Isolation in a Huge city
Here is a scene.... You and your super cute family walk into a hip and cool little place for a coffee and lunch. The place is booming and full of people. Beverages look amazing. Food all looks incredible. You all wait in line for a decent amount of time and finally you get to place your order. You smile at the person behind the counter and start to say "hello." Sounds familiar right.
Now think about this instance and when you go to say hello the other person starts speaking to you in a language you don't understand...at all.
As we attempted to very brokenly order our lunch and coffee the overwhelming feeling of being silly or less intelligent is growing by the second. The person working is also trying to communicate but there is a giant disconnect. WE aren't doing a good job, really we aren't even doing a bad job.
There are lots of pointing and uncomfortable pauses.
We pay and hope we get what we think we ordered.
We find a table and sit down in said crowded place.
Like I mentioned there are people everywhere.We smile and casually nod at one another. Other patrons waive and smile at my super cute kiddos. Then the realization of pure isolation sets in. The only people that understand my language are my two children. Even though we are surrounded by people it feels like we are the only people in the whole place.
Sad right?!
So as we sat and had lunch and our beverage I thought about the hundreds of non-english speaking people that I have cared for in the emergency room. I am lucky enough to be able to understand a decent amount of Spanish and also am able to communicate back pretty well.
I feel that we take for granted being able to read and understand everything everyone around us is saying. I do not speak French. I try....horribly...but I don't. I believe I know ten words.
When someone speaks to me in French I actually start to respond in Spanish...don't know why but I do.
Not being able to communicate with the numerous people around me is very lonely. It is very hard. Even with my husband and children right there it still is such an alien environment. We are happy to talk to one another but one of the things we have always loved about traveling is making conversation with the people around us.
It is very eye opening to think that we are able to drive to so many different places and be faced with such variances in everyday life. For the W family we have come to the realization that English is a HUGE part of our life...but not everyone else's.
I will be in this environment for awhile still. I will try my best and hope that my children see the attempt. I actually love to hear my oldest scream "BON-JOO" to everyone who passes him on the street. He asks people speaking French "Why are you talking so weird?" They look at him and smile, pat him on the head, and go along their way.
Next time someone doesn't speak English I will remember this feeling. This feeling that I don't want them to have. A smile and a simple effort can change all that.
Cheers
Now think about this instance and when you go to say hello the other person starts speaking to you in a language you don't understand...at all.
As we attempted to very brokenly order our lunch and coffee the overwhelming feeling of being silly or less intelligent is growing by the second. The person working is also trying to communicate but there is a giant disconnect. WE aren't doing a good job, really we aren't even doing a bad job.
There are lots of pointing and uncomfortable pauses.
We pay and hope we get what we think we ordered.
We find a table and sit down in said crowded place.
Like I mentioned there are people everywhere.We smile and casually nod at one another. Other patrons waive and smile at my super cute kiddos. Then the realization of pure isolation sets in. The only people that understand my language are my two children. Even though we are surrounded by people it feels like we are the only people in the whole place.
Sad right?!
So as we sat and had lunch and our beverage I thought about the hundreds of non-english speaking people that I have cared for in the emergency room. I am lucky enough to be able to understand a decent amount of Spanish and also am able to communicate back pretty well.
I feel that we take for granted being able to read and understand everything everyone around us is saying. I do not speak French. I try....horribly...but I don't. I believe I know ten words.
When someone speaks to me in French I actually start to respond in Spanish...don't know why but I do.
Not being able to communicate with the numerous people around me is very lonely. It is very hard. Even with my husband and children right there it still is such an alien environment. We are happy to talk to one another but one of the things we have always loved about traveling is making conversation with the people around us.
It is very eye opening to think that we are able to drive to so many different places and be faced with such variances in everyday life. For the W family we have come to the realization that English is a HUGE part of our life...but not everyone else's.
I will be in this environment for awhile still. I will try my best and hope that my children see the attempt. I actually love to hear my oldest scream "BON-JOO" to everyone who passes him on the street. He asks people speaking French "Why are you talking so weird?" They look at him and smile, pat him on the head, and go along their way.
Next time someone doesn't speak English I will remember this feeling. This feeling that I don't want them to have. A smile and a simple effort can change all that.
Cheers
Bonne journée
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