A sad story of my ex-boss
By gr8life
@gr8life (6251)
Malaysia
April 24, 2009 12:33am CST
I started a discussion about my boss before on how difficult to work and to understand his instruction due to language barrier ( My boss is a Japanese, I speak English and he speaks Japanese only) For the past two years, it was a very terrible experience for me. I received a news about few months back that his two years tenure would end in March. Due to economic situation, his departure back to his home country was postponed till April. So, when he confirmed the date, my senior decided to gather us all to have a farewell party for him. Unfortunately, none agreed to pay. My another two big bosses decided to foot the bill finally. Yesterday, my senior again asked us to share to buy a gift for him and again, none seemed to agree. Feeling it was not a right way to treat him for the last time, my senior went by herself and bought the cheapest gift she could found during our one hour lunch break. She told us to pay...uhmm ...well....USD3 each (there are six local staff in my department) Even though I have many bad experiences with this boss, I still feel guilty to join the group and treating him this bad... Do you think we are too much? He doesn't know about the cost of his gift as we will only give it to him next Monday before he flies back to Japan that night.
5 responses
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
25 Apr 09
I feel so sorry for your boss... since he was not liked by any of the people he worked with for two years... but then again... he is partially to be blamed for this because i don't think he tried to communicate well because if he did... then he should have studied English or the dialect even a little bit...
Well, at least he is now going to his own country where he can be understood well... and you are no longer working with and for him... i hope things turn out for the best for both parties...
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
25 Apr 09
Hello aseretdd,
I pity him sometimes but whenever I try to be nice to him, I remember the whole episode where he threw some documents on my table. Well, it was not easy to forget but I don't have anymore bad feelings towards him. I feel lucky that his successor looks like an easy going person.
1 person likes this
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
24 Apr 09
Hello ninebags,
Oh, yes! I know it is just too much to do this to him. Maybe when he comes for the last time next Monday, I will just say sorry for all the misunderstandings and difficulties while working with him for the last two years. I will definitely remember him as the smartest, the most difficult and sarcastic boss I ever had.
@us2owls (1681)
• United States
24 Apr 09
First let me say that your boss sounds like so many of the people I encounter when I am in the UK which is where I am at present. He should have learned the language. It infuriates me that people come to our country to earn a living or like so many do to live free off our system, taking our taxes and not bother to learn our language. I would gladly pay the $3, go to the party and gladly tell him goodbye. I would also make a point of telling him somehow that if he ever plans on coming back to the USA it would pay him to learn the language first. A friend and I were talking last night about here in the UK - there are two big hospitals here in Sheffield where I am and every sign in those hospitals is in 11 languages. Well here it is the NHS and care is free - if immigrants - may I add many of them illegal want to use the system let them learn the language first. RANT OVER ( LOL)
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
24 Apr 09
Hello us2owls,
Personally, I don't really like him especially before the incident where I shouted at him for the first time after working for a decade. English is not my first language and I am not that good but, to make life easier, I learned and tried to improve myself as I work for foreign people here in my country. Well, I am bad too for not trying to learn Japanese as I have been working for them for so many years. But, at least he has to be reasonable as a boss. However, I still feel guilty for doing this to him. I follow the crowd though I am his assistant. I am happy that he is going back. Maybe life would be easier in his home country!
@Dasari100 (3791)
• Anantapur, India
24 Apr 09
Usually it is difficult to work when boss don't understand you and i had so many bosses in this way but it is really difficult with them and i hope you will be get another good boss so he can give good preference to you.
@modstar (9605)
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
Hmm, i think your boss won't mind the price tag of the gift but what bothered me most was the fact that nobody agreed to pay t gift your boss a farewell party. I think that's pretty mean. I think you're just lucky and be free from conscience because i think Japanese are less emotional when it comes to things like that. Otherwise, maybe you'll feel guilty because for some people, it only shows you really don't care.
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
24 Apr 09
Hello modstar,
I told my sister and other colleagues from different departments too and they think, it is just too much to bid farewell like this. Whatever it is, he is still a human being. I regret I can't change the fact but it is over. I hope he will be happy to work in his home country.
