People In The UK

UK: Wednesday (160610); 1725 hours.

It was just my third day in Sheffield, and I already observed some differences between people here and those back in Malaysia.

Just before I walked to uni yesterday, the 'rubbish men' (or so we call them back in Malaysia) came to the dormitory to collect the rubbish.

This is the way they do it.

Come to think of it, if Malaysia had this system, it may not work either. That's because the majority of the people (if not all) have the tendency to throw their garbage OUT of the garbage cans. -_-

Even as I walk on the streets of Sheffield, I hardly see any rubbish around. There will be someone walking around, with this thing that looks like a long garbage picker to collect those they see along the street. In Malaysia, people (majority again, if not all) will just throw as they walk thinking, "It doesn't matter, there will be people who will pick them 'cuz they are paid to do it." This is very true, as I myself did it before. But that's how it goes back home, no? Nowadays, I try very hard to find a garbage bin as I believe that to keep a place clean, people should co-operate and not have the "tidak apa" attitude. Hmm, I wonder when are people gonna have the same thinking like I do.

My £3 (RM15) Fish & Chips.

As I had my lunch in the uni's cafe, I realized this:

I presume they are lecturers and staff of the uni.

And there they were, sitting in the same compound as the students do, eating and chatting away. This is something very rare back at home. Teachers, lecturers, tutors and staff will be eating away in another special room allocated for them, enjoying their food in the air-conditioned room, while we sweat away in the stuffy and packed canteen/cafe. Veryyy nice! Sometimes I just don't understand why we need to practice this superior and subordinate relationship all the time.

Lastly, again during lunch, I saw this girl who came around and wiped the tables. With her, she carried along a towel (duh~) and a small pail containing soaped water.


Then she wiped, wiped and wiped the table with much erm, I don't know how to say this, enthusiasm? She made sure to wipe the bits and pieces of food off and that the table was clean enough for another person. I'm not sure if it's just her or do the others do the same as well. But I was really suprised!

First, people at home don't carry a small pail containing water (or soaped water) around with them. The cloth that they used, will probably be used to wipe 10 different tables, without washing. Even if they washed it, it's just plain rinsing. Ends up, a white cloth would be black and yet they will be using it to wipe tables. Disgusting!

Second, the table is wiped just for the sake of doing it. Like, what's the point of wiping a table clean if the cloth was dirty and oily? Wiping the table would probably make it even worst. Gosh. As I type this I feel very disgusted already. I think I should stop now because I'm gonna have dinner soon.

Chao!


P/S: When I say people back home, I don't mean ALL of them. It just applies to certain ones.