It looks like I am going to have to communicate with an English teaching school right around the corner. I went to my little store that I like next to the school and for the second time I have had to say something to several of the teachers standing outside smoking and chit chatting in a vulgar and rude way. This is spoken in English and they really think that no one will understand them…
I am here to tell you that Russians know English and know much more English than you will ever know Russian. They have been taught from an early age different foreign languages and English ranks right there with learning French…
They may take a minute to finally understand what you said, but they will fully understand that you cussed and called them stupid!
This issue is why people from other countries will look at Americans and in this case British teachers and dislike us for our attitudes…
I once again today kindly expressed the fact that some people in this country dislike to hear young girls cussing and expressing that the natives are the dumbest thing on earth. I also told them that is a good way to get themselves in a lot of trouble, with the so called natives…
Today this is what happened: These two 25 plus year old teachers, stepped out of the school and each lit a cigarette. Then one turned to the other and in her perfect British accent said to the other, “How terribly ignorant those &^%$ Russians are! They are not able to learn English if you buggered them with it!” Then the other said, “&^%$#$@ A right…”
She never got to finish because I expressed my ability to speak English and they about had a heart attack on the spot…
The terms used really pissed me off…
I am standing there with Boza on a leash and a sack of food from the store. A Babushka was on the bottom of the stairs looking at us and I said (After I told the Babushka Dobroye utro – Good Morning! ) as I parted with the girls with foul mouths, “This nice Grandma here understands most of what you said and for someone like me, it makes life hard to make Russians understand that we are not all insensitive morons that walk around with our head up our ass all the time!” Then I said, “Good Day ladies!” Of course the emphasis on ladies…
So for the second time in as many weeks, I have caught kids (Under Thirty!) from English speaking countries, bad mouthing the locals. It looks like I am just about in the mood to have a talk with the management of the school and tell them that since I live in the building and I speak very fluent English at times. That they better rein the help in or issues will arise…
Russians speak much better English than you realize and besides, when in another country be polite to the natives! You have more to loose than they do…
Post by Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…