Turning American

I just love the 80’s song. Whether it be love songs, rock songs, pop — anything you named it. I was listening to this Turning Japanese song when I said — in my case, it is turning American.

Our client is American. So all of our customers are from the US — well, Chinese Americans, Indian Americans, Arabian Americans — you name it, I’ve already dealt with them for sure.

As I’m slowly adjusting into my new world and just silently observing this new dimension I’ve just entered in my life, I suddenly realized that we are losing our own identity with this kind of job.

As you work in a call center, you are forced [or in a more subtle way “instructed”] to become like your client. If you have been  assigned to an American client – just like me – you need to speak, listen and act like them. As you are taught of their cultures and behaviours, you are also unnoticingly transforming yourself into a different citizen. A simple expression of Ay! [when you dropped something, for example, or was taken aback] becomes Oh! or Oh my gosh!

Your housemates can no longer relate to you at times because even in your house, you are still speaking the language you’ve been using while you are at work.

The programs, music, movies that you like so much watching are becoming different. From OPM to Hollywood music or from Filipino movies to foreign films.

I, even admit, that most of my expressions are also in their language already. But I try to minimize this when I am at the house or with just my non-call center friends.

However, one of the positive side of this is that we are doing ourself a favor. We are becoming flexible, adoptable  to changes and being open-minded to other’s cultures. But don’t let this be a reason to look at where you came from.