Before You Ask......
Maybe this just happens to me, but often times a thought will come to me - or someone will show it to me, and it just really gets my attention and leaves me with no response. I guess some folks may call it an epiphany but whatever you want to call it, I had one on this trip to Mexico. I've been working on my Spanish little by little over the past few years. Even taking a structured kind of class for a while. So on each trip I get a little more confident about my ability to communicate. I can generally figure out the gest of most signs and can usually pick out maybe one out of every 10 words while listening to some of the locals speak. And, given a few seconds to think and my trusty dictionary, I can generally construct about any sentence that's trying to relate a fairly simple concept. So while my Spanish is still poor, it's huge progress over my first experience four years ago when I didn't even know how to greet folks or identify the sign for a bathroom. But then......the epiphany. I'm just going to put it out there and try not to ruin it with any kind of explanation. That would be like having to explain a punchline. I'll just let it hopefully hit you like it did me and left me with no response. So here goes....we were lost in one of the little towns while traveling one day - this is a normal occurance. We see a nice man standing on the corner of one of the streets, and feeling confident in my Spanish, I said to Rich - why don't we just ask this nice man for directions? I'm sure we can construct an intelligent sentence communicating our need. And Rich's answer was...."I don't want to ask, because he might answer."
9 Comments:
LOL... what? I'm with you on the whole "having to explain a punchline" thing... but I don't get Rich's logic here. Then again, I'm the type of guy who DOES ask for directions.
Can I still ruin it even if I explain it in the comments section?? You speak one decent sentence to a Mexican and they assume you speak Spanish. I guess we probably do the same thing here. Constructing a sentence doesn't mean you can decipher whatever the response is. I'm quickly beginning to think it's one of those - gotta be there to think it's funny - kinda things.
Oh, I'm with ya now
Try having Spanish speaking kids in your class when you speak no Spanish. One of my K kids told me I was loco today... Unfortunately he picked the one word I DO understand... Can't punish him, he's right I am muy loco.
In Mexico there is a fast food place called Pollo Loco...and in Dr Arroyo we found a restaurant called Pollo Loco Loco Loco! :) I've had it once - it's pretty good. Having Spanish speaking kids in your class has to be tough! Do the kids understand any English - gosh I hope so!? You'd think they'd have an ESL class for them.
They do speak some English... and there is an ELL class for them, but the teacher only comes once per week. Most of them do okay anyway, One little guy is doing very well. He really believes I am crazy, but he is learning to give me commands in English. "Cry like a crazy baby" is his current favorite and then he giggles for a few minutes when I do.
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