Chi-span-glish

Welcome to my day!

This is the view from behind me.

 No classes. Slept in. Packed a backpack for a nice, quiet day at the park. The bench I selected was off the common walkway. Not a soul in sight (except for the small tent in the distance and one boy climbing trees). I was enjoying some much needed alone time with my Creator. I was singing some songs ("All My Devotion" by Kristine Mueller) when I heard it: "Hello?"

This is the view in front of me.

I looked up and saw before me a Chinese man looking expectantly for a response from me. Little did I know that saying "Ni hao" back to him would result in an almost three hour long conversation using four languages. 

Little did I know I was like the Chinese child climbing the trees. Taking a leap and not sure where I might land. 

Language learning is not easy for me. I love learning new languages and cultures, but it seems my brain has one file folder labeled: FOREIGN. In any situation English seems inappropriate, my brain goes to the FOREIGN folder and pulls out any file that could maybe work. Today was a prime example.

How Lora's brain pieces together sentences in China: 

1. Fill in all the applicable Chinese vocabulary words.
2. Review sentence, if necessary words such as: a verb, a subject, because or but are missing then, go to Step 3. 
3. Put in some Spanish or English (whatever comes to mind first, preference for Spanish because it's more commonly also in the FOREIGN folder) to complete the sentence. 

Generally this process elicits even more confused looks than just saying "Wo ting bu dong" ("I hear you, but I don't understand")! Only today, the Chinese man knew Spanish too!

Thus, our conversation started. Our conversation was primarily in Spanish (both of us are low level Spanish speakers). Aside from really giving my brain a workout and muddling all the languages together we were able to communicate most effectively in Spanish because the sentences remained very basic.

Meet my conversation partner: Chen.

Topics of the discussion (all selected by him):

Polici-ar, FBI, CIA --- He kept bringing these up. My response - Wo ting bu dong.

Where are you from? - Me: Wo zai Meiguo. Wo shi Meiguoren. (I am from America. I am American.)

Him: "Que es tu trabajo?" - Me: "Wo shi lao shi"

Him: "In Spanish, Tu soy amigos?" Me: "Yes, Wo you 40 pengyou (I have 40 friends)" Him: "Oh, you single. Sing-Guhl haha."

Him: You will back at this same place tomorrow? - Me: No, I don't think so. Dui buqi (I'm sorry).

Him: You eat lunch. You eat with me. - Me: Oh, xie xie. I have (point to the food in my lap).

Him: I take your picture. - Me: Uh.... okay, (get out my own camera and also take a picture).

Me: "Como se dice <insert Spanish or English word> in Chinese?" Him: "Uh, <Spanish word> soy <Chinese word>."

Order of Conversation: Many of the above sentences were said on repeat. Eventually, he said good bye in four languages, Chinese, English, Spanish and French and walked away. By this point it was steadily drizzling/raining so most things were wet despite the trees. I returned my attention to my music ("And Now My Lifesong Sings" by Casting Crowns was playing). I was journaling and Book reading. Maybe ten minutes later I saw the feet in front of me again. He was back, this time with two ice cream cones and a cheesy grin. 

So, Mr. Chen thank you for the ice cream. I'm glad you were able to practice some English and Spanish. The afternoon was much different after meeting you.