[Oswczrdz]

I suppose my 1st grade lessons in how to answer the phone has stuck with me because that is also the year phone service came to the area where we lived. I don't believe that is taught in schools here anymore.

We were taught to answer with 'Hello, W_________ household'. If we were the one making the call, we should respond with 'Hello, this is Susana. May I please speak with Jane?' These rules were strictly enforced in my home!


Nowadays, most people don't answer their home phone with their name for privacy reasons, but with a simple 'hello'. When I answer a call and the person on the other end says 'who is this' I figure they don't know me well enough to recognize my voice, so I clench my teeth and respond with my sweetest accent and reply "Who is calling, please?". Anyway, most calls to my home phone now are telemarketers or recordings of a telemarketer or scam artist. Rules do not apply! A simple "I do not respond to telephone solicitation. Goodbye' will do.

Cell phone calls are another matter. Among friends, we usually just say 'Hey, gotta minute?'

Please, thank you, yes mam, & yes sir are still taught around here, too. I sometimes find myself saying 'yes m'am' to someone, then realize that person is way younger than me!

When I first went to Thailand, I found that the expectations were somewhat different. I think a polite acknowledgement of good service is always appropriate, even if just in the form of a smile or nod.

Waii-ing is a different subject. I hope we'll have a discussion another time!