She Now Wants to Learn English

Ξ January 25th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Costa Rica |

Well it has been a pretty good marriage.  Not sure how much longer it will last.  Maria Luisa announced on New Years Eve that she now wants to learn English!  OMG!

I met my wife almost 5 years ago. My friends Ray and Patricia invited me over to meet this great woman who, I was told, speaks English fluently. Wonderful, sez I, and off I go!

Well… she was great, but the “speaks English fluently” thing was horsepucky.  However, chemistry being what it is… we started dating and the rest is history. Left out of this history is the fact that I spoke maybe 50 words of Spanish when I met her.  This was good and bad! As she had no desire to learn any English, it was incumbant on ME to learn Spanish, something I had promised myself and others that I woould do… but didn’t. I was immersed… and when she moved in six months later, I was really immersed! My housekeeper spoke only Spanish and my wife spoke only Spanish, and most of my customers speak/spoke only Spanish… so I learned…fast!

One of the cool things I discovered and have written about before, is that I have long felt that when a couple fights, it is very often because the guy says something stupid or thoughtless.   Not always, of course.  The other reason couples fight is when the woman is just being bitchy! Either way, if one person cannot understand the other, there is no fight!

So, for the first year, we never had an argument!

Now of course, I speak Spanish pretty well.  We also now fight on occasion! I am just thrilled to think that if ML is successful, we can then fight in two languages.

The big day was January 1, but we both forgot, so the learning began on the 2nd.  The new rule is, “No Spanish in the house!” and though it is hard to believe, she is keeping to it.  The only time we revert to Spanish is when she is either really emotional or really PO’d. When either of those events occur, she reverts to Spanish,  Ricky Ricardo style! Sadly, when she does the Ricky thing, she speaks so damned fast I don’t understand much anyway. Have I ever mentioned that Costa Rican women tend to the emotional?

I must say though, after almost four weeks, she is doing amazingly well. Of course like most people learning  new language, she speaks a lot in the present tense, and sorta sounds like a Pakistani 711 owner, “Yes, I am owning this store four years now!” but without the funny accent.

We speak English for maybe one or two hours daily and more on weekends.  So far, her patience has been quite unbelievable and as regular readers know… my wifey is not known for her patience.

We shall see!  If I suddenly stop blogging and do not answer emails, you will know she has killed me.

 

Leave a reply


Flickr

www.flickr.com
TicoGrande's photos More of TicoGrande's photos

Search Me