I just got an email from my Spanish teacher today. Her name is Mayra Sanchez and she lives in Quetzeltenango in Guatemala. I think she is in good health but I can’t be sure. Her email was in Spanish.
I did a one-week intensive Spanish course with her when I travelled through Central America on the trip that would become The Full Montezuma. It included 5 hours of one-on-one tuition with Mayra each morning, an excursion to a local beauty spot each afternoon and full board in the home of a local family every night for a week. Not bad for $US100, especially when you consider I got a certificate at the end of it all as well.
At the end of the week Mayra told me I was an excellent student and encouraged me to keep up my Spanish. I didn’t and the fact that I had to use Babel Fish to translate her email shows just how badly I have let my fleeting Spanish skills lapse.
Here’s the dilemma. Do I reply to her in English and encourage her to visit Babel Fish too? Or do I pretend I can still speak Spanish and Babel Fish myself to translate what I want to say into Spanish?
Trouble is, Babel Fish isn’t perfect. I could end up starting an international incident.
This is where you'll find everything you need to know about me and my books.
Is this a blantant call for help? :->)
Peter – if you would like to return your reply in Spanish then give me a yell.
Email me what you would like to say and I can translate it for you, and maybe you can send me a signed copy of Vroom with a View II when its published as a thank you!
Is that cheeky or what? Well, you can’t blame a girl for trying
Adios Amigo!
Ha! I was going to say the same thing, but you beat me to it..
I already have a signed copy of Vroom though
I wasn’t going to say it … two years in Turkey and it seems that might not have picked up the language. However, for a signed copy of the book, I could help create an international incidence … I’m better in that area.
dammit, i meant ‘incident’
I hope she is OK – the mud slides there are looking pretty bad – just read a report that says they recovered 40 bodies in Santiago Atitlan (home of the smoking and drinking Maximon)