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The original was posted on /r/AmItheAsshole by /u/aiyahaita on 2023-07-03 01:49:56+00:00.

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For context, I’m (21F) Chinese. If you’re east asian or know anyone from there, you’re probably familiar with the expression “Ai Yah”. Similar to how people would say Jesus Christ in western culture if something surprising happens or if you’re disappointed with something is another example.

I work in a cafe. I’ve been doing this for a few years now and know the shop and procedures inside out. I’m in charge with training new baristas and teaching them the things we do for health and safety and how to keep the cafe running efficiently.

There’s someone new who I’m in charge of training up, Elisa (19F). I don’t want to be harsh but she isn’t good at the job, nothing has stuck in her brain. Everything I tell her seems to go in one ear and out the other. She has a review in a few weeks and i’m 99% sure she’s going to fail.

Today on the job, she lowered the milk jug from under the steam wand when the wand wasn’t turned off and hot milk went everywhere. She screamed, I turned and saw it which is when I exclaimed “Ai Yah” out of shock and turned it off because she was frozen. This is Day 1 stuff when we teach newbies how to use the espresso machine safely. Luckily, neither of us were burned and it was just a blip.

After our shift, Elisa asked what I meant when I said Ai Yah so I told her. I was surprised about what happened and I thought she would have remembered to turn the steam wand off because it’s not exactly quiet. She asked me why I couldn’t say something else because Ai Yah felt like I was using my own language to insult her knowing she doesn’t speak it. I told her that it was just how I talk given I am Chinese and that she’s being ridiculous, and it was lucky that I was around to turn the steam wand off because she was too scared to do it.

She did not press further but then our boss messaged me later saying that Elisa felt uncomfortable on the shift today and I was asked to refrain from speaking in my language on the job. I refused and explained my view that for Elisa to say that to me felt like she was being discriminatory and now both Elisa and I have to come into work earlier to sort this out with our boss. AITA?