Our potential Little Brother is ready and eager to meet us, and I can’t wait! We just received an e-mail from the BBBS case manager. I’m so happy! And did you know Big Brothers Big Sisters of KC was named Best Philanthropic Organization of 2008? So proud!

If you are interested, check these local events:

TeamSmile Event – Saturday, Sept. 13: A free event for the children of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Receive free dental care by TeamSmile and participate in fun activities at Arrowhead Stadium.

Boulevard Recruitment Event – Thursday, Sept. 18: Thinking about being a Big? Or know someone who is considering it? Join us at our Recruitment Event at the Boulevard Brewing Company. Learn what it’s like to be a Big and network with other Bigs in a happy hour setting.

Friendship Foundation Breakfast – Thursday, October 30: Want to find out how you can help support BBBS-KC financially? Join us for a one-hour inspirational breakfast.

I get all kinds of stories at work. I don’t post about them because… well, it’s work (I don’t want to get Dooced). But something happened last week that left me thinking. A Hispanic woman called the office, and the person who answered the phone didn’t even say hello. It was an automatic “Un momento, por favor.” and that called was transferred to me: “Bea, Spanish person, line 1.” Next thing I know, there was a lady almost yelling, and asking why the heck our CS rep didn’t talk to her in English.

The big deal about it is that some people will immediately assume someone doesn’t speak their language when they hear an accent. Wrong! We are, after all, in the United States of America, and while there are many immigrants who don’t acquire English as a second language, most of us learn to speak it. I could understand the lady’s frustration about it; I apologized several times, and the lady added something along the lines of “At least I can speak English. Does she speak Spanish?”

It also made me think about the countless times when I haven’t said more than just hello and I have people looking at me and saying “Pardon me?” — Dude! I just said hello, just because I don’t look American, doesn’t mean you can’t understand me. And it happens everywhere, but more so here in this melting pot where everyone comes to try to make a living.

And then, on another occasion, I will post about how much I disagree with moving to America and not making an effort to learn English. But what do I know? Nobody’s perfect.