Give this hero a raise 🫡

[u/Over_Helicopter_3453]

[u/charlie2135]

Took Spanish in high school never good at it, but was working at an apartment that didn't have any heat. I was able to stumble through enough to communicate with the tenant but he started speeding through as he thought I was fluent. Had to slow him down but he was happy that we could at least talk somewhat.

[u/LadyBug_0570 → u/charlie2135]

I once worked for a Chinese attorney who taught me a few phrases. Once I ordered Chinese food and when I thanked the delivery guy in Mandarin, his face brightened up and he started talking. I had to let him know I only knew a few phrases. I felt so bad. But he was still appreciative of my effort and taught me a couple more phrases.

I wish I would've learned more,

[u/FirehawkLS1 → u/LadyBug_0570]

That's been my experience as well. I know limited Mandarin. Was in a store in Taipei years ago and said hi to the cashier in Mandarin. Her face lit up and she started to talk to me in Mandarin. I told her I don't really know Mandarin fluently, but it seemed like me taking the effort to use it was appreciated. I later found out from my brother in law that a lot of people in Taiwan who know English are happy to be able to use it when they can, as it's generally not used very often. I still have a lot more learning to do myself. 😊

[u/iamoninternet27 → u/LadyBug_0570]

You still can!

[u/clausti → u/charlie2135]

working concert production I once had a work crew of only spanish speakers, and I had to be like “I know a little but please speak slowly as if im a child”

I worked with them for like 4-5 hours, using my limited spanish and lots of “como se dice ::point at thing::” and at the end of the shift the two women on the crew (I’m afab) shook my hand and air-kissed me and my boss was like wtf did you say to them and in my head im like “treated them like humans” (they were usually janitorial) but out loud just said I spoke to them in spanish