Universal Feelings
Across a language barrier: a prose poem
My husband and I were riding a train in Germany — car was us and a lone woman — two stops later the car filled with boys about 12: all in the same school uniform all talking at once moving between seats swinging on the posts — It was Loud.
After the car emptied the woman and I commented on the boys — she in German I in English — neither of us could understand the other — but we both knew what we were saying.
We have traveled quite a bit and only occasionally is language a true barrier. In Venice we encountered some young Germans who spoke no English. One of their group spoke Italian and German. Another spoke Italian and English. With some serial translation we were able to help the group get where they wanted to go.
On another trip I discovered my taxi driver spoke Spanish and French. I didn’t know what my fare was. Luckily, a friend of his, who spoke French and English, translated for us so my driver could get paid.
The world is so multicutural, there is almost always someone willing to help a poor tourist. Even if we only use hand gestures we have received and offered help in every country.
In response to Lucy Dan’s prompt:
