The other day I went to the shopping mall and stopped in a
fast food chain for a bite to eat.
(okay, I know this is bad wherever I am, but…..) So, I had gotten my food and went to an empty
table. There was a lady at the next
table obviously waiting for someone else to join her. As I set my tray down, took off my coat, and
prepared to sit down, she said something to me, and of course I didn’t
understand her. I indicated I didn’t
speak Spanish, only English and proceeded to sit down. She started motioning me to a chair at her
table, just as a young man joined her with their food. She continued to motion for me to join them,
and he invited me as well. I thought
“how awkward”, but didn’t see a polite way out of the situation, so went ahead
and joined them.
As I sat down, I asked if she spoke English, and she didn’t,
but said her son did. So, I ended up
eating my lunch with this mother and her 18-year-old son and engaged in a fun
conversation of broken Spanish and English, as her son had studied English in
high school. I quite enjoyed this chance encounter and answering the young
man’s questions about how life is different here and in the US. We talked about everything from our children
to our work, Christmas shopping and what he wants to do when he finishes
school.
These types of encounters truly make traveling a joy. Thanks for sharing your travels, and meetings with us.
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