The phone rings and I pick up for what feels like the millionth time today. Almost impulsively, I stammer through a half-hearted, “Thanks for calling the direct banking center, Ryan speaking, how may I help you?” If I had known that my big break into the world of banking would have me answering phones in a call center, I might have held on to those classified ads for just a little while longer.
This call was a little different.
“There someone who speak Spanish?” A woman asks in broken English.
“Sí, yo puedo hablar…”
I get this call less often, but it’s probably the most important part of what I do. I was hired for this ability that I have,
which I always thought was funny because I never really considered it an ability. No, I’m not a native speaker, rather it was something that I had picked up mostly at school with a little support from my family. I kept talking to the customer,
“Primero, cual es su numero de cuenta…”
So maybe my Spanish still isn’t perfect yet. Most people that I help seem to be appreciative that there is someone they can communicate with. Not that they tell me that, but I can usually judge based on how well the conversation goes. I had a woman once who after discussing her transaction history for 10 minutes, told me that I speak pretty well…”por un Americano.” I should be proud, right?
There was this one time though, where I was working with another woman who had overdrawn her account, and the conversation was not going well. I was trying to explained what happened when she dropped the bomb on me – “Quiero hablar con alguien que realmente habla Espanol.” And there it was. My Spanish suddenly wasn’t Spanish enough for her. I couldn’t help but feel hurt; who wouldn’t?
Language is becoming a tricky thing in this country, and it really shouldn’t be. Regardless of what a bunch of stuck ups in D.C. say, the United States speaks English just as much as se habla Español.
Being bilingual is kind of strange, because even though you can freely communicate and manage your way through two languages, it can sometimes feel like you’re caught between the two. Both sides only want the way they speak to prevail—and don’t you dare speak Spanglish because that’s offensive to both. I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve tried to talk to my family in Spanish, only to switch to English just for a moment and find myself being told to “stop that.”
We all need to work toward better integrating our languages, not just so we can help our Spanish speakers communicate, but so that we can break down the barriers that English can put on us. The only way that we can do that is through patience and open mindedness. If we all do that, maybe we can finally live in a country that’s more open to everyone.
About Ryan Almodovar
I know your pain well mi amigo! For I am also one of those not Spanish enough NuYoRicans! Except I deal in Tourism & Hospitality, so I deal the REAL Spanish Speakers, from Spain, y’know… the ones that don’t speak Spanish, but Castellano? And everone else around the world too, so I gotta know Mexican Dialects from Argentinian, from Dominican from God forbid Portugues! You’re right, most ppl will be just happy enough to get someone who understands for the most part and are humble enough to be grateful for the help… But then…. you get the ones who speak English perfectly, who insist on speaking Spanish, and who correct you because you’re not saying it their way. Personally, that’s when I go off and just finish the convo in English, b/c they just like to be db’s, but there comes a point where in all my NuYoRicanness, the communication barrier just overbears you, cuz that’s when they usually start speaking 6miles a min, and start using some sort of verbiage that only Abuelas & College Language Profs understand. All for them to just walk away at the end and stiff me on a tip! lol
One time (well not only ONE time, but pertaining to THIS topic…) I had to prevent myself from killing this 1 Spanish Woman, who again, spoke perfect English, but insisted I sink to her level. Has a problem with a lost something or other on a shuttle bus, so not only am I having to ask her questions in Spanish, but then have to translate it back to English to the person on the phone, then do the same thing for their response in reverse. So as we’re goin back and forth, I begin to struggle, and she then starts correcting my Spanish. So you Speak English then? I asked her, she said yes… Okay, so I’m gonna say the rest of this in English, b/c I don’t know how to say specifically what they are telling me in Spanish. (Reasonable right???)
She then proceeds to say, “Oh, well why don’t you speak Spanish?”, “I do, I’m just not 100% fluent, I was born here.”, “Oh, well my daughter was born here and she speaks Spanish perfectly!”, “Well ma’am, I’m not your daughter, and I don’t see what that has to do with this?”, “Oh, you should be ashamed of yourself!”, “Excuse me?? I don’t have to justify why it is my parents wanted me to know perfect English instead of Spanish, especially when it has nothing to do with what I’m trying to help you with!”, “Oh you don’t have to get an attitude!”, “Look lady, you’re the one being rude and insulting me and my family… You don’t know me, nor do you know my parents, nor do have the right to put me down for any reason, let alone why it is I speak how I speak. Now do you want me to continue to help you get your bags back? Or would you rather go somewhere to someone who only speaks Spanish? – - She stayed the f quiet after that.
i never got why spanglish is so offensive. i speak it freely with friends and family. sorry you’ve had such a bad experience.
btw, i also work in a call center and, although i speak spanish pretty well, people can get a little regionalist on me. not only am i asked what country my spanish is from but what area. so, it’s one of those “damned if you do and damned if you don’t” situations.
I 100% agree with Rob. Bicultural, bilingual, biracial: it’s all very similar. We’re always “too” this and “not enough” that. I’m glad I’m not alone. Somedays my Spanish comes out like a native bogotana and other days I feel like there are marbles in my mouth. People like the women Rob describes sometimes make me not want to speak Spanish anymore. I like to speak it when I WANT to speak it, not when I’m being forced or feel like I’m being tested or challenged.
I feel your pain folks. I also worked in call centers and still work Finance. Since I now daily deal with Latin American clients, I guess when you speak it enough it just comes naturally, although I did study Spanish in HS and college. In the beginning it was tough. What I don’t understand is everyone tends to think they speak Spanish better than the other person. I’m like wth? We all understand each other right? Why the criticism.
Maybe one day the “Latino-ness” with regards to speaking Spanish won’t be a factor for respect…
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