Italians Practicing English

After struggling with French for a summer and semester, I really appreciate the effort people take to speak English. I’ve enjoyed breakfast with an Italian couple, Marguerite and Rikki, for the past few days. Both are very charismatic and have a good sense of humor. Sometimes we run in to language difficulties, but they are really eager to practice their English and enjoy learning new words and expressions, so the confusion is usually more fun than frustrating.

Marguerite and Rikki were cleaning up in the kitchen tonight, and walking in I was quite surprised to see Marguerite with a head full of teeny braids. From the smiles on their faces, I knew they had a story to tell about the hair-styling adventure and we talked in the kitchen for a good hour before I started cooking dinner. Though I’d mastered the burner lighting by now, Marguerite lit the stovetop for me before I had the chance too. I’m going to miss these guys.

As they were walking down Independence Avenue yesterday, Marguerite saw a sign for a beauty parlor that sparked her interest – I’ve walked by it myself on my way to work. African Queen, the name of the salon, has a large chalkboard sign with the slogan “Black is Beautiful.” Marguerite agreed, and walked inside and asked if they could braid her hair like one of the pictures in the window. They quoted her a price of N$220 (about $25) and about three hours to do her whole head. Turns out it took nearly six – they braided hair wasn’t as long as she hoped so she added extensions to her hair as well. Poor Rikki apparently sat inside the salon with her the entire time. It was funny for me to hear him describe the experience of sitting in a beauty salon for six hours, surrounded by Namibian women speaking in languages he didn’t understand while watching his girlfriend get braids and extensions for six hours. He joked they were going back to do his head tomorrow (he has a shave head). I love these two. Sometimes we have to go back and forth a bit to understand one another – but their happiness and humor is contagious.

As we were chatting, Guido, the Lufthansa flight attendant who is staying in the room next to me, came to chat for a bit. We talked for a good twenty minutes about scorpions, cockroaches, and contagious diseases (Marguerite kept pronouncing HIV as “H-I-vooo” – it sounds better in Italian). I am totally impressed at the effort the Italians put in to improving their English. Language doesn’t come easy to me – I know it doesn’t come easy to everyone and how hard they must have to work to speak at the level they do. I mentioned how happy I was they spoke English so we could chat, they actually thanked me for letting them practice their English. I feel fortunate that I speak English and thankful it gives me the opportunity to speak with so many interesting people.