On the challenges and benefits of going somewhere when you don’t speak the language. We also give you some protips that will make your endeavor easier. Thanks to our listener who submitted his hilarious story of trying to find a hat for his girlfriend in a souvenir store. To submit your own Lost in Translation segment, go to our contact section and shoot us a message! Or you can submit a voice memo to: languagenerdsdoearth@gmail.com.
To learn more about Tony Giles, the deaf and blind world explorer, check out his article in The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/tony-giles-the-deaf-and-blind-world-explorer/
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Love the story about the knife sharpener, in my neighborhood (in a suburb of Madrid) there is constantly a big truck going around with a speaker on top that not only emits a loud noise but also shouts out “CHATARRERO! CHATARRERO!” (scrap dealer) and goes on to describe what they collect. Sometimes it scares me because the recording randomly goes “SEÑORA!” and if it happens when it’s right near you it’s a bit startling.
I think in a lot of latin countries there is much more of an in-your-face selling culture. For example the food vendors who get on all the buses in South America while you’re traveling. Or in Spain when you are dining outside a restaurant (and sometimes even when you’re inside!) a person will come along and go to each table trying to sell you knick knacks.
Hahaha I know exactly what you’re talking about!!! That used to happen near my old house and it was always so confusing! But yes, as far as in-your-face selling culture, that’s so true. I think maybe it’s outside of like North America and Northern Europe that it’s like that. I remember being on the beach in Alicante and there were guys walking up and down the beach selling drinks to kind of a song tune, like “agua, cerveza, coca cola, todo frio!” but in song form.