the silent stranger

I think they use the word 'foreigner' more often than 'stranger' but in italian the term is 'straniera' and it does make more sense because usually the foreigners are just a little strange - they don't know even the most elementary things. They don't understand the language, they order cappucino after eleven in the morning, they don't understand some of the jokes and they are completely ignorant about the unwritten social laws.

Well, I am a stranger and like all stranieri I am also quiet. Why? Well, it's because I don't know enough of the language to take part in the conversation. All, I can do is listen very carefully and try hard to catch the words (which of course are not pronounced the way they are pronounced in textbook dialogues). I can then take the words and I can try to understand the meaning of the sentence. When I am lucky, there are no puns involved and I understand. I try hard, I look at people carefully. They think I understand and they look me in the eyes. I nod and I smile because i want to be friendly. I want them to speak to see what I understand. But, the ugly truth is - most of the time the things they say has no meaning to me. Then again, sometimes there is just one word that does sound familiar and I am saved, I understand.

Oh, but speaking! Well, of course I have to do it. There is no other way to practice a language. Then again, to be completely honest, I seem more intelligent, when I am silent. Because when I open my mouth, terrible sentences come out. Today, for example, I went shopping for shoes. I tried a shoe on and i wanted the other one too. But alas, instead of asking do you have a shoe for the other foot too, i asked do you have it for the other hand too. Oh well... I realized it exactly 0.1 seconds after I had formed my sentence. Still, it was too late. The shop assistant, however, remained emotionless. Was he polite or wasn't he paying attention to my mumbling? I hope the latter. Let me have my false hopes!

And when I stop doing strange things accidentally, will I stop being a 'straniera'? The truth is that italians can do strange things because they speak the language perfectly but I can try to follow all the rules but because of my nose, my eyes and my broken Italian, I am the one who will remain a foreinger. No, I don't mind. Being somewhat exotic is quite nice actually.