"Michael Cash" <mikecash@sunfield.ne.jp> wrote in message
news:i75qpvkir9edan859dquufbnj5uj2gf05s@4ax.com...
>
> I don't mind when people automatically give me the English version of
> the brochure, even though they almost never contain all the
> information in the Japanese one. I don't mind when staff want to
> address me in English. But Jesu-fuggin-Christo can't they at least
> wait until a gaigin looks befuddled before offering some kinds of
> help?

yeah, this is annoying. Maybe you just naturally look befuddled? I used to
tell people who did this that I was actually Russian or Greek and didn't
understand English that well. Worst example I ran into; I had a series of
appointments at the local hospital that required using an ATM-type machine
to check in each time you entered, using a hospital card. One day I was
there entering my information on the machine and I am just about finished
when I notice there is a lady standing next to me watching. I sort of
stopped and smiled, and the next thing I know she is announcing in a loud
voice "Hey, this foreign guy needs help! He doesn't understand how to use
the machine!!" And she starts looking around the room for someone to come
help. So I say "no, its fine, I've used it before". But by then someone
comes up and asks me in English "What do you want to do?" So I have to
explain that its OK, I've used the machine before and I don't really need
help, but thank you. But she insists on helping me anyway. So I just showed
her what I had had done, and she goes on to explain the next few steps so I
can finish and get on to my appointment. At that point I just gave up, and
let her "help" me. I figger it was a favor from me, because I was probably
making her feel useful or something.