Language - so much more than words

Speaking a language is not just knowing the words and what order to put them in to make other people understand what you want. Language is cultural and historical. A lot of expressions that makes sense to all the natives could be gibberish for a newcomer, even though the newcomer know the words.

I've come to accept that I won't get all the cultural or historical references in English. If someone tells a joke and everyone around me laughs, I'll smile politely and try to remember it so I can ask someone later. I won't ask in a group, that will give me too much of the spotlight and make me too self-conscious. But I'm not embarrassed to ask a friend what something means when we're alone. Friends help each other and I sometimes need help with this foreign language they speak in my new country.

Last Friday we went to see Spamalot. Even though I know the story and am fluent in English I knew that some jokes would be lost on me through language barriers, both cultural and in pronunciation. I was right, I got 95% of what was happening on stage, but every now and then a word or a reference would fly past me without me realising what it meant.

The show was still highly amusing and I don't feel like I missed out on the lost jokes. The same goes for the stand up comedy show we went to a couple of weeks ago, I had to ask A on a couple of cultural references, but I didn't feel like I missed much. The part I understood was hilarious!

A visit in the Blues Garden

This past weekend we went to Gothenburg, Sweden, to participate in The Blues Garden event. A whole weekend of blues dance and catching up with friends. It felt a little weird to be on a visit in Sweden, but good at the same time. So far I don't miss it that much, only the people.

The weather was cold compared to what we've had in London lately and we wrapped up warm in sweaters and coats. Gothenburg tried its best with sunshine and a warmish early spring day, A got to see a little bit of the city. We enjoyed two evenings of blues dance and lots of friends to catch up with. The venue was transformed into a garden with lots and lots och flowers and it felt like spring even though it was a bit chilly outside.

Today I experienced the weather difference again. I went out for a run, in shorts and t-shirt, the chestnut had started to get leaves. It's lovely with spring and the park is turning green. I saw tulips flowering and I feel happier for every sign of spring.