Tapas for dinner last night! Yummy!
We are on a two hour train ride from Burgos to Leon. The trains are comfortable with big windows. I have time to write if you have time to read.
I've been thinking about our one hour spanish speaking tour of the monastery yesterday. We have surprised ourselves with how well we have coped with the language barrier here. I know very little Spanish, Sam even less. I took 2 years of high school Spanish forty years ago but those memories are covered in cobwebs in my brain. I bought 3 "teach yourself Spanish" books last year to prepare for this trip. My heart wasn't into it so the books were shuffled around and rarely opened. My answer was to have a Google Translator app. on my IPhone.
After three weeks here, I'm learning that I can understand a lot more Spanish than I can speak. The trick is to listen for key words. It also helps that I'm very good at charades. I've also learned that my big smile and cheerful "Buenos Dias, señora !" Will open up doors of communication. A smile is global. It starts you off on a good note.
Reflecting on that tour makes me think of communicating with my dog, Bailey. She understands about 100 human words and phrases (much like me with Spanish). The rest of the time she fakes it or watches for body language (much like me with Spanish). Other dogs may understand more words but since Bailey has ADDD ( attention deficit disorder for dogs), she had to ride the Little Bus to school. But she is the best dog ever!
So this is an example of a typical communication scenario for me & Bailey. It is quite similar to my comprehension level on that tour yesterday. Especially when I got yelled at in loud spanish in front of everyone by the tour guide and again by the police escort when I tried to take pictures. (Maybe I have ADD?).
"Bailey!" (She comes running, happy, tail wagging).
"Did you counter-surf and eat my muffin". (Her head tilts to the side because she know this is some kind of question).
"Bad dog!" ( tail stops wagging, head down, ears back.)
I point at the empty plate: "Did you eat my muffin?" ( she looks sad & pitiful. Starts to lick my hand to apologize.)
"How many times have I told you not to steal food!?" ( blank stare)
"Now go to your house and think about what you have done wrong!" ( she walks slowly to the steps to go to her house. She looks over her shoulders and makes one more apologetic look)
"Bad Dog!" ( she runs into her house).
I know how Bailey feels.
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