No Habla Español

I had a funny incident in Cholula when I went to order food from a cool looking artisan pizza place. I walked in and of course someone greeted me in Spanish. I said Hola! and then continued to say that I don’t speak Spanish, do you speak English, which caused the waiter to grab onto another one and ask her to speak to me. She didn’t want to/or know how to communicate in English either, and grabbed onto yet another waiter for help. With my limited Spanish, I understood they were trying to find someone else to speak English to me, and it was so hilarious because it was only the sixth person who was willing to speak to me. I was laughing and they were laughing and finally one of the bartenders served me. He was very nice and helpful and chatted me up while I waited for my pizza to take it home with me.

When I travel, I don’t assume that everyone speaks English fluently, but I do assume that most people understand at least the basics. Usually the younger people are quite good at it, because it is the language of internet and everyone is on there. I was asking @anomadsoul about the level of English education in Mexico, and he told me that it’s taught quite early on, so I then thought it’ll be easy to communicate with people in here using English. I only speak and understand a few words of Spanish myself, so I can’t really use it much. I understand some of what people say and figure out parts from the context, but I answer in English if it required more than hola, sí, no, gracias or counting to three.

I’ve been lucky to have my Mexican friends with me most of the time when there is a need for communicating and they handle it in Spanish and translate to me what I can’t understand. But when I have been touristing alone, I found out that rarely anyone speaks English, no matter young or old. I think it’s partly because they don’t want to speak English, and only a fraction can’t actually understand any of it. @anomadsoul was quite surprised by this when I told him. I also noted that not even tourist destinations have signs in English along with Spanish, which I found very strange.

I have been doing a lot of smiling and handing money to people in little shops so they can take the right amount, because we don’t share a common language. Sometimes it’s awkward, sometimes it’s funny, and most of the time what ever is going on, gets sorted out with a few words in English and Spanish and some hand gestures. Today I spend the day in a huge shopping mall, mostly window shopping. Nine times out of ten when a sales person approached me and I told them I don’t speak spanish, they just slip away and leave me to browse alone, fantastic!

Not understanding what people speak around me is both a blessing and a curse. It’s like white noise when you don’t even have to try and understand, but you might feel a little helpless if it is something important you have to figure out. A lot of the times I just smile and look at the person with wonder when they just keep talking extensively even after I tell them I don’t understand what they are saying.

My recommendation to anyone travelling to Mexico, is to learn at least a little bit of Spanish, or befriend a local who is fluent in both your language and Spanish so they can help you out when need be. I guess there is also google translate, but ain’t nobody gonna use it when just having quick interactions on a shop or restaurant.

_{Ps. English is not my mother tongue either, it's Finnish.}

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