Communication

I was thinking about my trip to Poland last spring, and the various means I used to communicate with people. I tried, before the trip, to get some help from a friend who grew up in Poland, but we did not manage to connect. So, armed with a phrasebook/dictionary, I headed off to the airport!

In spite of the phrasebook spelling out the pronunciation for each word, I found that the language just did not fit my mouth. I tried to say the words, but every time ended up pointing to the book. Luckily I thought ahead to print out the name and address of every hotel where I was staying, so I could show the address to cab drivers!

Each time I found myself taking a moment to search the person's eyes, wondering how I would communicate. It's something I never have to do here in the US, so I wonder how much I miss if people's faces by presuming we can talk.

There was a triumph and joy each time I was able to understand someone or have them understand what I was saying. It was almost like a game, between the gestures, drawing pictures and looking up the words, and such smiles from everyone! Whether I was asking for sour cream for my potato pancakes or a cab driver making a "choo choo" sound to verify that I was going to the train station, people would slow down and make sure we knew what we were saying before rushing ahead.

I think about how much we take for granted at home, in the sense that we assume what the other person means before they say anything. How many times do we jump ahead to the next item rather than really savoring the ability to understand, and taking the time to make sure we really do.

Talking to the Lwa can be similar — we use symbols, we draw veves and pictures. Often our petitions are simple phrases that we repeat over and over again, loudly and enunciating.  :-)  And then we must stay quiet and listen intently to hear them, and see the signs to know they understand us.

Love, Khouzhan Lucy
www.spellmaker.com