My daughter's exchange partner has hardly uprooted our lives so far - I've hardly seen her at all in the almost 24 hours she's been around. It was almost midnight before we got back here after picking her up last night, which, given the change in time zone for her meant a 'body clock' time of 2:00 AM, so she went almost straight to bed, then she was up early this morning to go into school with my daughter, and has spent the evening chilling out in her room before having an early night, presumably still catching up on the lost sleep from yesterday. What I have seen of her suggests that she's a pleasant enough person, and, typically for her country of origin, embarrassingly fluent in English - embarrassing in the sense that we Brits, and other English speakers, tend to be very lazy about other languages, because we expect everyone to be able to speak ours. I apologised to the girl last night, because although I know bits and pieces of a few languages - French, German, Spanish, even a little bit of Dutch - I don't know any Finnish at all, not a single word, and made no effort to change that fact in the runup to her arrival.
Before her arrival, M was in touch with my daughter by e-mail, and one of the subjects they'd discussed was food she wanted to try while she's over here. One of her ambitions was to try traditional British fish and chips, so that was our evening meal today. The irony, of course, is that our local 'chippy' is owned by people of Chinese extraction, but their merchandise is usually pretty acceptable, and, fortunately, this evening was no exception. She seemed to enjoy the 'delicacy', at least, although I think she was slightly nonplussed by the spectacle of me tipping curry sauce over mine - I suppose it is a bit of a culinary mixed metaphor, chips and curry, but I like it, and that's the only excuse I'm going to offer!
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
It will be interesting to see if she emerges a bit more once she gets over her jet lag.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct: it seems that most English speaking countries do not put much emphasis on learning other languages, even in this "global economy" (and other euphemisms) that we live in today. I think, at least in the case of us, that it adds to the "ugly American" picture so many folks from other countries seem to have for us when we visit their countries.
I must say I was somewhat disappointed in fish and chips when I was there...perhaps I just didn't get them from a proper shop, but the pub and its food came highly recommended. They were a bit oily for me. Perhaps when I'm there next summer, I'll have to try again.
Peace <3
Jay
Hello Jay
ReplyDeleteI'm sure our visitor will find her feet in the coming days, as you suggest, it's just the aftermath of the travelling and clock change that knocked her out this evening, unless I'm much mistaken.
Fish and chips, as in the 'chip shop' sense, can be very variable in quality. It can, in all honesty, be pretty nasty (and heavily overpriced these days, too), but when it's good, it can be very good. I don't think it's entirely coincidental that the best traditional 'English' fish and chips I've ever had was in Paris, though!
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hi Sammy;
ReplyDeleteI can't help but to wonder if this new dynamic in your home is the bit of change that will help pull you and your mrs. from your particular struggles as you enjoy what seems to be a wonderful addition to your household. I, as always, am pulling for you and hope happiness finds you as you are.
hugs;
randy.
Hello Randy
ReplyDeleteI'm certainly hoping that peace will break out here - if today is anything to go by, it might not be a vain hope.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hey Sammy, no need to be ashamed. Not even I, despite living in a neighbouring nation, know (or even understand) Finnish.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I go there I will have to speak English with them. THAT feels a little bit embarrassing. Oh well. Have fun!
Love
Daniel
Hello Daniel
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose M arrived here expecting anyone to be able to speak her language, but that, in a way, is the point - if I arrived in her home town, I'd have no trouble in getting by, because a good proportion of the people there would be able to speak English, whereas I'd be surprised if more than a handful of people here speak any Finnish, or, indeed, many other languages, schoolroom French or German like me, at most. You could say it's my good fortune to be a native speaker of an 'international' language, I suppose, but, like I said, it does make us lazy and probably doesn't do much to overcome the British tendency towards xenophobia, either.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Ha!!!
ReplyDeleteUs Americans can't even speak "American" to good, ya know???
:-)
-Andy
Hello Andy
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know more than a few Brits like that, too!
Love & best wishes
Sammy B