sunnuntai 23. huhtikuuta 2017

Lost in language

Today I was in a country whose language I do not know. And, when I try to speak English, people look at me and push themselves away. They do not like English. They have had enough people (tourists) asking 'Do you speak English'.
There were few young people though that knew English - one was a young lady who showed me how to use the metroticket machine, and after it did not work, she sold her metro ticket to me.

The other helpful person was in the post office. I could not figure out where to put my two post cards that I had written. Orange box is the post office box but I could not find a slot. Maybe the post office lady takes my cards. Wrong. She did not. But another customer, a young father offered to show me how to find the slot where to put the cards into the orange box.

The third helpful person was at the metrotrack. A middle aged lady. I showed her the metro map and asked if I go to Zelivskeho direction  if I jump this train. She told me to go to the opposite side, and she was right.

When I asked the taxi driver, what languages are spoken here, he said Czech, English and some Russian. I would put those language into different order...Czech, Russian, German and English. I am not in Asia, however, most obviously this audience research conference helps me in work in Asia.

There are some things that are unique to Ex-Soviet block countries - such as trams, cheap food and steep, long stairs to metro station.



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