Today's thought

It was miserably hot outside today but for lunch a few of the girls wanted to eat Thai food outside. It was a delicious meal and one of my favorite places to eat here in Budapest called "Buda Noodle". At the end of our time, another American girl and I had 5000 forint bills- the equivalent of about $30 and we needed smaller bills so we could pay our part. I asked the waiter if he could "break" our big bills and bring us 5/ 1000 forint bills each so we could then figure out the bill. He sounded like he understood and said OK and would be right back. He came back with change from our entire bill -- like 3000 forints.

I looked at it and thought, huh? So I had to try and explain again what we were asking for and I just got tired. In the middle of trying to explain what we wanted, I got tired. If this were just one incident and rarely happened, it would be no problem. But almost every day there are language barrier issues and of course this is just over change in a restaurant -- not a big deal -- but all the little ones add up sometimes. So, I got tired of always trying to explain myself. And I realized I need a nap. :D

Even though I've been living here for two years, I forget that it's better when I don't ask for things that are overly complicated. (I didn't really think it would be that's why I asked) Because then I get frustrated and irritated for not being understand. And I thought later to myself, "How stupid Jen. Why did you get so frustrated?" I guess when you try to communicate all day long and things get lost in translation, it's a novelty at first. But after two years, and learning Hungarian and a different version of English as well (Hunglish)- all in an effort to be understood and you're still not understood -- it gets old. You can't even make your simple point or get the simple thing you asked for. OK, so it's not life or death and it's not the biggest deal.

I think it's the idea that I'm not being understood that bothers me the most. Especially when I think I am being understood. I can either laugh or cry....or take a nap, which is sorely needed after last night's museum tour.