I was waiting for my bags in Chicago O-Hare (pronounced O-"Hair-ra") and I see a big sign about how the customs officers of US are the face of America and they have a special code they follow to make sure your welcome is pleasant... well in fact today these are the third set of people I have encountered so far on my trip and the first impressions have already clearly been set....
You will remember the publicity that Virgin got when it proactively recruited attractive blondes for his Cross Atlantic Airline. Not only did these girls have to be blond, but also nice and into customer server. American Airlines does not follow this policy. It finds the oldest, ugliest and most uptight air hostesses it can find and then puts them into one of the most customer service
demanding roles possible. These people clearly hate people. They hate their families so much that they want to spend their whole lives away from them on planes, but the last thing they want to do is serve plastic trays. This one women (See picture) she was honestly the most miserable women I've come across in some time. She threw the plastic trays down towards people, was in capable for speaking or acknowledging someone saying thank you, she deliberately steered her trolley to hit as many people as possible. It is people like this that ruin those adolescent dreams of mine of some sexy air steward offering herself up at 30,000ft....
I get off the plane to some relief (well certainly not literally that's for sure!!) and now I have my favorite experience when visiting the US - the Immigration people. Recently I went to Orlando where they are laid back and if you're not south American they don't seem to bother you. In Chicago - these people are the select, the crème de crème of the ruddiest Americans existing. To have to approach one of these people is petrifying event in itself. You approach and it is much worse than prison. You have you finger scanned, your picture taken, some hair DNA tested and a sperm sample is optional but will reduced the chance of full cavity search. Then there is the people themselves. They are not able to talk. They sit there, press some random buttons on the computer, refuse eye contact, refuse to talk to you, just make you sit and sweat. These people are the face of America. Like George Bush - something needs to change.
To be fair to the customs officers, they were actually quite nice people.....
over by a red neck in a pick up. That or you will be suspected as a criminal and shot. It doesn't stop there though - all your normal banking is done while sat in your car!! You talk to the clerks through machines. This surely opens up a whole new avenue for something else to outsource???....
Drive through restuarants is an obvious one but Europe is already going this way. The latest trend is an advertising campaing from McDonalds is that they will add the milk and sugar for you to your coffee. Just incase that was getting all too complicated!
I am going to have to get my haircut soon and I am scared. Seriously. I walk around and see what some of the people allow barbers to do to their hair and I am scared to put my hair into the hands of someone else.. I would like to present some examples:...
demanding roles possible. These people clearly hate people. They hate their families so much that they want to spend their whole lives away from them on planes, but the last thing they want to do is serve plastic trays. This one women (See picture) she was honestly the most miserable women I've come across in some time. She threw the plastic trays down towards people, was in capable for speaking or acknowledging someone saying thank you, she deliberately steered her trolley to hit as many people as possible. It is people like this that ruin those adolescent dreams of mine of some sexy air steward offering herself up at 30,000ft....
