Bridging communication gaps
Trip is officially over (DAMN THAT WAS RUTHLESSLY QUICK) but won't be forgotten for a long time yet. Whenever I go anywhere, it's the little anecdotes that stand out because they're what makes up the sum of the whole. Like these two incidents when my friends and I found ourselves relying on what little Japanese we know to get the message across.
At Cheonjeyeon Falls, there were many tourists about. Suddenly this Japanese middle-aged lady approached us, holding a map. She can't speak English, and she was asking us if about certain routes on a map.
Japanese Lady: (in Japanese, obviously! pointing to a spot on her map) Is this the way to the falls?
Us: Yes, it is.
JL: If I go through here instead, will I be able to see the waterfall?
Us: (understand we aren't at all fluent in Japanese, but merely passable) It would be best if you go to the... errr.....
We looked at each other and spoke in English: "What's the Japanese for "bridge" again?"
JL: "BURIJJU".
....
Well, then. There you go.
Another one, while at the airport killing time, we checked out the Duty-Free goods and there were boxed kimchi all over the place. The thing is, the Korean lady in charge does not understand English. This American gentleman holding a box approached her while we were also standing close by.
American guy: "Excuse me, do I have to pay for this immediately, or can I go around first and shop, then pay afterwards?"
Korean Lady is stumped. AG turned to us, obviously asking for help. We started making signs about paying, the cashier, pointing to the box, gesticulating wildly.
Korean lady still can't get it. Then she spoke in Japanese.
KL: Can you speak and understand Japanese?
Us: (nodding and saying we do, but only a teen-tiny bit).
AG: Wait, wait. I'm an English speaker, talking to a Korean lady, asking for help in translating from Filipino ladies, and you're speaking in Japanese? THIS IS SO COOL!
LOL.
A~h. I wanna go back to Jeju. Like, maybe a week. So many things to see and do~!!!! Oh, why can't I take month-long holidays!?!?
The burijju in question.
At Cheonjeyeon Falls, there were many tourists about. Suddenly this Japanese middle-aged lady approached us, holding a map. She can't speak English, and she was asking us if about certain routes on a map.
Japanese Lady: (in Japanese, obviously! pointing to a spot on her map) Is this the way to the falls?
Us: Yes, it is.
JL: If I go through here instead, will I be able to see the waterfall?
Us: (understand we aren't at all fluent in Japanese, but merely passable) It would be best if you go to the... errr.....
We looked at each other and spoke in English: "What's the Japanese for "bridge" again?"
JL: "BURIJJU".
....
Well, then. There you go.
Another one, while at the airport killing time, we checked out the Duty-Free goods and there were boxed kimchi all over the place. The thing is, the Korean lady in charge does not understand English. This American gentleman holding a box approached her while we were also standing close by.
American guy: "Excuse me, do I have to pay for this immediately, or can I go around first and shop, then pay afterwards?"
Korean Lady is stumped. AG turned to us, obviously asking for help. We started making signs about paying, the cashier, pointing to the box, gesticulating wildly.
Korean lady still can't get it. Then she spoke in Japanese.
KL: Can you speak and understand Japanese?
Us: (nodding and saying we do, but only a teen-tiny bit).
AG: Wait, wait. I'm an English speaker, talking to a Korean lady, asking for help in translating from Filipino ladies, and you're speaking in Japanese? THIS IS SO COOL!
LOL.
A~h. I wanna go back to Jeju. Like, maybe a week. So many things to see and do~!!!! Oh, why can't I take month-long holidays!?!?
The burijju in question.