Works wonders every single time… (London)

 

… saying “thank you” to people in their mother tongue.

    Rang my bank last night for some figures (bank interest for filing tax return — the annual phone call costs more than the interest I get...), and to get a replacement debit card.

    The debit card replacement lady had a strong accent, so I asked her at the end what her mother tongue was, thinking maybe Eastern European.

    Turned out to be Spanish, so I threw in a “muchas gracias”.  Instant delighted hoots from the other end of the line (and lots of Spanish thrown back at me after the “de nada”).

    Such a small effort, yet it produces so much joy in the recipient — every single time.

    She couldn’t even see that I’m Oriental looking, which would’ve reaped even greater results.

 

    I’ve seen it happen in person when they can see me and I say “thank you” in Bulgarian or Portuguese or Albanian.  An old Polish lady even asked me if I was from Poland!!

(London, 2025)