Englese

When I left for Italy I did not imagine that language wud be such a problem, I was under the impression that my English wud be enuf. But hardly had I reached there… I was sitting in the immigration office at the Rome Airport, looking like a criminal, apparently there was a problem but wht ..i had no clue …finally after 30 mins they got some one who cud speak English. On my visa, date of entry was erroneously printed (in Italian), anyway they let me go, but I had already missed my connecting flight.

The guy who came to pick me at Venice Airport, was so kind, thankfully he decided to wait for the next flight too. Then he tells me tht u must recognize these currency notes, just remember the colors, he wud hand me over n then explain, this green color one is Lira 5000, the blue one 10000. By the time I had seen one I realized tht it was written on every note..Lira 5000, Lira 10000, I thanked him for his help and politely told him I can read all right and tht I can manage without remembering the colors . )

The first time I landed up at a grocery store, I cud hardly buy anything, since everything was marked in Italian, next time I had to take a frnd along who showed me that this packet with ‘Latte’ was milk, ‘Burro’ was butter.

I did manage to pick up few words but surely that was never enuf to have a conversation. Then there were those strange encounters on the streets, so many times ppl wud pull up their cars and ask for directions and I had no idea what they were talking abt…then I learnt to tell them ..’non capito Italiano’….(I don’t understand Italian). This only lead to more weird looks, most ppl thought I was Italian too frm South, dark hair …and not so brown skin…so when they heard frm me tht I don’t speak Italian they thought I was just trying to pull a first one……….The best was when this man of African origin pulled up next to me and began to say something in Italian. Some how I guessed he was American frm the near by base, I asked him if he spoke English, u had to see his face, he just cud not believe wht he had just heard…..like everyone else he too thought I was Italian……..

One day I was there with a few frnds when this Chinese gal (some one we knew) walked up to me with this big grin, u know ur first name in Chinese means ‘bandit’…..as she walked away I cud not stop myself laughing……..now I (think) am too much a gentleman to tell her that her first name in my language meant ‘shit’.

At the grocery store u had to put in a lira 500 coin to get the cart out, u got it back when u put it back. One day I had no coin so I asked a frnd for one, he did not have one either but instead he gave me Romanian coin which he said, he used sometimes. Any way I shopped at the store and as I was going to put the cart back there was this lady who wanted the cart, she gave me this 500 lira coin, god I wanted to tell her that I had this other coin which had hardly any value…..but surely cud not explain all this too her with my Italian…..so reluctantly I took the coin n walked away….i don’t know wht she thought off me when she put that cart back………

Its surprising how few ppl spoke or understood English, but some did……took one frnd along to act as interpreter when I had to buy an air ticket….when I got there I told my frnd to ask this guy for a ticket to Londra (London), that agent spoke in perfect English….we have couple of flights….but my frnd (don’t know where he was lost)…tells me he is saying there are number of flights…..next I asked agent for any early morning flight…..yes there is a BA flight….my frnd again….there is……finally I had to stop him…plzz I can understand wht he saying u don’t need to repeat tht : )

So embarrassing…..out on the beach …. freezing cold….with two frnds……and no other soul in sight….suddenly this gal passes us ..jogging....just wearing a shirt and short pant…….the idiot thinking she was Italian n wont understand English …says…how hot she is feeling….the gal stops and walks up to us…in perfect English...did u say some thing ….. : (

Come US and it hovered arnd pronunciations, esp the University I was at had this huge Indian population but I think almost all of them belonged to South India, so for most Americans, only those type were Indians. Where are u frm? Im frm India…….no way….wht makes u say tht..well u speak differently, u look different ..then u had to explain to them how big India was…how many different languages we spoke and how ppl look different ……..But those explanations were frequently required in the beginning…I was anything but Indian : ( …….

Even tht drunk gal…..some idiot dropped her on the middle of the road n drove off…she wud have hit the road had not I quickly caught her arm……which apartment I asked…..u aren’t American are u….no…….Espanola ..Deutsche …im Indian…..u not telling me..she went….i said right now u just tell me ur apt # and my nationality we will discuss another day.

At a South Indian restaurant in DC, with my frnds, I order the food…..when we finished I strolled out for a smoke…while the frnds paid the bill……the Indian guys frm the restaurant, wanted to know frm my frnds where did I come frm…..he knew so much abt Indian food ……..

I think I speak English like any other North Indian, may be a lil better, my accent may be comes frm all tht time spent listening to Cricket commentary frm Australia and England, since I was a kid. But still I think its very normal…never understood wht was so different abt it..ok I can understand its different frm the South Indians, whose English has such a heavy dose of there mother tongue too…….

Latest news..kicked out frm an auditon…..one of the judge the not so beautiful Pari Zorabian says….ur accent is too foreign…..my foot………