Normal Conversations

A conversation between my 11 year-old host-sister and me yesterday afternoon:
Jesse: “Amanda!”
Me: “Jesse!”

-- Pause. –

I then walk slowly away in case Jesse actually had something to tell me, like a sentence.


Conversation on the combi this morning [in Quechua]:
…
Me: “Where are you from?”
Quechua woman: “Huarimayo.”
Quechua woman to the rest of the combi: “She just asked me where I was from! Haha!”
Rest of combi: “Hahahaha!”

What?

With water inspector [in Spanish]:

(Talking about the pH test that he runs on water supplies in the nearby communities…)
Inspector: “It’s rare that the pH’s of the water samples fall within ideal range.”
Me: “Really, are they usually too basic or acidic?”
Inspector: “It’s fresh water.”

Oh, and here I thought we were living on an island. Wait…


Conversation with small boy in Chiclayo [in Spanish]:

Boy: “What’s your name?”
Me: “Amanda, nice to meet you.”
Boy: “Do you speak Spanish?”
Me: “Nope, not a word. Weird, huh?”
Boy: “Oh. Where are you from?”

We continue this interaction for about five more minutes.

Conversation with co-worker [in Spanish]:

Me: “I don’t know why people here name their kids after such horrible men like Hitler or Stalin.”
Co-worker: “My dog’s name is Hitler.”
Me: “Oh.”

Conversation with Celia, girl that lives in my host-family’s house [in Spanish]:

Me: “Hi! How are you doing?”
Celia: “Good. You got fat.”


Conversation on the street [in Spanish]:
A guy: “Amanda!”
Me: “What?”
-- Pause. --
I turn around to a group of ten guys, I don’t recognize anyone and they are all looking at me with a very blank and strikingly similar look in their eyes.

I then walk slowly away in case one of them actually had something to tell me, like a sentence.