Sunday, April 12, 2009

I do not speak Gujarati

It is not uncommon for someone to approach me and start gabbing away in Hindi or Gujarati. I will politely tell them I speak English and from the United States. They usually respond with "ahh" and do their head shake. Today I was eating powa like I do every morning and a couple on their scooter stop to ask for directions (or at least that is what I thought they were asking me. I just gave them a head shake as I was chewing and they left). Minutes later when I got up to get my second plate (a plate is about the size of a CD) and the women who was standing waiting for the bus took my stoop! Since I had a pretty sweet spot that was in the shade (which is important as it is already 90 deg at 9 am) I sat close to her attempting to steal some of my shade back. She went off in full rapid fire Gujarati (or Hindi I'm not sure) and made a "2" motion with her fingers. I am guessing she was calling me fat and that I did not need a 2nd plate of powa. Either way I told her I speak English and that I am from the United States. Oh that did not stop her. She kept gabbing away about something so I kept talking back. I had fun. I paid my bill (Rs. 10 or $0.20) and I left.

2 comments:

  1. Hmmmm... I wonder what will happen when you arrive in Poland??? Which language will you be exected to use???

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  2. Matt is going to Poland?!!! Oh what fun!
    Can't wait to hear of those experiences!!!
    I left before High School, but at that time
    English was one of the offered electives - I would think that that has not changed. Living there till I was 13, my memories are that of a child, but from what I remembered; Polish People had a sincere affection for Americans - it's like they knew and believed that we ( the
    Americans) were the "good guys":)
    I am very excited for your plan to travel there! If you get stuck on the language; just
    call Your Dad to translate! LOL
    Huggs:)
    Iza

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