After having successfully decoded the Spanish language (atleast 50% of the times), I thought I was accomplished enough to consider myself fit for providing training. Little did I know what was to come ahead.
As the training session commenced and went on, people uncomfortably shifted in their seats and soon one hand was raised. As the senior trainer went on to answer the query, more hands started rising in quick succession and then I decided I would chip in. I approached the first person and she started off in her coded language, ' a que #$%^ !@## @##! $%#$%!'. I replied back, 'Perdona senora, pero mi espanol is muy limitado, sin embargo let me try...'. I could immediately realate to that first batch of Call center employees in India answering American calls. They were all raised on hollywood movies and English songs, but the first words of an American speaking directly to them must have been as incomprehensible to them as was the query in Spanish to me even after reading the 'Bible'- Spanish for dummies. However, years of intensive Indian education topped with understanding of American psyche and my knowledge of Spanish I rolled out the mantra to her, 'Click aqui (click here)' and boom, the problem was solved!
The questions kept on coming and with equal fervor my answers, the Spanish inquest was not able to break my resolve of answering and answering back in Spanish. Each and every of my answers, actions and emotions were expressed with my repertoire of 50 Spanish words. Sometimes when I failed to do so (75% of the times), I created my own Spanish words, eg, for renaming a file or folder I used renombre which actually means renown in Spanish, or to remove a certain variable I used removar which actually means to stir in Spanish. These words were still close than others: Maso (Add), Drago (drag) or Press teclado (Type).
As the training went on, the questions became more and more complex and required multiple lines in any answer. It is one thing to be interacting with Windows and calling Bill Gates names when you recieve error messages, it is another when the error messages itself are in Spanish! I was at loss of words when I met my first Spanish error message, I didn't even know how to curse back using my 50 words.
The first day of training ended and in less than 8 hours I had spoken more Spanish than I had in my entire life! The synapses of my brain were all sore from the workout and I slept off the whole evening and night as soon as I went back to my room.
My misadventures kept on all during the week but the choicest ones were when I went out to see the city. I thought I was going to see the city, but it turned out that the city was seeing me. The eyes were glued on to me, although I still can't figure out what made me feel so out of place, I thought I looked one like them but just with a bandaged head. If my looks weren't strange enough, the refined spanish I spoke definitely turned a head or two. Some fellow participants were mighty impressed with my interactive skills and started looking towards me for translation which I did promptly and aptly. In a large group, when we were trying to decide who was going and where, someone said,'$%@@# @#@@# cambiar $%$%$'. I immediately turned and translated it for my friends from Suriname,'I think its a good idea, lets go with him.' We joined him but only to be surprised when he went to the hotel lobby, exchanged his money and headed up for his room. Later on I found out that a long walk (caminar) is different from exchaning money (caminar).
At another time I asked about a place and was informed that the place is 'muy lindo', I took a cab to the place from the hotel but the cab hardly drove 5 blocks. I learnt that day that lejos and not lindo means 'far'. But not all was lost, even with the limited vocabulary and near 0 understanding, I was able to haggle for prices in true Indian passion.
In the end, with all my misadventures and adventures, it was infact a pleasant stay and a learning experience for me. Looking forward to my next...
