Ignorance is Annoying

Today, we attended the playgroup activity at one of the international pre-school in Thong Lo with a friend and her son. Following the registration, we entered a room which was already full with kids and their parents/nannies. We waited for the class to begin when a middle-age woman approached, looked at my friend, who happened to be a Caucasian, and greeted her without even bothered to do the same thing to me. She introduced herself as the principal of the school, started the conversation with my friend (yes, only with my friend and being ignorant to the fact that I was physically there, too), asked the age of her boy, and then the woman pointed out to my son who was asleep in the wrap, - I answered her but she did not even look at me in the eye - thinking that I might be the nanny, I guess. I tried to be involved in their conversation only to realise later on that it would not change the woman's attitude to me. From the way she acted, she looked down on me, and even later, when I asked her about the playgroup's schedule, she gave a piece of paper containing the schedule activities to my friend, only to her. So, I decided to go to the office and got another copy for myself.

Why does this thing matter? Was I offended because someone thought that I were a nanny? No, not at all. In Bangkok, hiring a nanny that speaks English might cost you a fortune so, why should I be offended? Being a nanny is not a shame, it is a decent job. I just feel sorry for that woman and I pity her attitude for being so ignorant to someone who has not the same skin colour as hers and my friend, that is me. I was wondering what is so difficult of being nice to someone, whether she is a nanny or a madame? whether she is Asian or Caucasian?

I might not be glossy, I might not have those madame looks, I might have dressed up like a nanny - in my pair of jeans and t-shirt, but at least I was taught how to respect people regardless their status. In the past, I used to think that citizens of developed countries are well-mannered. Apparently, it is not totally correct. The woman, whom I met is one of the examples. I kept telling myself that I should think twice before choosing the right pre-school for my son when the time comes and make sure that whoever leads the school is not a narrow-minded ignorant person like her.

Apart from this issue, the playgroup was good. So, it was a good way of starting the week and at the same time, learning how to deal with ignorant people :)

Have a blissful week, everyone!