Girls in my office

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

So I thought I knew the Chinese character !!!

Been here couple of weeks now, Generally like the place, but my office,it’s a nightmare!!!

I work for a japanese company, 80% Japanese staff, they are fine, I understand their work ethic. I work hard too.

However, we have 3 Taiwanese office girls, deal with calls, sort out lunch boxes, filing etc etc.

all 3 speak Japanese (Unlike me), so I insist on speaking Chinese to them.

Now after 2 weeks, one of them refuses to speak to me, she actually growls if I go near her.
And the other two treat me like a dog turd.

It’s not like I flirted with, or upset them or did anything. I only have to deal with them twice a day.

I’m clean, reasonably young and married, and I don’t think I smell and I’m ultra polite. (you soon learn over-politeness in a japanese office)

Is it because:

a) I’m the only Chinese speaking lao-wai in the office, and I spoilt the party.

b) Some strange Taiwanese custom that I should treat like princeses.

c) I’m just an unlucky git, and the three top B*itches happen to work in my office.

They run around after the Japanese guys, copying and faxing and staple-ing and note taking.

WHAT ABOUT ME !!!

2

Well sounds like a combination of all three reasons, though the first reason I’m not so sure about. However, it also could be that they would prefer you speak to them in English… You never know… And don’t be as nice to them as you are to the Japanese, could be that too. They may think you are fake. And I am not implying anything, don’t take it the wrong way.

Cheers,

Jeff
jeff@oriented.org

3

Maybe they all fancy you ?

Anyway, it’s not like they’re important.

I mean, you’re married !! Haven’t you found out yet that it is totally pointless to try and understand women ? There is obviously some sexual tension in the air there - would they be like that if you were a woman ?

4

Welcome to the wonderful world of Shao-jie attitude. In places where I have worked I’ve invariably encountered this, even when I was polite and communicated effectively in Chinese. I’ve seen office girls - new on the job - give me an imperious attitude even though I was in a management position with several years of seniority. It was often extremely comical how they would lay it on. Petty attempts to make me “lose face”, for their satisfaction.

My guess is that, until you have firmly established yourself, and no longer need to ask them to do things for you, they’ll treat you this way. They probably resent the fact that you are getting paid a hell of a lot more than they are.

For your reference their salary will run somewhere between NT18,000 - NT28,000 a month. With low twenties being the norm - they really don’t get paid well, they have unchallanging jobs, so they come out with the 'tude to help themselves feel more imprtant.

One thing I noticed about office culture in Taiwan - a very small thing - is that people are forever bringing in little snacks to share. Could be fruit, candies, a cake, or defintitely - if you go abroad some kind of snack from home. Sometimes it get a bit ridiculous with people trying to out do eachother - but its very much a Chinese thing. Maybe as an ice breaker you could bring something in, and offer it around at lunch - including your three amigas. This might help them see you as a regular guy, and it should get you in the loop, if they have the habit of doing this sharing among themselves. You might not be into guava, lychee, or cake with taro filling - but partaking and saying how good it is (giving the provider “face”) is a very Chinese way of connecting with co-workers.

If this doesn’t work, or is not your style - try to ignore it, and them. Chances are they won’t stay with the company very long. [Turnover rates for that kind of employee is very high. Why work for NT22,000, when you can get NT23,500 somewhere else.] Reading your story brings back memories… I feel for you. Good luck.

5
quote:
Originally posted by Mwalimu: Welcome to the wonderful world of Shao-jie attitude.

The old “at or feet or at your throat” syndrome. Actually, it’s not just the Shao-jie. I’m dealing with a new manager at a company (old customer) on a project right now. The woman has no training and no experience in what we’re doing but she has to put her oar in to show she’s the manager. All she’s managed to do is piss off her employees, triple the work and make the project’s Computex deadline look extremely doubtful.

6

I’ve tried bringing in sweets from the uk,
I’ve tried ignoring them

But our paths have to cross,well with at least one of them, on a daily basis

I’m happily married,2 kids and a dog.

I don’t even need them to smile at me. (a bit of work would be nice)
2 new japanese guys started yesterday, and got the royal treatment, Explaining where all the good shops, bars, restaraunts all were.

I’m hopin it’s sexual, maybe all three just want me. (Hey it’s goin to help me get through the day)

7

Subway, I’d say they somehow found out what your salary was .

8

So that’s why everyone is so nice to me at work! They know that I’m not making any more than any of them! Thanks for solving that riddle.

9

Funny, I’ve never had any problems with the girls employed where I work. They are always nice, try to understand my bad jokes and don’t seem to play any kinds of office politics.

10

subway52,

If you really want to get to the bottom of this (as opposed to just letting off steam), wouldn’t it make sense for you to ask someone at work who actually knows what’s going on? Someone whose judgment you trust and you feel comfortable confiding in.

All we have to go on is your description of the events. And not to dis you, but there are always two sides to every story.

At home, the obvious solution would be to go to the women directly and have it out with them, unfortunately that won’t work very well here.

11

Maybe they are just good old fashioned office b!tches. They exist in any culture. Just torch thier car and walk away feeling good about yourself for showing a little restraint.

12

Something tells me someone has not been having much luck with the ladies.

13

Well, took all your advice, and had a quiet word with the admin manager,

Would you believe it, it seems, The Guy empolyed to do my Job before me, ended up getting a bit squiffy one saturday.

Everyone went out after work and ended up in a bar, he took it upon himself to maul ( arm around her and wispering rude words into her ear, not rape) one of the office girls. It seems she was to embarassed to walk away and reject him. (his senior position and all that)

A few days later she told the other girls.

he has since left (got arrested in Taipei for punching a policemen)

and I have arrived.

It looks like I’ve 6-12 months of proving my fidelity and normality, before office life, gets back to normal

thanks for the advice SCL

14

You ought to start sniffling as soon as any of them come in, before pulling out your hanky and rushing out of the room sobbing.

Then, when someone asks what’s wrong, you can tell them that your high school sweetheart dumped you all those years ago and that she was a woman, too, just like … just like … like … choke … THOSE THREE GIRLS, WAAAAAAAAAH!

They probably won’t get it though. All foreigners are dirty barbarians, didn’t you know?

15

Nothing infuriates a woman more than ignoring her.Z

16

There may be more at play here that meets the eye.
I have lived with a Japanese woman for more than four years here in Taiwan and, although no expert, understand clearly that Japanese and Chinese in Taiwan do not think the same way on a variety of human relations issues.
Something rings untrue with the story that the guy before you tainted the well of cooperation and good faith. It is hard to imagine that all three girls have a problem with a Westerner because of a past Westerner employee.
More likely is the comment that they may have gotten wind of your salary and I imagine that it is not what they think you deserve. You may also have responsibilities and duties that you did not earn in their eyes.
There is something else going on with the fact that 80 percent of the employees are Japanese. To be honest, I can’t put my finger on it and would have to consult significant Japanese other on this.
Then again, it could be Occam’s Razor at work. Maybe the three Taiwan girls are just hard-asses and have formed a little unit against the invading foreigners…

17

Aarondbu, what is this strange dialect you speak, with the unusual spelling?

18

Why don’t you just politely ask the girls why they are ignoring you?

19

Just speculating: by speaking Chinese to them in a very Japanese environment it’s like rubbing it in that they are, in fact, Chinese. They might have taken the job because they think everything Japanese is better than everything Chinese. They especially may resent having it underscored that they are lowly Chinese by a foreigner. It’s like you don’t think they are educated enough to speak good English with them.

20

I am convinced that there may be more at play here than the dodgy “Irish” Guy that was here before me.
I spoke to some of the japanese and they said she was leading him on, as she was drunk aswell.
But maybe thats just the Japanese male perspective

All three have studied Japanese in Japan

All three dress like thoose wierd japanese girls you see in Bad japanese soap operas on Cable.
(bad office suits and lo-cut tops)
Only one of them speaks English that is passable (at an office level)

I have to stop posting on topic, It’s starting to consume my every moment.
To much self analysis, it drives you mad.