Monday, August 5, 2013

A Funny Conversation

I had a funny and interesting conversation the other day.

I went to the Land Department to pay for some mapping ordered and beg for a loan of a gps and maybe a measuring wheel. I arrived to discover the man I was having difficulty communicating with by email and phone only spoke Pidgin English and the French language. So I thought, nows the time to practise my school French. We had a 30 minute conversation in 3 different languages simultaneously; French, Bislama and English. Sometimes sentences had all 3 languages. It was forever teetering on the edge of complete misunderstanding and there were frequent puzzled stares, raised eyebrows and gesticulations from both sides. The result was he tried to sell me 3 more maps and aerials but I cried the poor mouth so he gave them to me for free.


That was an interesting mornings work. There was no need for coffee after that; the brain was fully awake.

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