Pustolovina: adventure in Serbian

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Romania Chronicles--Episode 1: in which our heroines learn that between the two of them they speak .33 Balkan languages

In Vrsac (nearly Romania, but in Serbia) a woman joins us in our train compartment. A is an ethnic Romanian Serbian citizen, fluent in both Serbian and Romanian, but not English. So the conversation becomes interesting. A is a masters student, studying psychology in Timisoara. F attempts to say that she studies public policy. It is a disaster. We both grasp for whatever words we can come up with in our respective Balkan languages – R, with her 2 months of Serbia & F, with her not-used-in-5-years Romanian. A small breakthrough occurs when R remembers the Serbian word for ‘parliament’ & she says “F will work in the parliament.” So, F will be a congresswoman when she grows up.

It is an epic 2 hour, 3 language conversation in which every statement needs to be translated to someone else. An example: A says to F, in Romanian (as best as F understands it) that she was not allowed to take some sort of exam at her Romanian university because she was improperly dressed. She wore a business suit, not the required mini skirt, bellybutton shirt and ugly shoes. F attempts to interpret this in English to R as A looks at R expectantly. F, making small talk, attempts to ask a question. It is not understood, so R must interpret it from English to Serbian. A then responds enthusiastically in Serbian & looks at F expectantly. Repeat ad nauseum.

Insights gain in this conversation include that the Banat is the only beautiful part of Romania; that Romanians are intelligent, gentle, and materialistic; and that there is no reason to go to Bucharest.

And, she gives us cookies.

4 Comments:

  • At 4:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I was going to tell one of the teachers I work with tht my daughter was visiting her home country for the week-end, but now after reading your comments, I don't know what I would say to her. "My daughter visited Romania and was grateful that there were ugly shoes to keep her smiling."
    Momdre

     
  • At 7:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Thr president of the Seattle City Council, Jim Compton, is resigning to take a fellowship in Bucharest. People are wonering what it says about the culture of the City Council that Romania looks Good??

     
  • At 3:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Transylvania is indeed a beautiful area, but don't forget about the eastern part. Tourists usually see only Bucharest (which is as described in other comments above) and Brasov with its "Dracula castle". I've been pushed by curiosity towards east and I must admit I don't regret it! Strangely enough, even Romanians seem to forget that there is Iasi, the second largest city of Romania, near the eastern border. It is even the former capital of Romania.

     
  • At 10:09 PM, Blogger Katja R. said…

    But if you speak Spanish, sometimes Romanian is close, not close enough I admit, but one of my Spanish teachers has picked up a little.

     

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