Ahem… No Entiendo… Y Lo Siento! Really…
Husband is treated differently here speaking Spanish. No matter where he travels, or has traveled, throughout Latin America, his being a Gringo that speaks Spanish like a local opens a lot of doors.
I speak little… OK. Almost NO Spanish. It is a fact upon which I can beat myself up for days. And I do, when I’m down here. Yes, I know… how ‘bout rather than beat yourself up for days, you put that energy to better use and say… like… learn some bloody Spanish.
Right. And you know what? After all these years with Husband and traveling throughout Central America and now owning a little piece of Mexico, where few of our local neighbours speak English, I may probably know more than I give myself credit for. And thankfully, I have learned better than just to keep speaking English… only louder.
As with many Gringos with limited Spanish, the biggest hindrance is that I have zip for confidence in using it. And using it is the key… regardless the quality. That is what we both try to impart to the miscreants- and believe me, they get it better than yours truly. Practice. Practice. Practice. Most people will appreciate your effort and do their best to help you out.
The kids, thankfully, regardless how little they know, are pretty eager to put what they do have to use. I am too, certainly. Eager. Yes. So very eager. But so very chicken-shit! Lack of confidence, inhibitions and being afraid to look dopey always take precedence. Therefore, I say nothing… looking helplessly to my husband like some mindless, voiceless, appendage.
And believe me, I HATE feeling like a mindless, voiceless, appendage!! Aaaaaaaaarggghhhhhhhhhhh!
Will speak Spanish. Will speak Spanish. Will speak Spanish.
Tienelo?!! Gracias, Amigos!
