Jan and I keep doing language study - not intensively since we are here to work with expats. Slowly we add words and phrases to our vocabulary. But often, just when you think you have taken another step forward, it doesn't work. Yesterday I was meeting someone for lunch. I got there early so thought i would order a coca cola light (outside of North America there is no diet coke. Ask for coke light.).
I had my sentence in impeccable Vietnamese already to go and said it twice - "Please give me a can of coca cola light and a glass of ice." Not understood. The waiter had to bring someone else over who spoke some English. Was it the fact that they only carry pepsi light? My poor pronunciation? His disbelief that I was speaking Vietnamese?
On the other hand, almost all taxi drivers now seem to understand our reference to addresses, intersections, directions, etc. given in halting Vietnamese
If you follow this blog, you know that there are a few things we lack here, like a dishwasher and a clothes dryer. On the other hand we do enjoy the many pluses. For example, I have only once in Canada bought Jan an orchid. However today we stopped and Jan picked out three lovely orchid plants to decorate our home at a total cost of only $6 Canadian (estimated saving - $50). I don't mind washing the dishes every night if my wife can get flowers this lovely for that price.
I had lunch yesterday with an expat friend from New York. Today I lunched with an expat from Texas and then had coffee (actually a mango smoothie) with a new arrival from California. Jan in the past two weeks has met three women from Calgary. So we continue to broaden our contacts here.
As I stopped at the local outdoor market on my way home, I bought some bananas and oranges (stickers on the oranges say "from California".) I had to dodge a full size garbage truck (picture a similar truck that services your neighbourhood) that was backing up to collect the pile of garbage from this morning's hectic market activity. I think the pile would fill at least half of the truck. But it is cleaned up once or twice a day and I have never glimpsed a rat in the market. Impressive!
I had my sentence in impeccable Vietnamese already to go and said it twice - "Please give me a can of coca cola light and a glass of ice." Not understood. The waiter had to bring someone else over who spoke some English. Was it the fact that they only carry pepsi light? My poor pronunciation? His disbelief that I was speaking Vietnamese?
On the other hand, almost all taxi drivers now seem to understand our reference to addresses, intersections, directions, etc. given in halting Vietnamese
If you follow this blog, you know that there are a few things we lack here, like a dishwasher and a clothes dryer. On the other hand we do enjoy the many pluses. For example, I have only once in Canada bought Jan an orchid. However today we stopped and Jan picked out three lovely orchid plants to decorate our home at a total cost of only $6 Canadian (estimated saving - $50). I don't mind washing the dishes every night if my wife can get flowers this lovely for that price.
I had lunch yesterday with an expat friend from New York. Today I lunched with an expat from Texas and then had coffee (actually a mango smoothie) with a new arrival from California. Jan in the past two weeks has met three women from Calgary. So we continue to broaden our contacts here.
As I stopped at the local outdoor market on my way home, I bought some bananas and oranges (stickers on the oranges say "from California".) I had to dodge a full size garbage truck (picture a similar truck that services your neighbourhood) that was backing up to collect the pile of garbage from this morning's hectic market activity. I think the pile would fill at least half of the truck. But it is cleaned up once or twice a day and I have never glimpsed a rat in the market. Impressive!
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