MANASVI SHARMA BAWA

You know when you are on the lookout for a good opportunity work wise, then land an interview with a big organization and do the happy dance?

I was doing JUST that a few days ago when Goodman Fielder a.k.a one of the biggest FMCG companies in all of Australia and New Zealand called me in for an interview. Excited and pumped I went in for the interview and met up with a lady who in the first go says to me “I don’t know how to pronounce your name” as a hello. Well, what a way to start the interview but hey! I do have a difficult name, so I just smiled and told her how it went and happily went into to meeting room.

Things had started on an adventurous note, but I breathed in and sat down cracking a joke she din’t laugh at. Was it my accent? “Who knows or cares, let’s get on with it”, I thought. Boy, this was uncomfortable.

Then started the questioning, I started answering and all was well. The usual interview vibes until Nicole asked me “CAN YOU CONVERSE IN ENGLISH AND WRITE IN ENGLISH”?

Errrrrrrrrm.

Errrr.

Err.

I was stumped. I did not know what to say and frankly it din’t even strike me that she was being very condescending towards where I was coming from. Also, witty only comes to me once I am done with a situation. DAMN IT MANASVI.

So, I took a deep breathe and with a smile on my face said, “You would be surprised Nicole, as to how many Indians converse and write in English. And yes, we do study the English language.”

I genuinely did not see this coming. Or did I?

She then asked me a few more questions but I just felt like laughing all through after that ONE very weird question.

Interview done. Nicole walked me out and said it was lovely meeting me and she would be in touch.

I just laughed.

I then laughed for the a while, laughed when I told my husband, laughed when I told others and laughed all through it.

Frankly, I still din’t think she was being racist. I am nice that way. Also very dim.

Then, as my husband and another person told me she was awfully rude to ask me that I realized that what I was actually was very very VERY offended. I WAS PISSED and I was just laughing to keep that at bay. Late reactions and all. I can understand Nicole was just asking me a question but what she did not pay heed to was how offensive that one question really was.

So, Nicole and all those other noobs who think India is a land of snake charmers and chicken tikka, we are much much more than that. We can also speak in English and our grammar is probably better than yours. We are just not rubbing it in anyone’s face.

As for Goodman Fielder, I expect an apology coming out of you. I do.

Also, hey Nicole, turns out I can write in English.

Over and out. xx