Err...:D

I need not do anything...somehow, embarassing moments just find their way in this highly populated country to me! It has been this way since childhood and I haven't seen any respite as a teenager or now as a woman and the current trend only reinforces my belief that this will be the way till I am 6 feet under! Well, fact is, I dont really mind..but right now, I am still reeling from the err...embarassment of what I did...hehehe. Really, lack of knowledge is an embarassing thing!

Ok, the story is that..I get this new project to work on. I have to liase with consultants all over Europe and Asia-Pacific. So, I am sent a few introductory emails and then a few "Hi! Welcome On board" emails. For the first time, I am working with Chinese consultants and its a nice feeling! So I am still feeling all nice about working on an important consult and am replying to emails from the top guys, when suddenly a chinese lady emails me about the project requirements...her name was as expected...very chinese..Siok Hui Tan. So I reply saying,

Hi Siok,

...blah blah blah...
blah blah blah......blah blah blah...
blah blah blah......blah blah blah...
blah blah blah......blah blah blah...
blah blah blah......blah blah blah...
blah blah blah......blah blah blah...
blah blah blah...

regards,
Ashika

Ten minutes later, I had one of the big guys on the project ping me over IM....

Big guy: Hi
Me: Hi!
Big guy: Listen...
me: (uhoh) yes..?
Big guy: Your last email...
me: (UH OHHHHHH) Yes...? What about it?
Big guy: Ok, listen, you are not supposed to call Siok Hui Tan, Siok.
me: (GULP!) err....???? Siok Hui Tan is not Siok?
Big guy: Yes, call her Siok Hui.
me: (Giggle, kya hui?!) Siok Hui Tan is not Siok but Siok Hui??
Big guy: Yes.
me: O(half a K)
Big guy: bye, anytime

Hehehehe, me quite bright here!! As usual! Lesson learnt! Chinese names...Name 1 Name 2 Name 3 is never Name 1 but Name 1 Name 2. Got it?! I did! Today!

:)
me