Friday, November 24, 2006

How I Almost Killed My Spanish Yoga Teacher

Hola chicos and chicas (that is probably wrong right off the bat). I am here in Sevilla, and like a grown-up girl, I have ventured all by myself into a combo bookstore-Internet access place, summoned up all my courage, and asked "Quanto es media hora?" (you can forget the other upside down question mark, i´m having enough problems finding the @ sign. momma mia!) Anyhoo, noche last, it was Thanksgiving! And our very kind hostess, MariCarmen, who is 82, and looks 55, made a lovely fish stew and vegetarian quiche for me and my friend and Number One Daughter´s bf. NOD had to attend a Thanksgiving dinner with her escuela (school), so I took Number One Daughter´s boyfriend in hand, and we went first to the gym.

Ay yi yi!

I successfully negoiated our passage to the bike-treadmill room, y got us some auga. I got the agua after we walked up 17 flights of stairs to the treadmill room.

Oh, and the treadills? You will never guess! Kilometers!! Not miles!! Yo soy stupido!

So I was not running 8 miles per hora. Sigh. I ran 5K on the treadmill. Then down to yoga class. Where the lovely teacher anna, who spoke a few words of english, helped NOD´s bf and me partipate in yoga.

En espana, yoga class begins with sitting cross legged and saying ¨"om" like California in 1970. NOD´s bf and I tried hard to follow along, but I don´t know right from left in english, so that was hard. We did sun salutation, and then the lovely anna had people try to stand on their heads. She was going from person to person to help them. Oly NOD´s bf didn´t understand that, so he tried a headstand on his own (NOD´s bf=6`10"(approx). Anna, yoga teacher came up behind him and he toppled arse over elbow and Anna, scared for her life leapt out of the way.

C´est tres amusant. Actually anna was very concerned for NOD´s bf, which was tres facile. (Here´s another problem I´m having: I took ocho (8) years of french, and can´t speak a word, but i find myself saying EVERYTHING en francais. Tant pis, non? This morning I said ¨"grazie" instead of gracias. ok that is not french, but you get the idea, i´m f´d up! (I also say the "f" word a lot because i can´t remember how to say anything from uno momento to another. Tant tres pis! Zut alors!

I have seen the cathedral, the plaza de espana, y lot of other things I can´t remember. Everyone is quite nice and helpful to the stupido americano. NOD, by the way, can speak to anyone and everyone. I´m muy impressed.

Signing off before I get kicked off or someone asks me something in which case I will faint and die,

Your gal en Sevilla.

16 comments:

Susan said...

Sounds like so much fun. And fish/quichke for Thanksgiving - that's an experience!

I hope you get to do some running there!

Black Knight said...

Now you are in Europe and I don't speak anymore english with you! Goditi la tua vacanza in Siviglia, trovati una 5 km e ricordati che ci sono i kg. e non le lbs, i km e non i miles e gli......euro!!!

Anita said...

Lovely Spanglish you have going there mi hermana. Sounds like you're having a muy grande time and love the report, with particular delight found in the prospect of you omming in Seville.

Be safe, have fun, and stick with English!

Mmem said...

LOLOLOLOL:-) You have a great attitude for going beyond your linguistic comfort zone! You are doing great la-bas en Espagne!

a.maria said...

*sigh*

jealousy is just seeping outta my pores. enjoy the rest of your trip and take lots of fotos!

Anonymous said...

Kevin? Yoga? Vegetarian Thanksgiving?

I DO hope you took pix!

Rich said...

Yo Jeanne! Sounds like you are having way too good a time over there!

"Momma Mia"? Does ABBA know about this?

Laurie said...

I heart your Spanglish! It makes me giggle.

You are so brave to attempt a yoga class taught in another language. You deserve a gold star just for that.

LBTEPA said...

I am going to have to reead this again b/c I am laughing so much my eyes are watering. Go you!!

L*I*S*A said...

Sounds like a great time. Four years of Spanish, and the only phrase I can clearly recall is

"Donde esta la casa de Pepe?"

Have fun! :)

Sarah said...

One rule about Spain and Sevilla, don't accept any flowers or herbs that gypsie women attempt to hand you. They just want to read your fortune in Spanish, so you won't understand it, and then get paid in Euros. I have family in Sevilla if you are there long term and need to meet some friends. Have fun.

Neese said...

LOL! well, i'm horrible with spanish if that's any consolation... hava fun-o time-o!

IronWaddler said...

What an experience!! Glad you had a great Thanksgiving.

jtsmooth said...

I'm impressed with NOD, too. Way to hablar espanol, chica!

21st Century Mom said...

You are so impressively multi-lingual! You are also too, too funny.

Sounds like your trip is working out great!

David said...

Can you keep the multi-lingual jibberish down to an American cheeseburger level for those of us who are barely able to understand English?
Toot sweet!