西班牙文與全球化

去了一個小吃站吃tacos, (Local staple food), 結帳的時候,用我那笨拙的西班牙文, 跟老闆說,

"la factura?"  (the bill)
為了表現自己的有禮貌, 加了一句, "por favor".

坐在我身邊的男人開口了,大概是, 外國學生來到這裡學會的只有三個西班牙文,
1. gracias,  (thank you)
2. por favor,  (please)
3.la cerveza (beer)


他說得很平淡,但卻帶點嘲諷的意味. 不過, 我可不懂"la cerveza", 但我知道什麼是"martini" 和"tequila". 哈哈. 


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然後是去學校電腦室找技術員,問了一句, "habla ingles?" (speak english?)


他帶點憤怒地說, "no ingles, aqui Mexico." (no english, here is mexico)


然後用我那爛透了的西班牙文去溝通. 


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去immigration office 辦學生簽證, 那裡的工作人員很少懂得英文, 甚至在monterrey air port 過海關, 那裡的工作人員也懂得不多的英文. 
於是, 在3小時課的break中, 和一個墨國同學談到我的沮喪, 說了一句,

'I don't know, the Customs and the  immigration office are supposed to represent Mexico, to host foreigners and shape their very first impression of Mexico. but such language barrier doesn't welcome us.  '


同學無言了, 只好說, "yep, we are working on it."


看著他的困窘,我頓覺自己的失言. 什麼時候開始,我們用英文作為是進步,達標,國際化的代表?
用那一種,"我來這,是對你國家的幫忙,是看得起你的表現." , 顧客心態去消費貧窮,消費該國的紙醉金迷, 真的shame on myself.


Spanish is widely spoken in Latin America, except Brazil speaks Portuguese and Haiti speaks French. 

why do they have to feel shame about their limited language? 


and why shouldn't visitors/tourists like me, reflect on our ignorance over such richness and the way  locals take pride on their heritage? 

那種的不忿不過是為自己的無能 找代罪羔羊罷了.

話雖這麼說,如果他們能說英文的話, life will be a lot easier and of course, allowing cultural exchange a lot richer and fruitful.