The true test of character is how you treat someone who can't possibly do anything for you (anything big, I mean, not bringing your food).
As for the language barrier: a smile is pretty universal.
As for the language barrier: a smile is pretty universal.
Per Reuters Fact Check team:
> Misattributed. There is no evidence Lincoln ever made such a statement about testing a man’s character. The author appears to be Robert G. Ingersoll, who used this phrase to describe the 16th president of the United States on several occasions in the 1890s [1].
[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-abrahamlincoln-pow...
I would also add the cliche that with power comes responsibilities and most people don't respect that responsibility. Mistakes happen and obliviousness is a thing (communication is never perfect), but I've been shocked by how cavalierly some people will wield power that has real effects on other human beings many times in the past.
It doesn't take much effort to be respectful and decent, regardless of whether someone has something you want.