Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Yo estoy muy bien

Say "Yo estoy muy bien" three times really fast. Very strange, it's like talking with an enlarged tongue that is trying to get peanut butter off the roof of its mouth. It means "I am very well," as in the response to "¿Como estás tu?" The abuela in Rosetta's most recent lesson said it without a hitch, as if she's been scraping peanut butter from the roof of her mouth her whole life.

I also completed another Milestone Lesson, finally, with Rosetta. This time we went on a bus ride. Again, it's like watching a slow motion filmstrip, starring a cute Brazilian hombre (man) and an attractive Chinese mujer y su hermano (woman and her brother). He opens a small duffel bag filled with pelotas (balls) and naranjas (oranges). Obviously, he's a juggler on the side. He says Hola, and her face brightens up. [A green light to continue!] ¿Cómo ésta? (How are you?) ¿Cómo se llamo usted? (What's your name?) ¿Ese es su hermano? (Is he your brother?) ¿Cuantos años tienes? (How old are you?) - asked of the little boy, of course. The girl would have slapped him. ¿De dónde son ustedes? (Where are you from?) Duh. China. ¿Tiene hambre? (Are you hungry?) The Brazilian shares una naranja with el niño.

The bus stops and everyone debarks. Oops! La mujer left a yellow book behind. He runs to catch up with her. Es esta su libro? (He knows it is.) The book falls, they laugh as they retrieve all of its loose papers and photos. (Who carries loose photos? My kids' photos are kept in their cell phones or facebook.) Anyway, they share some sodas after the incident, the boy trys his hand at juggling and the Brazilian plots his next move.

My phrasebook with all of the practical, modern phrases could be employed at this time. A perfect setting for international relations. Rosetta doesn't go there, and I'm not going to either!

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