Just filled up a tank of petrol at a Mobil station on Kagoshima island.
It was the most interesting experience at a gas station cos
A) the gas hoses descended from the ceiling
and B) the guy who helped fill up the tank was just SO SERVICE ORIENTED.
Here's the blow by blow account:
1) when I wound down the window to tell him how much to fill up, he knelt down on one knee next to my window to talk to me.
2) after the payment was made, he asked me which direction I wanted to exit from the gas station. When I told him which exit, he actually thought out the route for me to get to that exit : do a three point turn. And he told me in gestures where to go. And at every point of the turn, he ran to the back or front of my car to help me navigate properly.
3) when I got to the exit, he told me to stop, ran to the button you usually press if you wanna cross the road, hit it and ran back to me. Then he stuck an arm out in front to tell me it wasn't safe to go. He waited there a good 2 minutes till the lights turned in my favor.
4) When the light turned green, he ran out to the middle of the road to direct me and gave a proper 90 degree bow as I drove off.
SO CONSCIENTIOUS!! SO COURTEOUS!!
All we could do was wave wildly at him and yell 'THANK YOU!!!' to him as we drove off!!
What we REALLY wanted to do though, was yell: 優しいです！大好き！
Ok, so maybe he saw we were a bunch of silly gaijin who didn't know what to do - I did make an illegal turn into the petrol station after all, and I did start snapping pictures of the hoses that descended from the ceiling. Or maybe he didn't think girls could drive out of a petrol station safely without some guidance. BUT.
I don't think I've EVER received such great service! And you aren't supposed to tip them either! And they aren't paid that much too!!
So I think I have gained a new level of understanding as a teacher now. I think, as long as my students can graduate high school and learn to do their jobs so well, as well as that young fellow at that gas station, I would be so so so proud of them. University ain't every thing. It's great if they go, but if they don't and they are happy and effective at their jobs, it would be a worthy occupation. Ganbatte!!
It was the most interesting experience at a gas station cos
A) the gas hoses descended from the ceiling
 |
| Look up! |
and B) the guy who helped fill up the tank was just SO SERVICE ORIENTED.
Here's the blow by blow account:
1) when I wound down the window to tell him how much to fill up, he knelt down on one knee next to my window to talk to me.
2) after the payment was made, he asked me which direction I wanted to exit from the gas station. When I told him which exit, he actually thought out the route for me to get to that exit : do a three point turn. And he told me in gestures where to go. And at every point of the turn, he ran to the back or front of my car to help me navigate properly.
3) when I got to the exit, he told me to stop, ran to the button you usually press if you wanna cross the road, hit it and ran back to me. Then he stuck an arm out in front to tell me it wasn't safe to go. He waited there a good 2 minutes till the lights turned in my favor.
4) When the light turned green, he ran out to the middle of the road to direct me and gave a proper 90 degree bow as I drove off.
SO CONSCIENTIOUS!! SO COURTEOUS!!
All we could do was wave wildly at him and yell 'THANK YOU!!!' to him as we drove off!!
What we REALLY wanted to do though, was yell: 優しいです！大好き！
Ok, so maybe he saw we were a bunch of silly gaijin who didn't know what to do - I did make an illegal turn into the petrol station after all, and I did start snapping pictures of the hoses that descended from the ceiling. Or maybe he didn't think girls could drive out of a petrol station safely without some guidance. BUT.
I don't think I've EVER received such great service! And you aren't supposed to tip them either! And they aren't paid that much too!!
So I think I have gained a new level of understanding as a teacher now. I think, as long as my students can graduate high school and learn to do their jobs so well, as well as that young fellow at that gas station, I would be so so so proud of them. University ain't every thing. It's great if they go, but if they don't and they are happy and effective at their jobs, it would be a worthy occupation. Ganbatte!!
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