Random Funny:

Here my first few random language goofs.

First:
Don’t ever order a “ Hamburger Americana” anywhere in Europe. We’d heard this before, but we forgot. We went to a nearby sandwich café for a quick dinner last night, and Matt wanted a hamburger. He asked what comes on the American burger, but the counter person knew already it was not what He wanted. She says it’s a “very Dutch” entrée. It’s “raw beef with seasonings and herbs rubbed in. Not what you like.” Then we recalled what we had read and heard before regarding the common misnomer “American Hamburger.” It’s someone’s sick joke on everyone who grew up state side. Ask Matt sometime, if you want to hear a story involving a tapeworm…

Second:
After book study Saturday morning, we got some lunch en route to the territory (excellent spicy chicken sandwiches on brown bread rolls from some kind of non Dutch deli). A couple going that way gave the three of us, Makafui, Fiancé Fui (aka: Claudia), and myself, a ride closer to our end goal. Typically, so far at least, we walk throughout the territory, or grab a bus. Along the way Claudia, who is from the Ghana by way of the UK, was practicing her Dutch. They apologized for leaving me out of the conversation, and I said no worries, all I know is that you’re saying something about good versus bad chicken you’ve eaten, right??

They were all surprised and congratulated me for knowing that “kip” is “chicken” in Dutch, and being able to tell by their expressions that some they liked and some they really really didn’t like. Then they talked some more in Dutch. Claudia called me slim. At this point, I wasn’t sure if she was speaking Dutch or English, because while practicing, she falls in and out of the two. They saw the obvious confusion on my face, and Makafui (which I did spell correctly the first time, except for making it two words before) asked if I understood. I said, glancing at my slack form in the car, that no, I did not. They all laughed and said that in Dutch, “slim” means “intelligent.” That was a relief, and I said, “Well, in that case, thank you very much.”

In Ireland they offer “great crack” when they mean extend the invitation to a party, or a good time, and now I know that when the Dutch call you slim, it isn’t a statement mocking American fare.

Also, the photo in this post has nothing to do with anything, except that it's of a place pub called the "San Francisco".