to speak to management if there’s a problem. More than likely you will get a big discount or get your meal paid for. There are always resolutions.
I have waited tables ever since I was in college and no matter where I go it’s always the same reactions, rude people, people in a rush, higher class so they expected special treatment, and the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong there are good experiences and good people; but you never forget the bad ones you go through.
People, Please!
Lets reverse the roles and see how you would handle waiting on 5 tables with approximately 10 -4 people at each table. All with separate orders, needs, and wants. I don’t think you would want to be treated in that manner.
So the next time you decide to go out and splurge. Try to ask you server how they are doing. Be patient on your food. Enjoy the time for yourselves, and please ask if you have a problem. Everyone has their own story and problems to deal with each day. You never know the battle they may be facing. BE NICE.
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