Breakfast or lunch conversation

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I think you have expressed the general attitude of Europeans towards the work question.  But in the USA it is common to ask about one's work within seconds after meeting folks.

Yes, I've noticed that as well. The other difference I have noticed, is that Americans seem much more concerned about their job titles. I have lost count of the number of "Vice President of Sales [Marketing, Finance etc] that I have met in my travels, whereas people tend to underplay their job titles in the UK. 

[DarrenM]

The firm I work for is owned by an American and lot of UK firms are taking on those job titles.

 

I am pretty sure that the title of Vice President, in most contexts, is nothing more than a senior manager.....of a department within a business. Sounds a lot grander than it actually is.

 

We now have CEO,CFO,COO,CPO, and god knows what else.

[navybankerteacher]

8 minutes ago, DarrenM said:

The firm I work for is owned by an American and lot of UK firms are taking on those job titles.

 

I am pretty sure that the title of Vice President, in most contexts, is nothing more than a senior manager.....of a department within a business. Sounds a lot grander than it actually is.

 

We now have CEO,CFO,COO,CPO, and god knows what else.

Inflation is a phenomenon encountered in many contexts - certainly in national currencies, and here in job titles.  In US banks there came to be so many Vice Presidents (cheaper to give an ego-boosting title than a cash increment) , that there came to be Senior Vice Presidents, and Executive Vice Presidents, then - to show that they actually did something there was added Deputy General Manager — sort of indicating that actually managing something was a significant contribution to the enterprise.  For a while “Business Unit Manager”  came into fashion — somewhat slurred by the obvious acronym: BUM.

 

You have to know something about the inner mechanisms of a particular institution to really understand who actually does something significant within that institution — you certainly do not want to rely on official job titles;  the informal designations - like honcho and rabbi frequently spoke a lot more.

[DarrenM]

Some titles really are bizarre. I worked for a now defunct Construction firm that gave titles such as Global Category Manager. Global?????

[Gelynia80]

We just say our state. If people inquire further well say but otherwise our exact area isnt anything exciting lol.

Rarely give company names but say our titles.

[ducklite]

1 hour ago, K32682 said:

 

The people who have been on many cruises care.  It's a semi-status symbol on a cruise.  You may be an experienced traveler who has toured every corner of the globe but if it's your first cruise you may be regarded by some as a lesser form of humanity. 

This is a great post and so true!  

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not impressed by someone who has cruised the Bahamas and Caribbean 27 times.  I am impressed by someone who has been to places like Tbilisi and Sarajevo--neither of which would be visited while on a cruise.

 

For most travelers as opposed to tourists or holidaymakers, cruising is a very small part of our exploration of the rock we are all attached to by gravity.

[ducklite]

45 minutes ago, DarrenM said:

The firm I work for is owned by an American and lot of UK firms are taking on those job titles.

 

I am pretty sure that the title of Vice President, in most contexts, is nothing more than a senior manager.....of a department within a business. Sounds a lot grander than it actually is.

 

We now have CEO,CFO,COO,CPO, and god knows what else.

In many American companies, a Vice President and above has a higher fiduciary duty to the company.  Often their compensation is tied much more closely to the performance of the company than that of a rank and file employee.

[ilikeanswers]

43 minutes ago, ducklite said:

 I am impressed by someone who has been to places like Tbilisi and Sarajevo--neither of which would be visited while on a cruise.

Sarajevo is amazing and it is not even that far from Mostar. I can't believe how many people skip it. The country of Georgia is one I have yet to tick off on my bucket list.

 

I personally enjoy talking to people about their travel experiences especially if they have done things I haven't. It is great to hear how other people view the world. If someone told me they cruised a lot I wouldn't think they were boasting I would be thinking, great someone with a lot of experience perhaps I can get some tips🤗.

Edited October 11, 2019 by ilikeanswers

[cruisemom42]

57 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I personally enjoy talking to people about their travel experiences especially if they have done things I haven't. It is great to hear how other people view the world. If someone told me they cruised a lot I wouldn't think they were boasting I would be thinking, great someone with a lot of experience perhaps I can get some tips🤗.

 

This describes me perfectly.  I love asking others about their travels -- and yes, their cruises. Maybe the types of cruises I usually take have been those that do not attract the cruisers who've only been to the Caribbean.  I never have understood the "hostility" expressed by some about the number of cruises others have taken.  But then, I always believed any sort of travel is a good thing....

 

Even though I have been cruising literally since childhood, I come from a traveling family and cruising only represents about a third of my overall travel. I have gotten a lot of great info and itinerary tips from other cruisers over time: unique itineraries that you may not 'find' on your own, off-the-beaten track places to visit from major ports that get you away from the crowds (or to some dusty rarely visited ruins), etc.

 

In fact, one of my 'role models' remains a 90-year-old woman I met some years ago, traveling solo on a small cruise ship. Not only was she still physically adventurous enough to wade through a stream to reach some half-submerged ruins on the coast of Turkey, she was also very well-versed in a number of global issues and knew how to keep a great dinner-table conversation going even while discussing some controversial things. She also had some great stories to tell about her past travel experiences.

Edited October 11, 2019 by cruisemom42

[chipmaster]

2 hours ago, DarrenM said:

The firm I work for is owned by an American and lot of UK firms are taking on those job titles.

 

I am pretty sure that the title of Vice President, in most contexts, is nothing more than a senior manager.....of a department within a business. Sounds a lot grander than it actually is.

 

We now have CEO,CFO,COO,CPO, and god knows what else.

 

I am always interested in what people do, what are some great stories, problems etc. etc. and if they happen to share info, I'm an engineer and seek to understand.  We are all different yet at the core all the same.

 

Someone who volunteers they are VP of blah blah blah.   My natural response, sounds cool, how big is your span.  I've know of VPs who have a few people but scope and impact could be billions or impact billions of people and VPs who have a title and manage a business that if it went away nobody would know or care, both are interesting and the person could have interesting stories.

 

But to reality, I often talk to people on planes, sometimes on vacation, almost never at dinner, that is protected time with family and spouse, it is why I'm cruising. 

[clo]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Many folks define strangers by their work and if you give the "wrong" answer you may be shunned. LOL. 

I don't think that's an LOL.  And it's why I don't ask that question.  I never want anyone to think that what they do for a living has anything to do with whether I'll like or value them.  But lately if someone volunteers that they're in 'the trades' I praise them to the rooftops.  We need those folks.

[clo]

4 minutes ago, chipmaster said:

Someone who volunteers they are VP of blah blah blah.

If someone gives me a title I honestly think less of them - just a tad - than if they tell me field they work in.  And, yes, re titles.  I work in a bank-owned subsidiary where an AVP was nothing.  And I worked in a different field that didn't have AVP but a VP was a really big deal.

[ducklite]

2 minutes ago, clo said:

If someone gives me a title I honestly think less of them - just a tad - than if they tell me field they work in.  And, yes, re titles.  I work in a bank-owned subsidiary where an AVP was nothing.  And I worked in a different field that didn't have AVP but a VP was a really big deal.

Agreed.  That's why my husband and I just give vague answers--no companies or titles.  I'm in sales, he's in I/T.  

[Nic6318]

18 hours ago, clo said:

We were turned off to cruising after doing a few (HAL and the like) cause it seemed like all people wanted to talk about was how many cruises they'd been on.  Who cares?

 

Hi

 

Yes, but they can only tell you how many cruises they have been on once. So, you are then able to draw more out of them in terms of where and what they had done. Sometimes you will find you had shared experiences. Don't forget many people don't know how to have a conversation that doesn't necessarily go anywhere. From these boards you can see many people just can't be bothered and their first instinct is just to avoid the potential situation. 

 

Personally, I try to engage in conversation. You see where it goes, you steer away from topics that you prefer not to discuss. Generally, people can exchange pleasantries without heated debate. That's how you find out if there are common interests that warrant further conversation. People have been doing this forever, it's not challenging. I understand, some feel that this is their vacation and somehow talking with a stranger is weird. That's why they have tables for two. 😃 Everybody can be happy. 

[clo]

1 minute ago, ducklite said:

Agreed.  That's why my husband and I just give vague answers--no companies or titles.  I'm in sales, he's in I/T.  

Oops, should have written "worked" not work.  Retired.  Bob spent most of his career with Levi Strauss which many people, especially in the West, find interesting.  But then they want to know what he did and we just say "oh it didn't have anything to do with jeans." A corporate wonk 🙂

[ldubs]

So for some folks it seems all of your conversations are about trying to impress or trying to not be impressed.  

[ducklite]

8 minutes ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

Yes, but they can only tell you how many cruises they have been on once. 

 

I think his point is that we don't care how many cruises someone has been on, so why even bring it up unless specifically asked?

 

It's like holding up your finger and stating how many carats your ring is when no one cares and no one has even asked about it (and no one with any manners ever would!)

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, ducklite said:

This is a great post and so true!  

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not impressed by someone who has cruised the Bahamas and Caribbean 27 times.  I am impressed by someone who has been to places like Tbilisi and Sarajevo--neither of which would be visited while on a cruise.

 

For most travelers as opposed to tourists or holidaymakers, cruising is a very small part of our exploration of the rock we are all attached to by gravity.

I guess the term "impressed" does not go far with me when talking with other travelers.  I am certainly curious, but not impressed :).  And having been to Sarajevo, I was not "impressed."  I found the Faroe Islands more interesting, and it is a cruise port LOL.  But I truly agree with you that cruising is one small facet of travel with its pluses and minuses.  When talking to a group of relatively novice cruisers/travelers we were asked for our favorite places in the world.  My quick response was that if I had to live outside the USA I would choose South Island, NZ.  Another in the group ask where on South Island and my immediate response was "Queenstown."  His response was, "I do not think you can get to Queenstown on a cruise"  which is absolutely correct.  When he asked how on earth we had even gotten to Queenstown, DW explained that we had rented a car and spent several weeks just driving all over South Island.  The man said he was "impressed" that we had driven in a foreign country!  He further explained he only visits foreign lands on ships and only takes ship excursions.  My thought was, "how sad" but of course I just smiled and nodded.  That being said, we are soon off to Italy to catch a cruise, but prior  to the cruise we are renting a car and spending a few days driving to some of our favorite places.  A friend thinks we are "brave" to drive in Italy (and Europe) and doesn't believe me when I say it is a lot easier then driving through New Jersey or driving in Florida (I detest Fl drivers). 

 

Hank

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Inflation is a phenomenon encountered in many contexts - certainly in national currencies, and here in job titles.  In US banks there came to be so many Vice Presidents (cheaper to give an ego-boosting title than a cash increment) , that there came to be Senior Vice Presidents, and Executive Vice Presidents, then - to show that they actually did something there was added Deputy General Manager — sort of indicating that actually managing something was a significant contribution to the enterprise.  For a while “Business Unit Manager”  came into fashion — somewhat slurred by the obvious acronym: BUM.

 

You have to know something about the inner mechanisms of a particular institution to really understand who actually does something significant within that institution — you certainly do not want to rely on official job titles;  the informal designations - like honcho and rabbi frequently spoke a lot more.

That's very true. My last company had a very flat management structure. I was simply the "Export Manager". However,  for certain customers in certain countries I appointed myself "Director of International Sales and Marketing ". Sadly, that worked a treat in getting appointments and meetings.

[Floridiana]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

But in the USA it is common to ask about one's work within seconds after meeting folks. 

 

I don't think that anybody ever asked us right away, but I may have forgotten. It came up later after we had several meals together. 

[ducklite]

14 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I guess the term "impressed" does not go far with me when talking with other travelers.  I am certainly curious, but not impressed :).  And having been to Sarajevo, I was not "impressed."  I found the Faroe Islands more interesting, and it is a cruise port LOL.  But I truly agree with you that cruising is one small facet of travel with its pluses and minuses.  When talking to a group of relatively novice cruisers/travelers we were asked for our favorite places in the world.  My quick response was that if I had to live outside the USA I would choose South Island, NZ.  Another in the group ask where on South Island and my immediate response was "Queenstown."  His response was, "I do not think you can get to Queenstown on a cruise"  which is absolutely correct.  When he asked how on earth we had even gotten to Queenstown, DW explained that we had rented a car and spent several weeks just driving all over South Island.  The man said he was "impressed" that we had driven in a foreign country!  He further explained he only visits foreign lands on ships and only takes ship excursions.  My thought was, "how sad" but of course I just smiled and nodded.  That being said, we are soon off to Italy to catch a cruise, but prior  to the cruise we are renting a car and spending a few days driving to some of our favorite places.  A friend thinks we are "brave" to drive in Italy (and Europe) and doesn't believe me when I say it is a lot easier then driving through New Jersey or driving in Florida (I detest Fl drivers). 

 

Hank

When I say impressed, I'm talking about the fact that they went off the more beaten path as opposed to visiting the same old same old.  There are a few places in Europe where we won't ever drive (the central parts of Rome, Paris, and London top the list) but they are all very well served by mass transit, and having a car is really a liability.

[Hlitner]

Just now, Floridiana said:

 

I don't think that anybody ever asked us right away, but I may have forgotten. It came up later after we had several meals together. 

DW and I love to share large tables (open sitting) on nearly any cruise line because we find it fun to meet new folks and socialize.  There are many times when it seems like folks use a memorized script at large tables.  "Good evening, my name is Nebercanesa."    Nice to meet you, where are you from?  Have you been on this ship before?  Have you cruised a lot?  and...if on a long HAL (or any other long cruise) "are you retired."  And once a person says yes, they are retired then the next question is often, "what did you do?"

 

As I alluded to earlier, we sometimes have fun with the early conversations (and questions) and it can be a great ice breaker.  I recently said I was a "trash hauler"  A lady without missing a beat (and with a straight face) quickly asked, "Do you know Fred Sanford?"  I almost fell out of my seat laughing and the poor Brits at the table had no clue!  So for the next hour all we talked about at the table were TV shows (including many that had been seen in both the UK and the USA).  And to think that many folks don't like sharing tables because they have no idea what to talk about LOL.

 

Hank

[clo]

27 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

He further explained he only visits foreign lands on ships and only takes ship excursions. 

It's like the guy in SE Asia who wouldn't eat any of the local food.  They're missing so much but it's their choice.  I honestly believe that it comes down to adventuresome or not.

[ducklite]

3 minutes ago, clo said:

It's like the guy in SE Asia who wouldn't eat any of the local food.  They're missing so much but it's their choice.  I honestly believe that it comes down to adventuresome or not.

I'm extremely cautious about what I eat if it's a food not familiar to me as I have a number of serious food allergies.  Thai food for example is a no-go for me, as they use one or more of my allergens in 99% of their cuisine.  But I don't feel the need to explain that to people I don't or barely know.  So perhaps that was the situation.  I'd always err on the side of caution before judging someone on being reluctant to eat different things.  Unless they want to eat hot dogs, which shouldn't even be fed to animals.  😉  

[clo]

1 minute ago, ducklite said:

I'm extremely cautious about what I eat if it's a food not familiar to me as I have a number of serious food allergies.  Thai food for example is a no-go for me, as they use one or more of my allergens in 99% of their cuisine.  But I don't feel the need to explain that to people I don't or barely know.  So perhaps that was the situation.  I'd always err on the side of caution before judging someone on being reluctant to eat different things.  Unless they want to eat hot dogs, which shouldn't even be fed to animals.  😉  

I hear ya but, no, he just admitted to it.  Probably ate hot dogs also 🙂  But, hey, I ate one in Iceland.  At the same place that Bill Clinton did.  LOL.