My husband just received a thank-you note from our near-teen nephew saying “thanks for the oscilloscope and … soldering iron.” He forgot to sign his name, unlike my brother. Who would ever send him an oscilloscope and “high grade” soldering iron but his uncle. The young man wants to be an engineer, bravo.
When we were kids we had to write a thank-you note for every gift that was received, before we could use that gift, whether it be a game, a watch or a sweater. I was older then so could write and send my own notes but my brother needed to scribble his name on a card or note, seal it and give it to Mom for addressing/return address and postage.
My brother was never one for rules. He gave our mother a sealed envelope to address and stamp. It was sent to Auntie L. No card, no note, nothing. She kept it secret for decades. That’s him, messing with people.
I have found that communities we live in where I reach out or am asked out of the blue as a newbie to help someone, I do it. In one situation I’d been taking care of over 20 family pets for years on a “trade” basis. No-one ever helped me. I called all of them because my mother was taken to hospice 2,000 miles away with a week to live, and everyone was busy. My husband said, no more. One kind soul I’d never helped, helped us. Thank you!
Here, it’s different. Same level clientele and it’s a disjointed city but they are nicer. My Zoe gets a girlfriend for a week or two, a blind dog stays a couple of hours. My husband has told me that a trade is not me giving my life away volunteering, especially for doctors and executives. I don’t need money, I just need to be appreciated for what I do. Other than cookingwithdee I am Aunt Dee to nearly all dogs in the neighborhood and our dog is a mascot of sorts because she gets along with everyone.
I asked about taking care of Zoe at home for an important journey, and this company will provide overnight service, one walk in the morning and one at night for $200 per day. Then I have to hire others for a lunchtime and dinner walk. We’re talking $250 per day for the dog and that’s money we don’t spend on gas, hotel and meals for a day on the road. She loves my car but when we end up at a hotel I have to stay with her (hotel rules) and my husband goes out and gets pizza. This is a longer, further trip and I’ll be gone two weeks.
It’s no wonder we haven’t had a vacation for nearly 14 years. The execs and docs aren’t going to take care of my dog. Here, they try to pay it forward (helping me) or give me a gift from a foreign locale. I like it this way. Dee
Cooking with 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
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Posted in Editorial, Education, Family, Italy, Travel, TripAdvisor Top Commentator
Tagged languages, thank you