Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Charades

Language classes are coming along. Twice a week we spend an hour with a Spanish teacher who's patiently trying to bring us, two retired Canadians, into his world. Unfortunately we spend alot of time trying to translate a sentence back into English, so we can understand it. The man is a saint...gently answering every stupid question calmly and repeatedly.
                                                                                             
   Now I tend to focus on the reading and writing as it seems to make more sense to me.




Hub is another story!

He's focusing more on his verbal and audio skills. It’s a whole body exercise.  He moves his body, hands, arms and at times even his feet while using his English and Mexican vocabulary. No longer can we converse with each other, unless he is standing directly in front of me, so that I will get the whole visual effect.

A simple sentence like...
Where is the book... becomes;
Donde (he looks around like an Indian scout)...




is the (in English)...




book (flapping his hands open and closed).”




    I call this Hubs Mexican charades!


 
It can be cute the first dozen times, but after months of this, the novelty wears off. If you don’t believe me sit in front of your significant other and try to pay attention (without wanting to kill them) as they use the first word in English...the second in Mexican...the third in sign language while throwing in a few other English words and then finish with a Mexican word. And that’s just for one sentence...one thought!

Let them try to carry on a conversation with you...I promise you, even the most devoted spouse will be searching for  something to throw (preferably with a line attached so you are ready when you have to throw it again!)

Hub casually asks me from another room...“What time is it?”

‘What?’

He walks into my line of vision, starts waving at me to pay attention and then starts ...


Que (hands up in the air)

...tiempo (knocks on his wrist)


...is it (English and points as in now)”






‘Hello. Let me introduce myself. I’m Canadian. I can understand and speak English! Knock off the sign language!’


Walking out of the room I mutter ‘Ok, now you’re just pissing me off.’ Raising my right hand, I lift one finger and give him my own form of sign language.  ‘Did you get that Pedro???!!’

No entiendo mi amor.” Now he’s just showing off!!!!

UPDATE

Today we had the hydro company in to correct a problem. When finished I saw our Mexican neighbour across the road and let her know that the hydro company fixed our problem.



Without thinking I shouted ‘fixed and fijo’ and lifted 2 thumbs up high and she understood me!
 



OMG Mexican charades are actually catching!’




Just a couple of thoughts from 2 Canadians living and loving it in Mazatlan!
Linda and Hub.