Learning Spanish, Speaking Spanish Practicing Spanish, Spanish
It's almost like a game to see if their English is better than my Spanish or if my Spanish is better than their English
While in transit from Havana, Cuba back to Oakland, CA where I live, I had a short layover at the Benito Juarez Airport in Mexico City. Trying to get directions, I stopped an airport employee and started to ask my question in Spanish. Sensing that I'm not a native Spanish speaker, he snapped, SPEAK TO ME IN ENGLISH! That's when I realized his English is better than my Spanish.On my second trip to Perú, I met Patricia through her sister, a Facebook friend living in Toronto. She told me in English that her English is better than my Spanish. I accepted that and resigned myself to speak English. However, as we continued to talk, we both agreed (LOL) that we should speak Spanish. As it turned out, my Spanish is better than her English.
I felt that he was assuming that I'm just another gringo who can't speak Spanish and I decided to teach his ass a lesson
Now, back in Cuba; I was riding my bicycle along the Malecón (waterfront) with a group of American visitors. A Cuban bicyclist came up beside me and started a conversation in English. I started getting an attitude. I felt that he was assuming that I'm just another gringo who can't speak Spanish and I decided to teach his ass a lesson. For everything he said to me in English, I responded in Spanish hoping he would get the message. Instead, he himself copped an attitude and demanded that I stopped answering him in Spanish because he was trying to practice his English. That's when I began to sympathize with him and comply with his wishes because I was treated the same way when I approached bilingual Latin Americans in the United States when I would speak Spanish to them. Just as many Spanish speakers who speak English feel insulted when people assume they are Spanish only; I too feel insulted when people look at me and assume that I'm English only.
In many cases, however, here and abroad, I get in Spanish/English conversations with native Spanish-speakers, and it's almost like a game to see if their English is better than my Spanish or if my Spanish is better than their English, and which ever one dominates, that is the language we speak. Just as many Spanish speakers who speak English feel insulted when people assume they are Spanish only; I too feel insulted when people look at me and ASSume that I'm English only, and that is here and abroad.
I read this post a while back and wanted to comment, but I'm just now getting around to it. During my time in Peru (at least in Arequipa), it struck me as strange how many people, especially in positions dealing with the public, do not speak English. It seems that most educated people have studied English and know the rough basics, but are very weak at speaking it. The exception was in touristy places, such as airports. Travel agencies as well. Most of them in AQP speak enough English to be able to make a transaction; some of them speak very good English. I'd chat with watchmen and taxi drivers and they'd tell me they'd studied English many years ago, and could remember a few phrases. Whenever I would go into a place, even if I figured they spoke English, I'd use Spanish with them from the beginning. It seems that as long as you speak confidently and casually with them, it sets the tone that we will be speaking in Spanish. I had a roomie in Peru for a while who was American. She could understand Spanish okay, but was very awkward when it came to speaking. When she'd try to communicate, Peruvians would resort to trying to speak English with her, which was often just as bad as her butchered Spanish! By far, airport employees seemed to have the best English. I think your English has to be pretty good to work there.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Arequipa, but in Lima, I got to speak English only once with a woman who was checking me started speaking good English as soon as she saw my passport.
ReplyDeleteAre you still in Perú? If you there in February, you might want to consider going to El Carmen de Chincha. That's when they celebrate black heritage with music and dance. Personally, I don't like crowds, so I make it a point not to go during that time. LOL. The the hotels are packed and the rates go sky high. Nah, not for me.
However, if you ever decided to go to Chincha, I can hook you up with some people.
P.S. Do you have a couchsurfing account?