Perhaps my favorite part of Madrid is the public transportation (except for when the workers are on strike, as happened on Thursday). The metro and the buses went everywhere, and you could easily get around without a car. In fact, having a car is actually probably quite inconvenient in a city as large and cramped as Madrid.
But, as with most big city public transit systems, it feels very sterile. You get on, you get off, and you barely acknowledge either the driver or the people sitting/standing next to you. And honestly, that's the polite thing to do. It's a way of maintaining a small amount of personal space in a very densely populated area.
So I was a bit surprised when I arrived in Austin and hopped on the city bus to go to UT. As people got off the bus, they shouted "Thank you!" to the bus driver. It sounded weird. It's the dude's job-why thank him for stopping when that's what s/he's supposed to do?
But the longer I've been in Austin, the more I've come to appreciate this custom. It's so very Midwest-a recognition that a bus driver-even while doing his job- is doing you a favor in stopping to let you off.
And I kind of love that about Austin. I've even started to say "Thank-you" myself. They deserve it.
But it makes me wonder if I'll start saying "Gracias" to all the bus drivers in Madrid when I go back to visit.
But, as with most big city public transit systems, it feels very sterile. You get on, you get off, and you barely acknowledge either the driver or the people sitting/standing next to you. And honestly, that's the polite thing to do. It's a way of maintaining a small amount of personal space in a very densely populated area.
So I was a bit surprised when I arrived in Austin and hopped on the city bus to go to UT. As people got off the bus, they shouted "Thank you!" to the bus driver. It sounded weird. It's the dude's job-why thank him for stopping when that's what s/he's supposed to do?
But the longer I've been in Austin, the more I've come to appreciate this custom. It's so very Midwest-a recognition that a bus driver-even while doing his job- is doing you a favor in stopping to let you off.
And I kind of love that about Austin. I've even started to say "Thank-you" myself. They deserve it.
But it makes me wonder if I'll start saying "Gracias" to all the bus drivers in Madrid when I go back to visit.
I like that riders say thank you. Not so much as a recognition that the driver stopped but that he or she got you there safely. I would thank the custodians for doing their job, the teachers for doing their jobs, the secretarial staff . . . a nice thank you helps keep things on a positive note. So thank those in your life who make your life better . . . it will come back to you in good ways.
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