- I was just walking into my apartment when two kids in roller blades were coming out. The couldn't have been more than 6 and 8. When they saw me, they used their fingers to pull their eyelids wide open. It's the opposite of how white people demonstrate the squinty eyes of an asian. I heard their mother say "Don't do that!"... to which the kid replied, "But he's a foreigner!".
- Was teaching one of my coworkers some english the other day. He was confused by the word restaurant, because it seems we use it for everything. In Chinese, they have a dozen different words for all the different kinds. He kept asking what if it's a big one (it's a big restaurant), small one (small restaurant), what if it's in a hotel (hotel restaurant), what if it's REALLY fancy (fancy restaurant)... he was unimpressed.
- When I finally told him about cafe's and diner's, he couldn't get them straight. Even worse, he kept saying dafe's and kiner's. Not that my Chinese is any better, i'm sure i'm hilarious too. But they don't have blogs to write about it.
- Was stuck in a stalemate one time at a restaurant. I ordered from the menu, they understood. I find all goes well as long as I'm doing the talking. But then, sometimes, comes the dreaded questions. They asked me something, and i couldn't understand. I just didn't have the vocabulary, and they couldn't process my order until i answered. I say "they" because there is now a flock of waiters trying to help. They finally bring someone from next door who speaks english (it's been 10 minutes, i'm so embarrassed)... The question: "For here or to go?". C'mon woman! I sat at the table, ordered from the menu, even brought a book to read!
~Kev
1 comment:
Yea!
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