Language Barrier? No Worries!

So lately people have been coming to me for advice, with sometimes , the weirdest questions. But some of them I actually think can help someone else, so I decided to write about it.

I will apologize now, if i may seem to drift off topic or can't explain myself well. I am having lunch and there is construction happening with reallly loud noises! Therefore my concentration can be interrupted and well with my A.D.D that can be a recipe for disaster. Bear with me!

Anyways, Language Barriers.

Someone came up to me and asked me once, how can they make a person (whether it be bf/gf or even a friend) feel comfortable in a surrounding where another language is spoken that they can't understand.

I've had a lot of experience in this since I grew up in a spanish speaking household, and being first generation, I always had to translate. Luckily I've always dated guys that spoke at least a little spanish that they understood what my family would say SOMETIMES.

It wasn't until recently that I took my friend Piage who speaks no spanish home to visit. My way of making her feel comfortable, was basically giving her a run down of what she was going to encounter before we went into my house.

How my family would try to feed her, how they like to be friendly and joke around, etc. She fit in pretty well, the few times where we spoke spanish for more than 5 minutes I'd translate as I went or spoke "Spanglish" which she could follow a bit.

The main thing to remember to is speak to both whoever you're bringing and to whom you are speaking another language with prior to being all together. Just so that there is a mutual understanding and respect that Hey! there may be a bit of misunderstanding for a bit.

You also want to give a quick general translation as the convo goes on or speak "spanglish" or a combination of english and w.e language you speak. 

I had a first hadn experience how lost one can feel being emmersed in a different language. I went to China and I am fluent in Spanish and French....yea didn't work out so well. 

But never the less they were patient with me over there and spoke Chinglish(?) Don't know if that's politically correct but you get might point. 

Above all, just be OPEN-MINDED! Smile, and be patient.

Hope this made sense, Ihad a bit of trouble finishing this in one sitting, been crazyland here :(

Much love & harmony,

B