So while I'm in Colombia I really want to master the Spanish language. I think a noble goal is to speak Spanish with a minimal accent and sound as non-gringa as possible. Most of the time when I'm speaking with natives, I am very conscious of my pronunciation and really focus on the sounds coming out correctly. I say most of the time, because there is a particular instance when letting my American accent dominate my Spanish is quite helpful: when people on the street try and sell me things.
Today, I realized how awesome it is to use my handicap with Spanish to my advantage. A man walked up to me trying to sell me a bracelet made of pink and purple yarn and knotted in the middle. I was not impressed. Neither was I in a hurry though so I made eye contact and he started talking. I stopped him within the first few seconds and explained to him that I don't speak Spanish. The problem is, that I have used this sentence so much that it's second nature and I can say it in nearly perfect Spanish. So the man pauses, gives me a confused look, and just keeps rattling on his speil. Obviously he wasn't buying my story of ignorance. Let me try again. I stop him and decide it's time to sound as non-spanish-speaking as possible. Very slowly and painstakingly I tell him, "No en-tee-en-doe.:" (I don't understand.) So really I did understand what he was saying. He was telling me something about he is raising money to support gay people or something like that, but I just wanted him to leave me alone. Mind you, as he is telling me all this, he is tying the "bracelet" (if you can call it that) on my wrist. "Solo mil pesos" (only 1,000 pesos). Okay, $.50 to get this guy to leave me alone. Deal. I start to get my wallet and I asked him (again, very slowly), "Mil pesos?, okay, como no." (1,000 pesos? okay, why not). The he looks at me, and changes his mind, "no no, dos mil, dos mil." (No, 2 thousand 2 thousand.) Alright buddy, I don't want the stupid bracelet but I'm giving you $1,000 pesos to leave me alone and now you're trying to scam me. Awesome. lol. I pretended not to understand, gave him the $1,000 pesos and walked away with a bracelet already tied on my wrist. 5 strides later I had it off and in my pocket.
From now on, when people approach me to sell me stuff my goal is to sound as non-latin as possible. Saying you don't speak Spanish in perfect Spanish just won't cut it anymore!
Today, I realized how awesome it is to use my handicap with Spanish to my advantage. A man walked up to me trying to sell me a bracelet made of pink and purple yarn and knotted in the middle. I was not impressed. Neither was I in a hurry though so I made eye contact and he started talking. I stopped him within the first few seconds and explained to him that I don't speak Spanish. The problem is, that I have used this sentence so much that it's second nature and I can say it in nearly perfect Spanish. So the man pauses, gives me a confused look, and just keeps rattling on his speil. Obviously he wasn't buying my story of ignorance. Let me try again. I stop him and decide it's time to sound as non-spanish-speaking as possible. Very slowly and painstakingly I tell him, "No en-tee-en-doe.:" (I don't understand.) So really I did understand what he was saying. He was telling me something about he is raising money to support gay people or something like that, but I just wanted him to leave me alone. Mind you, as he is telling me all this, he is tying the "bracelet" (if you can call it that) on my wrist. "Solo mil pesos" (only 1,000 pesos). Okay, $.50 to get this guy to leave me alone. Deal. I start to get my wallet and I asked him (again, very slowly), "Mil pesos?, okay, como no." (1,000 pesos? okay, why not). The he looks at me, and changes his mind, "no no, dos mil, dos mil." (No, 2 thousand 2 thousand.) Alright buddy, I don't want the stupid bracelet but I'm giving you $1,000 pesos to leave me alone and now you're trying to scam me. Awesome. lol. I pretended not to understand, gave him the $1,000 pesos and walked away with a bracelet already tied on my wrist. 5 strides later I had it off and in my pocket.
From now on, when people approach me to sell me stuff my goal is to sound as non-latin as possible. Saying you don't speak Spanish in perfect Spanish just won't cut it anymore!
No comments:
Post a Comment