Tag Archives: languages

Dreaming

and speaking another language. I wish I could be so fluent in languages other than English. My husband heard me talking in my sleep.

He could not tell whether it was French, Italian or Greek. He would have known it if it was Texan! It took me a good year to be able to understand his father or brother on the phone, until I finally met them. All y’all take care now. What? I singly caused the War of Northern Aggression even though I was born 100 years later?

For all y’all out there that was called by Northerners The Civil War. There was nothing civil about it. And I doubt that I was talking Texan at that time because my husband would have understood every word. And his mother would have called me the next day. Or his daddy would have called me to confirm that I started the war that killed President Lincoln as he was actually a Republican. Fox news would have been different if attorney Lincoln was around today.

Y’all is one. All y’all is many. Something I’ve picked up over the years. There’s nothin’ like a bit of Texas, and try the brisket. On a paper towel, with a dry piece of white bread and bland piece of fake cheddar cheese. It is fabulous. I’m talking Louis Mueller’s in Taylor TX. Sit at a picnic bench indoors and smell the smoke.

I really have no clue what I was saying in my sleep or in what language I said it. I like that my husband told me about it. I don’t sleep much or deeply and am happy to have confused him that night. Cheers and have a good sleep! Dee

 

 

Thank You

Please is the most important, hello, good morning, good evening, good night, where is the nearest hotel, restaurant. Can I find a restroom as I’ve been on a bus all day. Today I’ll concentrate on thank you and please, as that’s even more important:

Gracias  or di nada- Mexico, please is por favor

Obrigado (men) or Obrigada (women) -Portugal…. por favor

Merci – France, please is s’il vous plait

Danke -Germany, please is bitte

Spasiba – Russia, I don’t think that there a please.Believe me, I’ve looked.

Separakallo for please, I never knew that until now, Epharisto for I don’t know any more and Parakalo for decades for thanks to the Greek people

Prego – Italian, Grazie or grazi mille which means a thousand thanks for a really great meal or service, I don’t know the rules.

The most important item before you get to this is learn please, thank you and your family are welcome to visit our country in English, Spanish, German or whatever language the hosts speak. They do not feel at home in our country sometimes, but we always must be made welcome in theirs. Yes, visitors may actually come here, even with TSA, to see New York or a university.

When visiting anywhere in your town or all over the world please learn the words PLEASE , excuse me, directions and follow up any kindness with a Thank You. We’ll all get a better reputation if Americans don’t rush in saying that everyone must speak our (not Brit) English.

This is the beginning, as we Americans must say please and thank you, at the very least, to our world neighbors when they visit our country, if one would prefer to skip learning a few words of the local language while asking for the route to the nearest restaurant or even more importantly, restroom facilities, you might want to reconsider those few words or just not travel and demand it of them.

Sorry, but as far as I am concerned the lady with the pink umbrella, parasol or brolly leading you off the bus visiting another country is one who will never actually be useful as she will never allow you to see the country you’re paying through the nose to see or let you even have lunch on your own. There will always be that umbrella, herding you. And it’s always attached to the person who peaked in high school, has a high voice and probably was a wanna-be cheerleader. Sorry, I don’t want to go on a trip with her. I leave my dog at home when we’re away with a sitter, I don’t need be herded for a week or two.

Reach out. Of course contact the State Department to find out what nations not to visit at any day. Then fly on your own and you’ll be free to find destinations other than London, Paris and Rome. As the venerable character Mame would say, “Live.” Do it yourself and have a great time. I have on my own with family and husband and work and it can be wonderful.

Go to an art gallery first and look at how many visions these local/worldwide artists had for their environs and for the world. Then go to your local restaurant (with patrons seated and the restaurant not empty) and ask for their local specialties. Look at my reviews on TripAdvisor! Share plates with your spouse. Back to the ship down the Danube or your car or train or tour bus and go.

Make sure to have dessert! And at least another three days because there are more museums to see, Dee

ps What, the ship sailed? Not ours. There are still art museums to see and mechanical and strange medical museums for my husband to attend. All we can do is see how it goes. We don’t mind splitting up for a few hours a day and meeting for dinner. Dee