miercuri, 5 noiembrie 2008

Liar liar!

I am really tactful when I talk to people, I am. I get my message through, no matter what that is, in the softer possible ways. Only when "soft" is not appreciated and it doesn't really work I become more...how should I put it?...sharp.

There's the question of being honest in the process and I admit sometimes I'm forced to "veil" it in such a way that my "receptor" shouldn't feel embrassed or worst. I do care a great deal about it, especially when the issues are so small that the whole truth is not really necessary. I spare you the examples, you know what I mean.

Anyway, we have a new colleague who teaches Maths, she's really nice and everything. Actually she is the definition of nice which is a high quality in a colleague. But she talks soooooo much and sooooo loud that my 10 minutes break become harder than the actual class sometimes. I smoke, it's a bad habit, I know, so smokers (teacher who smoke) have a little private room where we can poison ourselves without the knowledge of children etc...She is a smoker too, so we're stuck with her. During our break we have coffee and cigarette and we exchange opinions on different matters or we just chat...but on things that really interest us...or we just make jokes and laugh and relax in between classes....generally, speaking in a moderate tone of voice (since previously we'd have enough of LOUD children's voices).....and sometimes we just keep quiet, cause everyone has something on their minds or just because we don't feel like saying anything nor do we feel forced to make conversation.

I understand that my new colleague can feel the need to be perhaps more talkative than normal because she's new in this school and maybe she feels really nervous about it. I don't know...Or maybe she's just too open that she feels the need to share every single detail of her life with us...Either way, I've come to know a lot of things about her and her boyfriend, her way of living and even though I appreaciate the confidence she's showing me/us I don't really want to know these things, not just yet.

And she always interrupts the speaker...I mean, I hardly have the chance to finish my sentence because she's constantly interrupting me, being so eager to complete what I was going to say...Yesterday she came into our little room where another colleague and I were having coffee, she sat down, I was checking my mobile phone, my colleague was reading something so she just asked: "How come nobody's talking?" I couldn't stand it anymore so I said: "We were waiting for you!" thinking that she'd be aware of the meaning of my exclamation. She didn't seem to. So today, while having a conversation with her about her native town, I said: "I should have known you're from C!". She asked in marvel: "Really? How come?" "Cause you just talk so much!"

And then it happened: she kept silent for 5 whole seconds! It was bliss! Then she apologised, she said she knew she had this problem but that it's just because of her profession. Well excuse me, I'm a teacher too and she's about my age!

Anyway...I felt bad about the whole thing and just needed to write it down, get it off my chest...Whew!


7 comentarii:

Matthew spunea...

Exhausting colleague.

Sometimes filling an "awkward" silence isn't the best idea. You'll get used to each other and maybe she'll calm down a little... hopefully ;)

Claudia spunea...

I always think that polite honesty is the best. Your break belongs to you alone, we all need to have some quiet time now and then.

Just my five cents worth.

Arty spunea...

Ha ha ha Pati..well chances are she will talk a lot less now :) Let us know..
Thanks for your comment on my blog too.

Patricia spunea...

Thank you for your support! I was just thinking she might become another good reason why I should quit smoking!;)

Gal Friday spunea...

I think you were very brave(or pushed to your limit )to address her like that and perhaps from here on in, your colleague will be more aware of everyone else's need for a little peace and quiet on the teacher's breaks.
I like a little chit-chat with my co-workers, but appreciate being able to sit quietly when on a break, too.

Patricia spunea...

You know me too well, Tina...I was really pushed to my limit after nearly two months of taking it...I believe she will indeed try and respect the others' quiet times from now on...

Claudia spunea...

Oh, 2 months? Then it was high time that you said it! rofl.. don't worry about it. She obviously needed to learn it the hard way.