There is saying which my Mum likes to use often, 'I want never gets'. She says it to me and my siblings when we forget to say please or when we ask for something in a way that is not very polite. So I am very used to being polite or sometimes not even asking for things that I want.
During my year abroad however I learnt that actually, unless you tell people what you want, you're probably unlikely to get it.
My contract in the school I was teaching English at unfortunately was coming to an end but I really did not want to leave and I knew many of my friends also felt the same. After an evening of talking about it with my friends I decided to tell my colleagues I did not want to leave so soon despite all my friends saying it was risky and that they were too scared to say anything. I will admit though, I was actually very scared myself.
All however worked out well, my contract was extended at the school as it turned out they really wanted me to stay, but did not know whether I would want to myself.
Had I not asked, I would never have managed to stay for longer and so I would like to say to my Mum and others who use the phrase, sometimes, 'I want...' gets you exactly what you want!!
Do you have a phrase that's similar to 'I want never gets' in your language?
