“Thank you, byyyye!”
I was in a Starbucks, reflecting on the past month, deciding what to blog about, and the topic just came to me! It was close to closing time and the store was quiet. The two baristas at the front of the store were hanging out, and had been speaking in Hungarian together as usually.
In Hungary, it’s pretty rude not to say hello and goodbye when you enter and leave stores. In the states I really didn’t think twice about saying goodbye when I left places, but it is a social norm that I admire here.
Amidst the hum of ambient Hungarian speaking and Starbucks music, I heard a barista mock the accent of a foreign customer that just left. He imitated their, “thank you, byyyye!“ (in English) and then the two baristas laughed together and proceeded speaking in Hungarian.
I love how we can get a kick out of each other just for saying something in a surprising way. Hearing things in an accent that sounds funny, and being able to just laugh at these differences.
Being culturally competent is a life-long process. Working at a Starbucks in a touristy area, in an international city would be difficult because of the unavoidable continual clash of cultural differences. I appreciate these baristas’ ability to just laugh at it every once in a while.
I am so thankful for the joy that humor can bring to any situation. It is incredibly powerful. It can relieve a tense situation; speak convicting truth in a socially acceptable way, or just be pure entertainment and play. I am in awe of the creative liberty that exists in the power of humor.
Today, I celebrate the precious gift of humor.
Photo: This winter it was cold enough for ice to form on the Danube! It's much warmer now since I took this photo in January, but it was beautiful while it lasted.