Just a quick one tonight 'cos I'm buggered!
 |
| Gratuitous shot of flower market... |
(Thanks ladies - dim sum, Fa Yuen street market then afternoon tea - hmmmm - 'French toast' which in HK is 'stuffed' with peanut butter and condensed milk!)
PLEASE take the opportunity to learn another language - even a few words.
I have had the privilege of learning French, Mandarin and now Cantonese along with my native English. I am ashamed to say that my Maori only extends to greetings and ceremonies. Speaking a few words has improved my experience in Tahiti, France, China, Hong Kong and Singapore; better service, easier travel and a more authentic 'experience' of the culture.
Case in point:-
Today at afternoon tea in Mong Kok (very busy part of Hong Kong with markets, a whole street of goldfish shops (amazing!!!) and a flower market) we struck a lovely waitress with minimal English. The menu was bilingual and we were all getting on famously with pointing and smiling.
 |
| ....and fish on Tung Choi Street |
Hong Kong restaurants love 'sets' - combo deals. At this particular place, a coffee/tea cost HK$19 (US$2.50) and a 'set' HK$21. The waitress was shocked that two of our party would not want food for just HK$2 - surely you can always eat - and expressed as much in Cantonese. I laughed, translated and then explained in Cantonese that they weren't real Hong Kongers but I would have the 'French Toast' - 西多士(literally Western many soldiers/knights - sai do si - often Cantonese words for European concepts are transliterations rather than translations). The poor lady almost fell over when she heard me speak Cantonese - a pleasant surprise I hope!
The farce regarding hot water to heat a baby's bottle was more French than the toast! Three attempts were needed before a vessel large enough for the bottle materialised!
I studied, at various points, Spanish, French and German, and a smattering of Russian. Having studied voice in college, I regularly sang in a variety of languages. I can get the basics across in each of these, even joke with locals (well, last time I was abroad, which was 16 years ago O_o). It makes me feel proud to be able to do this!
ReplyDelete