Here’s a question I made up recently:
“I’m very uncomfortable at the idea of traveling to a country where I don’t speak the language. It happened to me before, and I felt incapable and vulnerable. How should I deal with it?”
My response is that I always assume everyone speaks English if I say it slow enough and draw it out.
For example, here is a recent conversation I had in a restaurant in Barcelona.
“Excuse me, do you have a wine list?”
“Que?”
“Wwwiinnnee lllliist, dddoo you have?”
“No comprende”
(Apparently, I did not said it loud enough. I fixed that.)
“WINE LIST, YOU HAVE!?!”
“Vino?”
“Yes, Si, vino mucho”
See, he could speak English, he just didn’t realize it.
“Problem solver, I am,” says Master Yoda.
So, actually, I am taking an online class to speak and read conversational Spanish.
Not because I would like to read Don Quixote in its original syntax or want to better understand the Catalonia separatist situation.
I just want to learn how to ask for the restaurant check and not continue to “accidently” order the super expensive tapas with EXTRA anchovies. Thanks, Juan for that treat.
I have only taken four (cuatro) classes so far, but dang, I appear to be actually learning something.
It’s amazing how much better an experience it is once you start knowing what they are saying. . . about you.
(politely) in Spanish,
“Excuse me, soldier, but can you move your armored personnel carrier as it’s blocking my rental car?”
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