Sometimes after you’ve been in a foreign country for a while, you forget that some things are not normal. In fact, you might even forget that some things are downright entertaining. This is often true with communication in non-English speaking countries.
Let’s do a little role play….
Say you go to a restaurant and ask for a coke….
“Hello! I would like a coke to drink, please.”
The server proceeds to laugh and shake their head, maybe including a “sorry”. Now, before you get all defensive and think that they’re laughing at you and telling you they don’t have coke, this is not the case. Two scenarios could happen from here. Scene 1: If you’re lucky, they want to understand and help you so they just stand there as to imply that their “sorry” meant “try again”. Scene 2: They quickly walk away with a huge smile and giggle to their server friends who are standing nearby watching like the circus just came into town. So, we’re going to go with the first scenario because otherwise my story would end here. (I guess if you like short stories, you can pretend I go with the second scenario and quit reading now.)
For the true fans, your server is still standing there with a big smile waiting for you to make your next attempt at explaining what you want. Broken English and charades naturally ensue.
“You have coke?” as you demonstrate in the air opening a can of coke, sound effects included.
Server laughs and shakes their head, but makes head motions that say, “again”
“You know coke?”
Server laughs and shakes their head.
“Coca Cola?”
They laugh and shake their head but again move their head as if they’re trying to hear you better (but it’s completely quiet because you’re in Southeast Asia and they’re quiet).
“I want Coca Cola?” and again you demonstrate opening a coke can with sound effects and this time add a drinking motion. Then you follow up with with a very slow “C-o-c-a- C-o-l-a?”
This might happen many more times til suddenly, their face lights up and they say “Oooooh Coca Cola?!” (exactly as you’ve been saying it)
You respond with an excited and resounding “Yes!”
Then they bring out a glass bottle of coke. Well no wonder they didn’t get your charades you silly farang (foreigner in some languages)!!!
So, you go to victoriously drink your anticipated ice cold Coca-Cola because it’s so hot outside and you’re parched (Ps cokes only quench your thirst in foreign countries). You grab the bottle…and it’s not cold. *sigh*
You get the server again; but immediately jump into broken English, “You have cup of ice?”
Here we go again….
One might say, “Silly farang! Is it worth all that effort?”
Simple things like ice cold cokes in a hot Asian country when you’ve been gone for a while suddenly become very appealing…..even though you don’t drink cokes back in the states. Don’t judge.
