That smile on your face

Well, I got to meet a woman from the Ukraine last night.  She knew no English.  Now that was interesting.  Her daughter had moved to the U.S. about 8 years ago on a student visa and acted as her mother's translator.  The daughter had had to learn English mostly when she got here although she spent a few months in Europe before arriving here where she learned British English.

Through a translator we talked about her stay in the U.S.  I asked her what the biggest difference was between the Ukraine and the U.S.  She said that the people here are generally more friendly here.  Store clerks and people on the street smiled much more and were eager to help if asked.

That surprised me since, in my experience of the U.S., it seems that people shy away from talking when possible and store clerks have to be hit on the head with a brick if you want them to notice you need help of any kind.  Maybe I need to pick up a Ukrainian accent.

The woman was really pleasant.  I met her grandson of 5 months.  He always smiled.  Maybe he mirrors the value my new Ukrainian friend saw so readily in this country.  I have a feeling she is friendly in her country like what she saw here.  We tend to do that.  I remember my mother's proverbial words so well that she graced me with often while growing up, "If you want to have friends, show yourself friendly."