Life with Jonas' Family
This is a typical evening with Jonas’ family from my perspective…
Jonas mom: blah blah blah blah blah blah … blah blah … hui sic… blah blah… blah blah…
Me thinking: (Ok, she is talking about going to eat somewhere)
Jonas: blah blah blah blah … blah blah … blah blah…
Me thinking: (No idea what he is talking about.)
Jonas mom: blah bah … blah blah… yum cha… blah blah
Me thinking: (Drink tea? What? Oh, wait, I think she is talking about dim sum. Double meaning. Cantonese is sooooooo confusing.)
Jonas: (Trying help translate) My mom is saying that she went with her friend to eat…
Me: Dim sum, right?
Jonas: How do you know!?
Me: You told me that yum cha also means dim sum … since your mom was talking about going somewhere to eat, I figured it was dim sum.
Jonas: Ohhhh… very good!
Jonas mom: blah blah … blah blah … blah blah blah
Jonas: blah blah blah … bean doh … blah blah… blah blah…
Me thinking: (I think that means where.)
Jonas dad: blah blah … blah blah … blah blah
(This is where I usually start to tune out. I start thinking about if I am ever going to be able to completely understand Cantonese. I wonder if I will be able to pick up the language more easily because I hear it every day. I feel somewhat thankful for the language barrier, because it kind of takes the pressure off of me to keep up with the conversation, so I can be introverted around his parents, without them thinking that I am not friendly… I think that I should try to listen, because it will help me to learn the language. Then I can spy on people… heeheehee… And I could probably get a job more easily if I knew Cantonese… Hmmmm, I wonder if there are any new job openings in Alameda county… Oh, Jonas mom is speaking English! That’s my cue.)
Jonas mom: Mey-la-nie …tomorrow… you want eat at Sweet… Um…
Me: Sweet Tomato?
Jonas mom: Yeah, Sweet Tomato.
Me: Yes. I like Sweet Tomato.
Jonas mom: You like it?
Jonas: blah blah blah …. Mel-la-nie … blah blah choi … blah blah
Me thinking: (I guess he is telling her that I like vegetables?)
Jonas dad: You should eat more meat. It is not healthy to just eat vegetables … not a balanced diet.
Me: Ok… (Thinking: My daily reminder from Jonas’ parents that I need to eat more meat… just smile and nod.)
Jonas dad: blah blah blah … blah blah … blah blah
Jonas mom: blah blah blah … blah blah … blah blah
Dammit, I need to learn more Cantonese...
posted by Melanie @ 6:38 PM
4 Comments:
this is so funny melanie! i was laughing out loud so hard!! ok, now jude's laughing too... i can just picture it in my mind... :)
i think it's great that you want to pick up cantonese though. hong kong serials are the way to go!!
Don't worry it happens to me too. This is what happens when I piss my mom off:
Mom: blah blah blah mo yong blah blah
Me: I know, I know, I am good for nothing ...
Mom: blah blah blah ...
I pick out the words I understand too.
yes I agree...very funny. At least you don't have to worry about speaking with your mouth full at the dinner table.
blah blah melanie blah blah blah blah blah blah fine blah blah blah blah in austin blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah jonas blah blah blah blah ok blah blah blah blah fine blah blah blah blah ~~~ blah blah blah blah ttyl!
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