I'm feeling really bad about this, I only asked for the specifications of their products and he tried to force an apointment with a designer (at my home), I told him that I didn't want to waste their time and that it would be very useful if I could have the specifications beforehand as I have a very irregularly shaped kitchen and it was all about finding a kitchen maker that had the specific measures I needed. Then he told me that was the work of a designer and people tried to do it and never succeeded, I told him I understood his point of view but that he didn't need to worry as I used to be a designer and I had a very clear idea about what I was looking for, after that he proceeded to explain me what a laminate worktop was (?). He insisted about the appointment so I asked if the designer came at home I would need to decide on the day as I was a bit afraid of hardselling to which he answred that I could always shut down the seller with a gun and walk him to the door (as if it was that easy!! they never leave!) anyways I said I kept no weapons at home but after failing consistently in getting the info I proceeded to make an appointment.
He wrote down my name and asked if it was french and I said it was catalan, then he said... "so how come that you don't work as a designer anymore? nobody would give you a job???" I said that I was a SAHM but in all honesty used to be a lecturer in design and as there were no university level study programs in the town I was a bit overqualified for the area (stupid me answering that to that ar* but for some strange reason when I'm angry I can't speak English and lie at the same time....). So he asked if that was because of where* I came from.
I'm very angry but also very sad, in a way... he didn't say any lie, and I believe that what he said is just the reflection of how the majority of the people living in this white majority town think. There's no way around that, the few times I have applied to work in big companies in London I have got interviews immediatly, but everytime I asked for a job (even an entry level one) in this golden cage I'm turned down with the phrase that my qualifications are not enough for the required post even when I used to teach that subject at university level, have several postgraduate degrees and have worked previously at senior level in European blue chip companies, nothing is enough to get me in the shortlist. Have also removed things from my CV but that didn't work either.
If you have read all this long thank you very much. Sorry for the long post... another sad thing about this hole of a town is that I have been living here for seven years and even with all my efforts I still haven't find anybody that I can call a friend