Asking travelling friends/family to bring oleh-oleh or souvenirs.
Don't get me wrong, I might have been guilty of this cringe-worthy behavior too in the past to some extent. Like I said, it's common, it's normal (really?). However, after racking my brain for a clearer look on the matter, yes, it's cool when someone who has been travelling to cool places comes back and brings us stuff, but maybe, we should not ask for it?
Me? I love bringing loved ones or just people around me stuff. That's my sickness actually. I don't do the merlion key chains or refrigerator magnets (well, not anymore, at least), because it's so much more exciting to get someone something that has a personal meaning for them. Yes, I drive myself crazy with this habit, but can't kill this one just yet.
When someone asks me to bring them stuff, -- sometimes specific stuff (this brand, this colour, this flavour) -- I will take some factors into consideration: Do I have the money to get it? Am I close enough with -- or do I care enough about -- this person to go out of my way and get them stuff? If it's "yes" on both, I will definitely try my best to get it.
People I care about have been nice enough to not hassle me with the "Oleh-olehnya mana?" (Where's my souvenir?) question -- which by the way, is a normal, acceptable question here. My VIPs are more If you can get it, great, if not, that's totally okay. But then once in a while, I got that question from people I'm not even close with. To ask that question once is okay -- acceptable, but more often than not, they questioned it quite persistently to the point of it was slightly awkward.
This is an actual conversation, some parts are translated to English
Jane Doe: Oh that's right, you just got back from Japan. How was it? Oleh-olehnya mana?
Me: It was so fun! I really needed that vacation! I didn't feel like going home just yet!
Jane Doe: (nodding and smiling) So, mana oleh-olehnya?
Me: ...
Jane Doe: Nothing? (a weird mix of anticipation and baffled expression on her face)
To which, I answered: "I think my coming home safely is enough souvenir for everyone."
Excuse me, first of all, it's not like I crap money. Second of all, were you there when I gathered the latest cents from under the sofa to get the plane tickets? Did you help when I applied for the passport, the visa waiver, or when I had some misunderstanding with the Airbnb? Did you come up with any tip or advice on what kind of Internet/cellular package or transportation pass card that I should use during my trip? Because I have friends who helped me with all of those, and they didn't ask for a single thing.
It's one thing to ask "Oleh-olehnya mana?", but don't hold your breath for it, don't make it awkward.
Au revoir, Awkward!
