Sunday, December 31, 2006

I miss them..:-(


 

Monday, December 04, 2006

Bla..bla..bla..err..pardon..bla..bla..@_@

I know, probably you wonder what those words above mean. As most of you have known, I'm in uncle Sam's territory now, not as a terrorists :-), but as an alien but not illegal alien although some of my alienity (I know it's not a word) is a little bit illegal..:-). It's been 28 days until now. I'm beginning to understand what they mean when they say the best way in learning a language is to live in the country where the people speaks the language. Although I think I speak more English when I was still in Indonesia than when I'm here now. Here, passively or in a more linguistic term, 'receptively' I get more chance to listen to people speaking in English, in a large variety of ways. This condition really trains my dull brain (do I own one?) to instantly relates words that I hear into a meaningful sentence and if I failed to do so, those words will turn into a meaningless gibberish words.
Really, just a week ago, I was on my way home from Fry's Electronic, I was sitting there in a bus, alone, somewhat losing direction and orientation but not totally lost (confusing?) when the bus driver suddenly started talking (to me?) of course, i didn't see anyone in the bus except the two of us. I knew and was very sure (100%) that he was speaking in English, and I know he was speaking fluently. I don't know whether I have hearing problem or brain problem (or both :p), but at that time, I just couldn't catch what he was saying, the information just lost between my two ears and my brain. And then, my all-time-handy-lost-in-conversation phrase came out, “yeah, you're right” (uttered with a very persuasive and convincing facial expression). He laughed, and then I laughed after him. My laughs was not really convincing, as I didn't know whether he was laughing about the topic of our conversation or he was laughing at me (or my spaced-out look:-)
The one-sided conversation ended awkwardly. I don't know which one is more relaxing, the sudden silence or the awkward conversation. The silence felt longer, not a total silence though, ambiance of traffic of people rushing home accompanied our silly situation. I begin to doubt my proficiency in listening comprehension just like I lost faith in my grammar accuracy years ago.
Anyway, all those may have been a normal cultural shock, language shock, shock therapy or whatever. Maybe it can happen to anyone (at least I kept convincing myself), anytime, anywhere...

Yeah right..:-)