SLC

I am SLC, Spanish Language Challenged. I used to wonder why immigrants to the U.S. didn’t learn English. After all, English is the official language and if those immigrants weren’t able to learn the language in a country they chose to live in, well what was wrong with them?

Now I live in Mexico, a country I love and chose to live in. I have been here almost five years and can’t figure out money.

I can speak some words, understand the gist of a conversation while reading the subtitles on the television, but can’t carry on a conversation with my neighbors.

I have taken the two week course and try to learn a new word every day.

I walk down the street repeating a new word out loud, hoping that the louder I say it means that it will find somewhere in my wrinkled brain to stick.

Why a new word would stick when I have trouble remembering where I left my glasses ten minutes ago, is a mystery I can’t solve. New words slip off my brain as fast as butter melts on hot noodles.

If, God forbid, my hands were to be paralyzed, I would be lost. Between pointing and mispronouncing words, I can find the bathroom, coffee at the Mega and other simple things. I think up questions to myself and they seem perfect.

However, something happens between my thoughts, my mouth and my neighbors’ ears. When I get blank looks I try again.

I think, if I just say it several times more, they will understand; it doesn’t work that way.

Sometimes they do get it and respond with laughter. Now did I ask for eggs or insult the man’s virility? I’ll never know.

Money is especially hard. Cinco and Cien aren’t the same word but cinquento and cientos sound pretty much the same to me.

Add what I take as ‘keen’ to the word and I’m lost. Did the seller ask for one hundred, fifty, five hundred or fifteen or maybe fifty” I solve the problem by putting out my hand and let them pick out the correct amount. So far, everyone seems extremely honest.

On the bright side, my neighbors now seem comfortable enough with me to use the few English words they know. The kids on the block will say ‘Thank you’ when I return their ball and the mothers will say ‘Good Morning.”

They will probably learn English sooner than I will Spanish. I will never again judge a person’s value on whether that person speaks English fluently or not.

Their contribution to the United States or Canada, is far greater than can be measured by their English skills.