Walking the streets of Ticino province, (Southern part of Switzerland, border with Italy) it is easy to distinguish Italian drivers from the Swiss. The Italians drive at a faster speed and often talking with one hand holding his cellular phone, the other hand on the steering wheel. If they are not smoking, they will be chewing a gum with hostility. You can hear their car growl urgently from afar.
The Swiss drivers treat their cars much better. Not only they are gentler and slower, they are quieter. They do not play loud music with their windows down. However, the Swiss are very bad in orientation. Once outside their country, they have difficulties with directions and remembering them in subsequent visits.
Another litmus test: try stopping by a zebra crossing. Approaching Italian cars will accelerate, one after the other as if you are invisible. The Swiss cars will stop waiting for you way before you arrive the zebra crossing.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Sit and wait for a miracle
Very often when the economy is not going well, the government is not all to be blamed. Everyone in the country has a vital role to play in order to make things work. From the day when China was admitted into the WTO, it gave an ultimate push for her to strive. In 15 years’ time, the country has transformed from a sleeping communist snake into the world’s second biggest economy dragon. A vital part in its success is owed to its people’s desire to excel.
This should be a good example to some countries, which for more than a decade is still trying to achieve beyond 1% GDP. It is quite impossible with its people’s reluctance to work. Below is an example of what happened when I telephoned a property agency on a Monday morning, in the hope to obtain more information concerning one of their apartments on sale.
Ringggg ringggggg…. (no answer)….
Tick! There came a dry voice:
“Good morning. Please leave a message ONLY if you have prior appointments with us or if you have ongoing transaction. Beep!”
!!!!! So what happens to new clients? Aren’t they interested? What about other customers who have other needs? Why there isn’t anyone answering the phone? Why isn’t the call deviated?
Another example on yesterday.
We arrived in front of the post office at 2 pm. The door was closed with a hand written note: Opening hours for summer 8.30am – 12.45 pm. Afternoon is closed.
How can a post office be working on a half-day’s basis for the whole summer? Ah…. That explained why this country will never gain back on its feet.
This should be a good example to some countries, which for more than a decade is still trying to achieve beyond 1% GDP. It is quite impossible with its people’s reluctance to work. Below is an example of what happened when I telephoned a property agency on a Monday morning, in the hope to obtain more information concerning one of their apartments on sale.
Ringggg ringggggg…. (no answer)….
Tick! There came a dry voice:
“Good morning. Please leave a message ONLY if you have prior appointments with us or if you have ongoing transaction. Beep!”
!!!!! So what happens to new clients? Aren’t they interested? What about other customers who have other needs? Why there isn’t anyone answering the phone? Why isn’t the call deviated?
Another example on yesterday.
We arrived in front of the post office at 2 pm. The door was closed with a hand written note: Opening hours for summer 8.30am – 12.45 pm. Afternoon is closed.
How can a post office be working on a half-day’s basis for the whole summer? Ah…. That explained why this country will never gain back on its feet.
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