Could the notion be any wronger? :?
While I was returning home after work yesterday, a gal caught up with me and tried making acquaintance. Though I do not encourage strangers, I let her talk for some 'unfortunate' reason. During the conversation, she casually asked me what I was doing there, in the office.. I told her that I am a copy writer. The next thing she asked "Oh. DTP aanalle.!" [Oh, you are with some DTP work!]
I felt like banging my head somewhere hard and suiciding right then. :( Imagine, she was someone who worked in the next tower, in the sales of auto parts. :-|
Let's say, she has not been educated like hell and that her background is not too illuminating. But even people who are educated, when I tell them I work in an ad agency, sometimes ask me "Oh, agency-il analle. Company-il onnum kittilye?" [Oh, you are in an agency. Couldn't you find work in a company?]
I shared it with one of my friends in ad field. And his reply was a bit surprising.
In his words,
"I am not surprised. The awareness levels about advertising is very minimal/ non-existent in Kerala.
Years ago, my mallu colleague (who is a visualiser) in Bangalore had a bad experience when he went to Kerala for Onam.
His Neighbour: Bangalore-il entha joli? [What are you doing in Bangalore?]
My friend: Njan oru ad agencyil visualiser aanu. [I am a Visualizer in an ad agency.]
Neighbour: Visualiser-o? ennu vechaal? [Visualizer? what is that?]
Friend: ennu paranjaal artist. [Means, artist.]
Neighbour: Oh.... chuvarezhuthaanalle? Pinne boardinte mukalil keri paint adikkunnathinu nalla kaashayirikkum alle? Sookshikkane, ningalokke athrayum pokkathil keri nilkkunnathu kaanumbol pedi thonnum.. [Oh, wall painting! you must be getting lot of money for painting boards! right? Be carefu, when I see people standing up there and painting, I get really afraid.]
My friend (aatmagatham): poda #@%&!^ makane!! [I cant translate this for you. :P It is just "#$&*%^*%"!! :D ]
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I felt like banging my head somewhere hard and suiciding right then. :( Imagine, she was someone who worked in the next tower, in the sales of auto parts. :-|
Let's say, she has not been educated like hell and that her background is not too illuminating. But even people who are educated, when I tell them I work in an ad agency, sometimes ask me "Oh, agency-il analle. Company-il onnum kittilye?" [Oh, you are in an agency. Couldn't you find work in a company?]
I shared it with one of my friends in ad field. And his reply was a bit surprising.
In his words,
"I am not surprised. The awareness levels about advertising is very minimal/ non-existent in Kerala.
Years ago, my mallu colleague (who is a visualiser) in Bangalore had a bad experience when he went to Kerala for Onam.
His Neighbour: Bangalore-il entha joli? [What are you doing in Bangalore?]
My friend: Njan oru ad agencyil visualiser aanu. [I am a Visualizer in an ad agency.]
Neighbour: Visualiser-o? ennu vechaal? [Visualizer? what is that?]
Friend: ennu paranjaal artist. [Means, artist.]
Neighbour: Oh.... chuvarezhuthaanalle? Pinne boardinte mukalil keri paint adikkunnathinu nalla kaashayirikkum alle? Sookshikkane, ningalokke athrayum pokkathil keri nilkkunnathu kaanumbol pedi thonnum.. [Oh, wall painting! you must be getting lot of money for painting boards! right? Be carefu, when I see people standing up there and painting, I get really afraid.]
My friend (aatmagatham): poda #@%&!^ makane!! [I cant translate this for you. :P It is just "#$&*%^*%"!! :D ]
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And, here's my harrowing experience, years back, when I had just joined ad field in Cochin:
My aunt: Mone, ninakku joli kittiyalle? Nannayi, pakshe govt jolikku PSC test ezhuthane? Enthu joliya ninte? [ Son, didnt you get a job? Great. But try for some PSC or govt jobs as well.. What is your work?]
Me: Njan oru ad agencyil copywriter aanu ammayi..! [I work in an ad agency as a copywriter aunty!]
Aunt: ngheh? enthunnu? [What?]
Me: oru parasya companyil aanu njaan. Njan parasyangalku vendi ezhuthum.[In an ad agency.I write for advertisements.]
Aunt: atheyo!!, nannayi!! onnu parichayamayi kazhinjal aadhaarmezhuthinu pokan pattum. Njan Rajuvinodu (her son who is a Sunday lawyer in Cherthala) paranju ninakku avante koode joli seriyakkan parayaam. [Oh! really?! When you get familiar, you can start off with writing documents. I will tell Raju [who is a Sunday lawyer in Cherthala] and ask him to take you with him..]
Me (turning blood red with anger): athu venda ammayi. raju chettanu thanne case onnum illathe irikkuvalle? enikku sambalam polum kittilla. cherthalakku chettante vandi kooliyum njan edukkandi varum. Njan ernakulathu sthiram case-ulla oru vakkeelinodu samsarichittundu. nokkaamenna paranje. [ No need aunty. Raju himself does not have enough cases to his credit. I would not even be getting a salary. I will even have to bear the expenses of his commuting. I have talked to a busy lawyer in ernamkulam. He has told me he will consider it.]
:D :D Wish I had replied something like this to that female. I saw her today as well, while I was returning. But I gave her a wider berth this time. :)
My aunt: Mone, ninakku joli kittiyalle? Nannayi, pakshe govt jolikku PSC test ezhuthane? Enthu joliya ninte? [ Son, didnt you get a job? Great. But try for some PSC or govt jobs as well.. What is your work?]
Me: Njan oru ad agencyil copywriter aanu ammayi..! [I work in an ad agency as a copywriter aunty!]
Aunt: ngheh? enthunnu? [What?]
Me: oru parasya companyil aanu njaan. Njan parasyangalku vendi ezhuthum.[In an ad agency.I write for advertisements.]
Aunt: atheyo!!, nannayi!! onnu parichayamayi kazhinjal aadhaarmezhuthinu pokan pattum. Njan Rajuvinodu (her son who is a Sunday lawyer in Cherthala) paranju ninakku avante koode joli seriyakkan parayaam. [Oh! really?! When you get familiar, you can start off with writing documents. I will tell Raju [who is a Sunday lawyer in Cherthala] and ask him to take you with him..]
Me (turning blood red with anger): athu venda ammayi. raju chettanu thanne case onnum illathe irikkuvalle? enikku sambalam polum kittilla. cherthalakku chettante vandi kooliyum njan edukkandi varum. Njan ernakulathu sthiram case-ulla oru vakkeelinodu samsarichittundu. nokkaamenna paranje. [ No need aunty. Raju himself does not have enough cases to his credit. I would not even be getting a salary. I will even have to bear the expenses of his commuting. I have talked to a busy lawyer in ernamkulam. He has told me he will consider it.]
:D :D Wish I had replied something like this to that female. I saw her today as well, while I was returning. But I gave her a wider berth this time. :)
Comments
may be, i should. ;)