July 14,2010

Nelly’s first intercultural experience

My very first non-European intercultural experience has to do with Dona Maria, which I met while visiting my good friends from Mexico City. I got acquainted with Jesus and Alia during my brief summer association to La Sorbonne in Paris where I was trying to improve my French skills. Exited by the idea of encountering a completely distinct culture and experiences I managed to get permission from the governing communist bureaucrats and left my home nest for good. And so, Mamasita or Dona Maria was the Granma that was chaperoning and cooking for my friends. At the very beginning I did not speak a word of Spanish but she was practical enough to take my hand and point to all of the kitchens appliances and utensils. Then she was so kind to offer me all sorts eatable delights with a “slide” problem of non-verbal communication. It turned out that the nodding for “yes” and “no” was opposite to the Mexican way, therefore she kept offering me different foods and I kept nodding hers ” no”, still eating everything I got in my plate. Afterwards, when Jesus came back from work, he came to me apologizing for having to eat things that I did not want or perhaps disliked. Of course we were having our tea or coffee ritual at four o’clock each afternoon and Dona Maria used to get so animated and exited while telling me her stories which obviously I did not understand. Then slowly I begun to recognize repeated words and maybe by association or perhaps telepathy we were able to enjoy our company. One day after approximately six month I opened my month and begun to speak Spanish. Naturally, Mamasita was stunned by that fact and her reaction was the shouting of: “Jesus Maria, Nelly abla Espaniol”!