Sunday, May 02, 2010

Don't begin by assuming you don't understand.

When I'm speaking another language I usually assume that if it doesn't make sense I must not be understanding correctly. So, when a taxi driver turned back and asked me how long my husband had been dead I got a bit confused.

"No, no... I don't have a husband," I protested. Unfortunately that didn't really help explain things.

"Where did he die? Here? America?" the taxi driver persisted.

"No, nothing. No husband; dead or alive..." I struggled to try to say something like this but I made him only more confused. Then he pointed to a ring on the ring finger of my right hand.

Oh. I laughed. "No, this is just to be pretty." He then told me that that wasn't a pretty place for a ring. I guess here if you wear a gold colored ring on that finger then it means you were widowed. Oops.

Another cultural lesson.

5 comments:

Jeannette Lewis said...

I've been asked if I was married because of my purity ring. I feel for you. :)

Bobbinoggin said...

which finger?

thebeloved said...

Right hand ring finger.

Daniel Foucachon said...

Cultural collisions can be great...or awful.

And when they're awful, it's usually funny later. :)

Anonymous said...

Hahahahahahah ! My motto when stuff like that happens is: Shit happens !