When in Rome, for the love of Jeebus, when in Rome!!!!

emmabrighton

So I am sitting at my desk in work and the girl on the other side of the partition from me keeps burping. She has been working in my office for 2 weeks and burps continuously from 9 til 5. It is so disgusting.

She is Chinese, so I am assuming its grand to belch at your desk in China.

But it's not in Ireland!!!!! Stop doing it!!!!!!

Next thing you know some Swedish dude is going to start working here and take to fapping at his desk.

I don't think this is being racist to expect her not to belch in a quiet office... I think its just good manners.

Am I the first to notice this clash of cultures on our fair Isle? Or have you ever been abroad and told to stop doing something that's fairly grand in Ireland and been shocked to hear that its just not acceptable - obviously there is binge drinking but that's their problem not ours :P

biko

Just tell her, she may not be aware you can hear it.

krudler

Just look up what's considered rude in China, and do it constantly, that'll learn her.

ht9zni1gs28crp

Take your keyboard and repeatedly use it like a bat against her head...

then press ctrl alt and delete

Kylo Ren

Take a massive dump on her desk.

keeponhurling

emmabrighton wrote: »

She is Chinese, so I am assuming its grand to belch at your desk in China.

:P

Yes, it is normal in China.

She probably genuinely doesn't know it's not normal in Ireland. Try to tell her in a nice way. I'd say she'd be glad to know.

Or just ask about it, is it Chinese culture, oh very interesting.....etc
Just enough that she is aware it's not normal here.

jaykay74

emmabrighton wrote: »

She is Chinese, so I am assuming its grand to belch at your desk in China.
.
.
I don't think this is being racist to expect her not to belch in a quiet office... I think its just good manners.

I'd expect its the girl herself and not a cultural thing. Your sample size to assume its a race thing is rather small. I work in a multinational with lots for different cultures, no burpers though.

Gummy Panda

Wipe your nose with pics of chairman Mao

Knex*

Go over and whack her on the back and say "There, there".

Works on babies.

DeanAustin

Knex. wrote: »

Go over and whack her on the back and say "There, there".

Works on babies.

FYP

RidleyRider

Have a belching contest with her. Welcome her to the office:D

Real Life

Its probably nothing to do with her being chinese. I have a friend whose irish and he does it all the time. really loud long ones too. doesnt matter where he is he just doesnt seem to see the problem with it even though hes been told a few times.

iDave

'When in Rome' is becoming one of the most ridiculously overused phrases.
Any as for your problem, action it now and don't kick the can down the road. The company shouldn't waste another red cent on her.

super_furry

If she drives a tank to work you should stand in front of it when she's trying to go home.

H3llR4iser

emmabrighton wrote: »

So I am sitting at my desk in work and the girl on the other side of the partition from me keeps burping. She has been working in my office for 2 weeks and burps continuously from 9 til 5. It is so disgusting.

She is Chinese, so I am assuming its grand to belch at your desk in China.

But it's not in Ireland!!!!! Stop doing it!!!!!!

Next thing you know some Swedish dude is going to start working here and take to fapping at his desk.

I don't think this is being racist to expect her not to belch in a quiet office... I think its just good manners.

Am I the first to notice this clash of cultures on our fair Isle? Or have you ever been abroad and told to stop doing something that's fairly grand in Ireland and been shocked to hear that its just not acceptable - obviously there is binge drinking but that's their problem not ours :P

Extremely biased. I know plenty of Irish people who would burp pretty loudly with no regards about where they are - even when not intoxicated.

I work in a big office with people from every corner of the globe and no gastric flatulence can be heard at any given time.

About Irish people's disgusting habits - yes, binge drinking counts; Try to be publicly pissed drunk anywhere in continental Europe and see how well that goes.
Besides that, the biggest issue would probably be farting in public: you can't be in a bar, shopping centre, bus, train...wherever really, without getting constantly chocked by venomous rectal air emissions.

Interceptor

As a cultural ambassador for my country I would like to join in this discussion. Its perfectly normal in Ireland to have a big feed of stout and then fart like a dying Labrador the next day, poisoning everybody within a 50 meter radius. I recommend doing this every second day until she gets the message or throws up in her wastepaper bin.

'c

mathie

OP you're such a lacist.

Czarcasm

OP burping in China is quite acceptable -

Many Chinese spit and burp vivaciously throughout the day. In this culture, it's not gross; it's not rude. Due to SARS and the awareness of disease spread, there are public campaigns to stop spitting and it has worked, if slightly, in larger cities. But don't be surprised if you hear a spirited cough with a wet thwak at the end where it hits the sidewalk (just remember to take your shoes off before you go into your hotel room).
Burping is a sign of contentment. Your cabbie might belch and so might your waitress. Just pass it off and enjoy the difference in culture. Difference makes life interesting, doesn't it?

Source: Things the Traveler to China Should Watch Out For


But of course, your colleague may not be aware that it isn't socially acceptable here. You could just inform her that in Irish culture it's considered impolite to belch.

seamus

She may have some kind of gastrointestinal disorder. You're being very closed-minded about it. Your co-worker probably goes home and complains about her Irish colleagues who keeps huffing and puffing and sighing and yet when anyone asks if she's OK, she responds "I'm FINE".

MarkR

Have you a pair of kids you can bring to work?

emmabrighton

Well, that's what I reckoned alright. I don't really know her well enough to broach the subject. I would much rather toodle off to boards for a good whinge about it on After Hours than confront her ;o)

So I suppose that another Irish thing I could add to the list - or maybe its just me - is the paralyzing fear of embarrassing/offending someone be it a stranger/friend/co-worker

Still disgusting.

Work with a hoard of Spanish guys too and all they do is talk really loudly on the bus in the mornings... that is definitely a Spanish thing.

Knex*

Alternatively, next time she belches you can always go, "Mmm, noodles", really loudly.

emmabrighton

seamus wrote: »

She may have some kind of gastrointestinal disorder. You're being very closed-minded about it. Your co-worker probably goes home and complains about her Irish colleagues who keeps huffing and puffing and sighing and yet when anyone asks if she's OK, she responds "I'm FINE".

More like giggling, in an "Oh My God! I can't believe she did it again" kind of way...

and then a quick glance over my cubicle to see if anyone else is reacting...

Doc Ruby

seamus wrote: »

She may have some kind of gastrointestinal disorder.

Yah burping constantly nine to five is Not Normal. And I don't mean just culturally.

emmabrighton

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Yah burping constantly nine to five is Not Normal. And I don't mean just culturally.

Could it not just be habit tho?

She looks grand...

VinylJunkie

Just ask her politely to stop, if that ain't an option put a drop of laxative in her green tea.

Doc Ruby

Kinda reminds me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyA4XwHbTSI

BraziliaNZ

Don't they spit everywhere too, the Chinese?

emmabrighton

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Don't they spit everywhere too, the Chinese?

The Chinese, a grand bunch of lads...

Come on now... I don't want this turning into a Chinese bashing thread... I'm sure them Fe1cking Greeks get up to all sorts too...

Czarcasm

emmabrighton wrote: »

The Chinese, a grand bunch of lads...

Come on now... I don't want this turning into a Chinese bashing thread... I'm sure them Fe1cking Greeks get up to all sorts too...

Read that the first time as felching Greeks... *shudders*

Op, that would have driven me insane by now:)
You really should just speak to her about. When I say speak , I mean let her know it is not acceptable behaviour .

up for anything

Interceptor wrote: »

fart like a dying Labrador

I can't stop laughing.

Nailz

Yeah, it's part of the culture over there, they generally don't find it rude at all compared to us. I hated it when I studied in Hong Kong, they'd even do it in the fecking library of all places!

Paramite Pie

emmabrighton wrote: »

Well, that's what I reckoned alright. I don't really know her well enough to broach the subject. I would much rather toodle off to boards for a good whinge about it on After Hours than confront her ;o)

So I suppose that another Irish thing I could add to the list - or maybe its just me - is the paralyzing fear of embarrassing/offending someone be it a stranger/friend/co-worker

In Asia it's perfectly acceptable to be direct about issues like this. Heck in some parts of Asia it's very common to suggest/recommend plastic surgery to someone without causing offense. *shrugs*

She will not be offended and will be thankful that you told her.;)

emmabrighton wrote: »

Work with a hoard of Spanish guys too and all they do is talk really loudly on the bus in the mornings... that is definitely a Spanish thing.

In Chinese culture it's rude to talk on the bus/train. Just ride the bus with her.:pac:

old hippy

mathie wrote: »

OP you're such a lacist.

Ah, now we're down to it, eh? Make fun of East Asians. That's about the desired level isn't it?

razorblunt

Next time she lets one rip, stand up and annouce "coming Eudora".

emmabrighton

razorblunt wrote: »

Next time she lets one rip, stand up and annouce "coming Eudora".

Actually I could go to war with her and every time she burps, I could do something that was equally disgusting in china but not even considered an issue here... don't want to annoy my irish co workers

But what is THAT think?

Answers on a postcard please

BraziliaNZ

emmabrighton wrote: »

I'm sure them Fe1cking Greeks get up to all sorts too...

They invented buggery

canadianwoman

emmabrighton wrote: »

So I am sitting at my desk in work and the girl on the other side of the partition from me keeps burping. She has been working in my office for 2 weeks and burps continuously from 9 til 5. It is so disgusting.

She is Chinese, so I am assuming its grand to belch at your desk in China.

But it's not in Ireland!!!!! Stop doing it!!!!!!

Next thing you know some Swedish dude is going to start working here and take to fapping at his desk.

I don't think this is being racist to expect her not to belch in a quiet office... I think its just good manners.

Am I the first to notice this clash of cultures on our fair Isle? Or have you ever been abroad and told to stop doing something that's fairly grand in Ireland and been shocked to hear that its just not acceptable - obviously there is binge drinking but that's their problem not ours :P

Does she drink a lot of fizzy drinks?

Paramite Pie

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

They invented buggery

Nah that's been around since Adam and Steve...

razorblunt

emmabrighton wrote: »

Actually I could go to war with her and every time she burps, I could do something that was equally disgusting in china but not even considered an issue here... don't want to annoy my irish co workers

But what is THAT think?

Answers on a postcard please

Does it rhyme with Danny Dart?

bigblackmug

I had a Chinese Colleague called Kai who belched continually too.

Czarcasm

emmabrighton wrote: »

Actually I could go to war with her and every time she burps, I could do something that was equally disgusting in china but not even considered an issue here... don't want to annoy my irish co workers

But what is THAT think?

Answers on a postcard please

I'm struggling to come up with anything tbh, Chinese people really don't give a fiddlers for social graces :pac:

emmabrighton

razorblunt wrote: »

Does it rhyme with Danny Dart?

Jaysus, if I started that, I'd never stop and my office would have to become a bio hazard zone...

Something a little less lethal please

old hippy

emmabrighton wrote: »

Jaysus, if I started that, I'd never stop and my office would have to become a bio hazard zone...

Something a little less lethal please

Sit down and chat about your cultures. Compare and contrast and gently point out that the belching is annoying you. I'm sure she will be genuinely apologetic.

canadianwoman

canadianwoman wrote: »

Does she drink a lot of fizzy drinks?

She could be chugging down the Alka Selzter

castletownman

If you do decide to broach the subject and she ends up taking offence, be sure to host a Cultural Night in your local hall showcasing the great and good of China, through the medium of a slide-show that must contain at least one slide of you shaking hands with a Chinaman.

And free drink. There must be free drink

seamus

I've only just remembered that years back my wife used to complain that Chinese people always seemed to snuffle really loudly and clear their throat disgustingly (like proper hockers) on the bus. It's one of her pet hates.

All the travel writers say that if you visit China you have to be prepared to give up any preciousness you have around personal space. I guess along with that comes the notion of not giving a fnck about burping, farting, clearing your nose, etc, in public.

conorhal

Minature Tibetan flag for the win!

Femme_Fatale

old hippy wrote: »

Ah, now we're down to it, eh? Make fun of East Asians. That's about the desired level isn't it?

If someone made a good-natured joke about Irish people, it wouldn't offend me. Intention/context are key.

keeponhurling

Czarcasm wrote: »

I'm struggling to come up with anything tbh, Chinese people really don't give a fiddlers for social graces :pac:

Actually they are quite particular about using toothpicks.
You must cover up your mouth if you're using a toothpick. (Having your mouth open while eating is fine, spitting out food also fine)

So use a toothpick and have a good rummage around, making using to keep your other hand firmly down by your side.
You could even ask for her assistance, tell her you're sure there's a lump of food stuck there somewhere, can she see anything