That was the line that felt so warm and stayed in my mind when I interviewed Charles. Charles is a 35-year-old man who works in the same place as I do. I have known him for about two months, but during this time, we haven’t spoken much, mainly about things related to daily duties. This interview was a good opportunity to talk more, get to know him a little bit better, and check his English skills.
Charles came to Finland five months ago from the Philippines. He worked there as a crane operator for 12 years. He has three small children and a wife back in the Philippines, but he really hopes that next year they can come to Finland with him. Charles is now working for a cleaning company. He likes Finnish food, the government, and Finnish people. He thinks that Finnish people are friendly and smile a lot. It is a good impression that he has got in 5 months.
Charles feels at home when he is in Finland. The only thing he misses from the Philippines is his family. "Family always comes first," he said. The only thing that feels difficult in Finland is the language. He doesn’t want to study, or maybe he didn’t understand my question. We had a little difficulty with English, but it’s okay. He smiles a lot and always seems so positive. That is something we need in our workplace.
In my work, I have met a few Philippines before. Some of them speak very good English, and usually then we talk more during the workday. I always want to show my appreciation to all workers and the work they do. I learned many years ago that in a good company, the staff is the most important asset you have. People work better when they feel appreciated. I also believe that when an immigrant finds a place where they feel good, the future looks brighter. Like Charles, he is focused on bringing his family to Finland and does his job properly. Maybe cleaning is not his favorite job, like being a crane operator, but he still does it.
I think that because we all have to work, and most of the time together with others, why wouldn’t we try to make it a little easier for each other? If I were a foreigner, I would appreciate it if someone helped me or asked who I am. Maybe the biggest problem is the language and the fear that no one will understand. The course material mentioned that the tone of voice can be different if the spoken language is unfamiliar or if you don’t feel comfortable with that specific language. For me, Swedish is like that. When I talked to Charles, I just smiled and tried to keep the atmosphere positive. Communication can sometimes be difficult, but so what? The most important thing is to communicate and connect with different people.