GBOS: You've Come A Long Way, Baby
Apr. 22nd, 2010 11:43 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsDoreen and Sooraya work to help document the refugees, but cultural issues lead to an ugly confrontation.
"You are sure this... girl can use the computer?"
"Yes, and the other speaks several dialects." The Red Cross administrator said with a sigh to the representative of the newly elected Pakistani government. "They can help with the overflow of people." He indicated the long lines of people and finally the Pakistani nodded. "Sooraya, Doreen, we appreciate the help. We're having the troops moving up and down the lines pull out anyone who speaks Pushtan and putting them in your direction. Enter their personal information, and we'll see if we can locate them on the citizen databases. If not, enter them anyways and flag it for later." He passed over the laptop to Doreen.
Dori took the laptop, “Do I know how to use a computer,” she said shaking her head a bit she ignored the hesitation before calling her a girl, “We’re totally happy to help. Because, you know, helping is one of the best things ever. And I really think it’ll be kinda fun. I like talking to people. Do you like talking to people, Sooraya?”
"Of course." Sooraya nodded. "What kinds of information do we need? I know at my camp, a lot of people only know their name and where they live. Finding out more than that could be hard." It wasn't the most positive news she could give the administrator, but it was true. It was likely that huge swaths of the people who would be coming through would not know - or would not be willing - to give out any more details than that.
Naturally that depended on a lot of factors, but Sooraya wanted to make sure that it was known that she and Dori could only do so much. "Do you think that is enough to start with? I could talk to some of them later and find out more if we have to."
"If they have proper identification, enter that. If not, try and get as much as you can about their name, the region or town they are from, and any related information; if they have a work address, a phone number, address, family information. Some of the refugees will be coming from medium sized towns with the usual facilities, others from tiny villages or farms without any specific address or records." He shrugged before starting to head off to the next crisis. "The best you can, that's all I ask."
“Okay. I’ll make a spreadsheet,” Doreen said happily, “Sooraya, want to get started now? It won’t take me long to set this all up,” she said, typing as gently as she could with her finger nail-claws. She didn’t want to scratch up the keyboard more than she had to
"Of course," Sooraya said, grabbing a pencil and a pad of paper. She was better at taking notes by hand, and besides, she could always dictate to Dori later. "I suppose everyone can come in...?"
"I will not be treated like this!" A man stormed past the interpreter and slammed his hand down on the table. The flustered official kept interpreting verbatim as the other man shouted. "I am the administrator of Chimma, Kolycha, and Urd-Ammin and I will not wait behind these stinking idiots to-- what is this? Female children? A rat thing? I want to talk to a real official from this garbage pile!"
“Hey! I’m not a rat thing,” Doreen said, her tail fluffing, “I’m a squirrel, thank you very much. And you’re going to have to talk to us,” she said, sounding huffy, “Because that’s what we’re here for, okay?” Her case for any sort of seriousness was kind of ruined by the squirrel sitting on her head. Monkey Joe started clicking and Doreen looked up, “Hey, you don’t need to be rude either.”
"We have been given the job," Sooraya said smoothly, "to simply register you. I am certain that you can make an arrangement to speak to the officials at a later date." Though her voice was accented, there was no meekness in her voice. She looked up at the interpreter as though to tell him to pass the message along.
The interpreter passed along their words, and the man grew more choleric, his face flushing deeply purple. "This is not acceptable! I have injured townspeople who are being pushed behind scum and you say that I have to speak to these... women." He stressed the last word incredulously before leaning down to glare at Sooraya. "So tell me, little mother, what will you and your friend do that isn't going to require a real official to make happen? Hmm? I didn't think so."
Sooraya's brow furrowed and she actually looked angry. "We will get to all of you in time. If you choose to ... how is it said? throw your weight around, you may find that it does not help your cause." She glanced at the interpreter and continued. "I would suggest you understand that the officials here have put us in charge." She didn't flinch, she didn't even move back. The man's face was still quite close to hers. "It would be the best thing for your people. We will see to everyone in time. Please have patience."
“So… what she said. You totally don’t have to be rude about it. We’ll get to you. Promise,” Doreen said.
The interpreter rambled on for a moment, and the man's face set into an angry glare. "I am not happy about this! The proper authorities will hear about these... children and their incompetence." He stormed off and the interpreter wiped his face with a handkerchief before offering the girls a smile.
"You know, I spent a lot of time reading dictionaries to help me learn English. I'm almost certain that in those dictionaries, under the word 'asshole', it said 'See him'."
"You are sure this... girl can use the computer?"
"Yes, and the other speaks several dialects." The Red Cross administrator said with a sigh to the representative of the newly elected Pakistani government. "They can help with the overflow of people." He indicated the long lines of people and finally the Pakistani nodded. "Sooraya, Doreen, we appreciate the help. We're having the troops moving up and down the lines pull out anyone who speaks Pushtan and putting them in your direction. Enter their personal information, and we'll see if we can locate them on the citizen databases. If not, enter them anyways and flag it for later." He passed over the laptop to Doreen.
Dori took the laptop, “Do I know how to use a computer,” she said shaking her head a bit she ignored the hesitation before calling her a girl, “We’re totally happy to help. Because, you know, helping is one of the best things ever. And I really think it’ll be kinda fun. I like talking to people. Do you like talking to people, Sooraya?”
"Of course." Sooraya nodded. "What kinds of information do we need? I know at my camp, a lot of people only know their name and where they live. Finding out more than that could be hard." It wasn't the most positive news she could give the administrator, but it was true. It was likely that huge swaths of the people who would be coming through would not know - or would not be willing - to give out any more details than that.
Naturally that depended on a lot of factors, but Sooraya wanted to make sure that it was known that she and Dori could only do so much. "Do you think that is enough to start with? I could talk to some of them later and find out more if we have to."
"If they have proper identification, enter that. If not, try and get as much as you can about their name, the region or town they are from, and any related information; if they have a work address, a phone number, address, family information. Some of the refugees will be coming from medium sized towns with the usual facilities, others from tiny villages or farms without any specific address or records." He shrugged before starting to head off to the next crisis. "The best you can, that's all I ask."
“Okay. I’ll make a spreadsheet,” Doreen said happily, “Sooraya, want to get started now? It won’t take me long to set this all up,” she said, typing as gently as she could with her finger nail-claws. She didn’t want to scratch up the keyboard more than she had to
"Of course," Sooraya said, grabbing a pencil and a pad of paper. She was better at taking notes by hand, and besides, she could always dictate to Dori later. "I suppose everyone can come in...?"
"I will not be treated like this!" A man stormed past the interpreter and slammed his hand down on the table. The flustered official kept interpreting verbatim as the other man shouted. "I am the administrator of Chimma, Kolycha, and Urd-Ammin and I will not wait behind these stinking idiots to-- what is this? Female children? A rat thing? I want to talk to a real official from this garbage pile!"
“Hey! I’m not a rat thing,” Doreen said, her tail fluffing, “I’m a squirrel, thank you very much. And you’re going to have to talk to us,” she said, sounding huffy, “Because that’s what we’re here for, okay?” Her case for any sort of seriousness was kind of ruined by the squirrel sitting on her head. Monkey Joe started clicking and Doreen looked up, “Hey, you don’t need to be rude either.”
"We have been given the job," Sooraya said smoothly, "to simply register you. I am certain that you can make an arrangement to speak to the officials at a later date." Though her voice was accented, there was no meekness in her voice. She looked up at the interpreter as though to tell him to pass the message along.
The interpreter passed along their words, and the man grew more choleric, his face flushing deeply purple. "This is not acceptable! I have injured townspeople who are being pushed behind scum and you say that I have to speak to these... women." He stressed the last word incredulously before leaning down to glare at Sooraya. "So tell me, little mother, what will you and your friend do that isn't going to require a real official to make happen? Hmm? I didn't think so."
Sooraya's brow furrowed and she actually looked angry. "We will get to all of you in time. If you choose to ... how is it said? throw your weight around, you may find that it does not help your cause." She glanced at the interpreter and continued. "I would suggest you understand that the officials here have put us in charge." She didn't flinch, she didn't even move back. The man's face was still quite close to hers. "It would be the best thing for your people. We will see to everyone in time. Please have patience."
“So… what she said. You totally don’t have to be rude about it. We’ll get to you. Promise,” Doreen said.
The interpreter rambled on for a moment, and the man's face set into an angry glare. "I am not happy about this! The proper authorities will hear about these... children and their incompetence." He stormed off and the interpreter wiped his face with a handkerchief before offering the girls a smile.
"You know, I spent a lot of time reading dictionaries to help me learn English. I'm almost certain that in those dictionaries, under the word 'asshole', it said 'See him'."
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