Queuing is about respecting people and discipline. I hate it when people cut in line. Getting a quarrel with people cutting my line back in Indonesia, was quite common for me. I don't care whether they're men or women. I just don't like my line to be cut, not a matter of PATIENCE.
That's why I liked living in Europe where the discipline for queuing is higher. However sometimes it's kind of irritating in another sort of way.
My mom and I was walking inside a chocolate shop in Brugge, Belgium. Noticing a line, I went straight in there. My mom was astonished with the many selection of chocolate showcased there. She was looking around gazing at the display when suddenly the shop attendant shout at her, "Get in line, please".
She was startled, little bit ashamed and then joined me. She said, "I was only looking...", in awe. My poor mom.
But then back to Holland, she felt she had her revenge, when at the fresh market, a couple of youngsters were scolded the same cold tone by the vendor when they tried to cut her line, "Get in line!" Well it seems tourists don't know how to queue.
But here in Saudi, it is frustrating if you try to go by the rules. These people here seem to not know how to queue. I'm not only talking about the locals but also the expatriates and visitors from different countries. They cut line and even if they already left the line for a long time, they still insists to get back in. First years, I got many quarrels about cutting line. But after that, I just try to follow the "common rules". If not, you will not get what you want ever. So buff up those muscles, you'll need it to shove some way to go to the front line.
Once I was queuing in front of an ATM machine. Quite a line was built, when suddenly 2 young ladies were getting in to the ATM room, even when there was somebody already inside it. Of course I yelled at them, "hey, we're here first." But they didn't budge. A man behind me said something in Arabic. And the two of them talked to each other. The woman in front of me said to me, "You know, her friend asked her to leave, but she said, she doesn't care, because she has no honor"...Astaghfirullah... Bad seed, such a bad seed, spoiled brat.
Then, when I want to come inside, she just came to the machine cause she was nearer of course (The woman in front of me is the wife of the person inside, turned out), while her friend was already outside. And I just stood behind her, enough to see her credentials, strangely enough she didn't care. I told her in English again in deep cold tone, you should get in line. And she didn't reply. But outside the booth, she was shouted by the men with anger, yes, men outside. And she shouted back. A quarrel was happening in Arabic. And I was glad those people were behind my back. There are in fact still many good people in Saudi who understand discipline and respect.
Well, girl, with an attitude like that, don't think you can survive outside this country.
A note to queuing, now it seems that Jakartans are more discipline when I saw the neat long line of people waiting for the TransJakarta bus to come. If it was here, I believe people would already jam-packed in front of the door, including me hehehe...(Of course, I would not wait for the bus a week long ;))
That's why I liked living in Europe where the discipline for queuing is higher. However sometimes it's kind of irritating in another sort of way.
My mom and I was walking inside a chocolate shop in Brugge, Belgium. Noticing a line, I went straight in there. My mom was astonished with the many selection of chocolate showcased there. She was looking around gazing at the display when suddenly the shop attendant shout at her, "Get in line, please".
She was startled, little bit ashamed and then joined me. She said, "I was only looking...", in awe. My poor mom.
But then back to Holland, she felt she had her revenge, when at the fresh market, a couple of youngsters were scolded the same cold tone by the vendor when they tried to cut her line, "Get in line!" Well it seems tourists don't know how to queue.
But here in Saudi, it is frustrating if you try to go by the rules. These people here seem to not know how to queue. I'm not only talking about the locals but also the expatriates and visitors from different countries. They cut line and even if they already left the line for a long time, they still insists to get back in. First years, I got many quarrels about cutting line. But after that, I just try to follow the "common rules". If not, you will not get what you want ever. So buff up those muscles, you'll need it to shove some way to go to the front line.
Once I was queuing in front of an ATM machine. Quite a line was built, when suddenly 2 young ladies were getting in to the ATM room, even when there was somebody already inside it. Of course I yelled at them, "hey, we're here first." But they didn't budge. A man behind me said something in Arabic. And the two of them talked to each other. The woman in front of me said to me, "You know, her friend asked her to leave, but she said, she doesn't care, because she has no honor"...Astaghfirullah... Bad seed, such a bad seed, spoiled brat.
Then, when I want to come inside, she just came to the machine cause she was nearer of course (The woman in front of me is the wife of the person inside, turned out), while her friend was already outside. And I just stood behind her, enough to see her credentials, strangely enough she didn't care. I told her in English again in deep cold tone, you should get in line. And she didn't reply. But outside the booth, she was shouted by the men with anger, yes, men outside. And she shouted back. A quarrel was happening in Arabic. And I was glad those people were behind my back. There are in fact still many good people in Saudi who understand discipline and respect.
Well, girl, with an attitude like that, don't think you can survive outside this country.
A note to queuing, now it seems that Jakartans are more discipline when I saw the neat long line of people waiting for the TransJakarta bus to come. If it was here, I believe people would already jam-packed in front of the door, including me hehehe...(Of course, I would not wait for the bus a week long ;))
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