CopyRights of the video clip belong to UNTV News & Rescue: Language vs Dialect: Language variations make people different and can cause headaches too.
As recorded in Paul's journal, he said that it is vitally important too to learn the language of the host country - this is needed especially for immigrant workers when talking to people of that country who cannot speak the English language.
It was around 10 AM on June 11, 2011, when one of Baladiyah personnel (a Saudi national) arrived at Paul's place – a showroom of home decors and other home accessories where he was working with. Paul was managing this showroom for a couple of years since it started on March 23, 2008.
The building where Paul was occupying was divided into two showrooms - separated by some concrete and gypsum board walls. Each showroom was selling different stuff. The showroom where Paul was working was for antique decors and other home accessories. The other showroom was for building instruments and other measuring tools.
The owners of these showrooms were Saudi nationals - they were brother and sister. The licenses for these showrooms were conjoined into one document with each specification approved by Baladiyah Department. This department was responsible for the issuance of licenses like business licenses, building construction licenses, and other licenses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
When the Baladiyah guy asked Paul about the license of the showroom where he was working, he had nothing to show off to him instead, Paul had explained that the person who was keeping it was on the other side - so the Baladiyah representative asked Paul to call the person. And Paul asked the other salesman from the other showroom to speak to the Baladiyah guy in Arabic. Following Paul's request, his friend started the conversation with the Baladiyah representative.
After a while, Paul's friend explained to him what the Baladiyah guy wanted and said, “The showroom where Paul is working should have its own license because this is a different showroom. Otherwise, this will be closed.” In addition to it, the Balladiah guy started writing a document in Arabic language using their Baladiyah letterhead. Thereafter, he requested Paul to affix his signature on the document.
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| Arabic-Baladiyah Letterhead |
Of course, Paul has no intention to object to what the guy wanted him to do. Although when Paul asked him to translate it first to him in the English language what he has written on the document, the guy quickly replied in his Arabic language and was translated to English by Paul's friend said, "You’re not American to request such English translations for this Writings!”
That very moment, Paul has raised his voice as his reaction without thinking that he was talking to a person who does not speak English. Paul said, “My friend, why I should have to affix my signature in the document when I could not understand what was written there. I asked you to explain to me but you can’t. I don’t affix my signature to any document if the language used is not clear to me.”
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Paul further said, “It's better to refer you to our office here in Riyadh or leave the document to me and I would send it off immediately to my boss for his decision and action.” That followed the Baladiyah guy had decided to leave the place and their conversation ended up but leaving the document to Paul without Paul's signature.
After that incident, Paul immediately photographed the document and sent it off to his boss who at that time was in Jeddah by attaching it with the email he wrote with some explanations about what the Baladiyah guy has suggested.
When Paul got home that night, what the guy said was popping up into his head the whole night and Paul realized that language variations make people different and can cause headaches too. But the real problem Paul has encountered on that day - he was not American! (To be continued in part 12)
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