So, the language differences did NOT become a barrier, huh??? Translated…
After I’d finished my speeches, I’d often heard members of the audience commented, “I want to travel, but I’m not fluent enough in English, what can I do?”, I’d replied, “if you’re fluent in English, but the other person can’t understand the language, it’s still, of NO use at all!”
Actually, a ton of deep-rooted, intimate interactions on your trips are built on the fact, that the two of you don’t share the same languages.
As I toured around the world, I’d flown to Peru on my own, and, followed the guides on the websites, arrived into a small town, to find a transfer, on my way up to Machu Picchu. In that simple small bus stop, there was a family, selling simple food items, perhaps, it’s the tourism in Peru, the locals interacted with us, foreign travelers generously, the first thing they’d asked was, “Japan? Korea?”, after they’d learned that I was from Taiwan, they’d called out to their son, who was working on his homework assignment, wanted him to flip to the page of the text that introduced Taiwan.
As I was ordering the meals I’d pointed to the guest over at the next table, asked if it was beef, pork, or chicken? I didn’t know the words for it, they couldn’t speak English, so, I’d made the animal sounds, then wore that question mark on my face. Now, I’d managed to, entertain all of them, and this cute family started, taking turns, making the sounds of the various animals, told me what meat that was, and, they’d gave me a quick vocabulary lessons, on sheep, beef, pork, chicken, and horse, and, in a very short time, the shop was, all of a sudden, filled up, with animal calls, either that the family of four used gestures, to make the horns of the bull, or they’d flapped their arms, imitating the roosters, calling in the early morning hours, like they were acting out a skit involving various animals, and all of the guests were laughing hard, because of our game of charades.
And, as I’d waited for the bus, in another town in South America, a Native middle aged woman left a deep impression on me. this time, it was also the same as before, she couldn’t speak English, and I, NO Spanish, but, we’d used our arms, hands, and guessed what one another was saying, and, we’d laughed, as we conversed with our gestures, it’d made me feel, so heartwarming. Our conversation was simple, she’d asked me where I was from, how many people are in my family? Then, she’d introduced herself to me, where she lived, with a son and a daughter, and, although we didn’t speak the same languages, we’d gotten lost in conversation for a long time, worked hard, to try to get at what one another was saying. And that, was when I’d discovered, how fun it was, to treat a conversation like a riddle, and, as we’d guessed right, we’d both gotten, so very excited. At the end, we’d taken a photo of us together, to commemorate this brief, but happy moment that we’d shared with one another.
Every time I remembered my trip to South America, these pleasant memories would always surface, but I don’t even know any of their names. I believe, that it was because of the barriers of language, that, was why I was able to feel how sincere those people actually are, in trying to convey their thoughts to me, and their warmth toward me. So long as you have the heart, body languages, gestures will be the BEST way to communicate.
So, you can’t speak their language, and they, yours, but, you had NO troubles, understanding each other, but, how’s that even possible? By facial expressions, as well as other forms of nonverbal communications we shared, and because you don’t speak the same language as one another, that makes your interaction rawer, and more untainted.
Life, the Obstacle Course 