LUNCH BREAK

New people have come to the institute. Naturally many of them are having trouble eating with chopsticks, participating in conversations, either Japanese or English, following the many rules of etiquette etc.

I just arrived from lunch where Beatrix (from Hungary) was trying to break the ice with a guy from Iraq sitting behind the same table with us.

"I am eating with chopsticks for the third time" said the guy, struggling with a bowl of salad.

"おなかがすいたら、早く習います (onakaga suitara, hayaku naraimasu),"
encouraged him Beatrix first in Japanese and then, just in case, repeated the sentence in English: "You will learn quickly if you are hungry!"

The confused look was replaced with a glowing smile:
"aah, Hungary!" said the guy happy to have understood the point.

"In my language Hungary is X'ngharia", he then added.

"In Hungarian Hungary is Magyarország",
answered Beatrix trying to keep up with the topic.

"Magyar..."

A pause for thought, followed by another guess:
"aah, major! What is your major?" asked the guy, probably being
just as confused as Beatrix of that strange conversation pattern
and of me incapable to stop laughing.

Witnessing this I wondered what amusement I have caused trying to communicate with the Japanese. Too bad that in life we can not push the "rewind" and "play" buttons from time to time, or that no-one is tracing our mistakes for us to be able to recognise them later for the sake of our own entertainment.