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Published: October 2nd 2006
It was freezing last night, and I think I’m coming down with a cold although it has yet to show itself fully. I was also in a bit of a post drinking bad mood today. Anyway, it was very productive. I stayed after lessons for an extra lesson by ‘laughing Tatiana’ our speaking teacher about Russian geography. Afterwards we (Nathan, Leanne and I) were invited by the school to apply for TEFL (teaching English) at another of the Benedict Schools in Peter as we had TEFL qualifications. (As I write a very odd Russian lyric version of an old English dance song (by ‘Olive’, if my memory serves me well) has come on the radio… In English it goes: “It’s not over, not over, not over yet”, but the Russian is: “Darogoi, darogoi, darogoi - nyet” meaning “expensive, expensive, expensive - no”??!!). Anyway, completely unexpected was the (pretty difficult) English grammar test followed by lesson plan test. I think it all went quite well, and fingers crossed I’ll get a few teaching hours under my belt.
We went for coffee afterwards only for me to get cross with the waitress again for giving me an English menu without me having spoken a word of English to her or having asked for it. In fact, I had just asked for a table for four people in Russian, and when asked (in Russian) if I wanted smoking or non I replied in slangy Russian that I didn’t mind. And then she gave me an English menu!? I take took it as a bit of an insult - I have developed a (bit of a shitty) habit of talking loudly in German when they do this and complaining that I can’t understand the menu and that I thought they spoke Russian in Russia. They look at me like I’m stupid and respond to everything I say in English. I know they comprehend my Russian because they respond perfectly well. It is like a battle of wills - they insist upon English and I find that incredibly rude. I know my Russian isn’t great, but I can understand a menu and order a coffee in Russian which they seem to think I must be incapable of. For all they know I’m German and they still insist upon speaking English. I wish English would shrivel up and die as an international language because it makes me feel like I’m wasting my time and it only furthers the stereotype that English people are arrogant and can’t speak foreign languages (which I have found is often true). I work in a bar in Luxembourg where every customer speaks a different language. We are told to respond to the customers in whichever language they choose to address us in. They order in Dutch, I respond in Dutch. Even if I know it is a German who (assuming I’m Luxembourgish) is trying to talk French to me, I respond in French. That way no one is offended. The only time we use a different language is when the customer gets stuck speaking a non-native language - in this situation I ask if they would prefer to speak a different language. I certainly don’t just start talking at them in whatever language I assume they might speak and thus write off every effort they have made to speak ‘my’ language as some sort of piss-poor futile attempt. Infuriating. Here’s the golden rule: If you are abroad and can only speak English and wish to order in English, ask your barman/lady first if they speak English. The answer is generally yes, but the point is that you asked. I have heard what foreign bar workers say about Brits just going up to bars and ordering in English. And yet, here, that will make zero difference. Aggghhh! Like I said - post drinking low today. Please ignore my ranting.
Supper was salmon soup followed by meat with mushy veg - quite good, I must say. Now I've got that one off my chest it's down to homework...
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Maria
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English menu
You forgot to add the bit about terribly rude waitress who also spoke to you in English in the Kofe Haus on Sunday! LOL