Female cadiness, team rivalry, both or lack of manners?

If you talk to men odds are seven of ten will tell you that women cannot get along. It is beyond their comprehension why this phenomenon exists. Explanations range from females are too caddy, often jealous of other women, crucially judgmental and crazy hormonal. This can sometimes be true, especially if they are the type “A” kind. After a week of living with females from the other unit I have seen more tension then that of four years at the Naval Academy. Without saying it has immediately become a ‘us vs them’ situation; you can cut the tension with a knife! Although I have been out of practice-that is of living with other females-I am no stranger to it. This is the first time there have been any real issues; even though technically nothing has been said or done. This feeling is not exclusive of to the room though. This brings me to think that the issue may be a little bit of team rivalry. Maybe they just don’t like us because we’re from the West coast and they have to live in dreadful North Carolina- I mean think about it… that would suck! Who doesn’t want to live in San Diego???!! Seriously! Maybe, just maybe they don’t like that we’re coming in to their “home” and doing things better?

Team X as I will call them-their real name I refuse to disclose-as they call themselves are not friendly at all. We will just say hospitability is not one of their better characteristics. We cannot use their weapons racks, we can’t have our luggage in certain spots in the room (where am I supposed to put it my head? It looks like a bomb exploded in that room!), we can’t have female designated port-a-johns, we get accused of speeding and graffiti; and so the list goes on and on. Just the other day my counterpart and I were in the same room; she knew I was hungry and had to pick up laundry, which probably required a car given that I had to pick up my roommate’s laundry as well, instead of inviting me to go with her and offer me a ride she just left. Later on as I’m walking down the dusty path by myself she just drives by with her friend; no ride offer.

Today I was given instructions, like a private by another lieutenant. While no one was in the office I was nice enough to pick up the phone. I identified myself over the phone and when asked if my counterpart was there he proceeded to tell me to immediately tell her to call her. No ‘please’, ‘can you do me a favor’, ‘may you’; and a thank you was absolutely out of the question. Who are these people’s parents? Did they ever get taught any manners by to call her. No ‘please’, ‘can you do me a favor’, ‘may you’; heck a thank you was absolutely out of the question. Who are these people’s parents? Did they ever get taught any manners by anyone??? If I ever did something like that I was sure to hear it from my mom; bad manners just don’t fly. Worst of all today the company had a barbecue and no one from our unit was invited. Although the chow hall has magnificent food; better than that of the BBQ, I could see our guys walk with their heads down-wishing they had been invited.

This entire situation is just very unfortunate overall. We’re Marines. One team, one fight, brothers and sisters-well I guess this doesn’t apply here. You would think that in a land where some people want nothing more than to kill Americans just for the heck of it we would be more united; instead division rules between us. At this point we want nothing more than for them to leave. Like Christina Aguilera says in one of her songs: “I feel underappreciated.”

But this entire situation will not discourage Prada. Like Louis Vuitton I am more refined and will be at a higher shelf than a knock off. When our counterparts show up we will not treat them this way. We will not make them feel un-welcomed or unwanted. Instead we will receive them with open arms and help guide them and be as cheerful as possible so that they can get accommodated as soon as possible. Hopefully then, our good vibes and hospitality will launch a chain of positive energy through the rest of our brothers and sisters that cycle through the sandlot.