Small Things II

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The host family we’re currently staying with consists of two sisters (ages 54 and 49). Both have never been married.

I just love the dynamics of them. I really get a kick out of them. They are very friendly and nice. But my favorite is when we’re sitting downstairs visiting with them and we get to a new vocabulary word that we don’t understand and then they both try and explain to us what it is.

Of course this is all in their language – and having two people talk at the same time (let alone two sisters) can get confusing, but at the same time is sort of this funny dynamic to watch. I mean – the older one will cut off the younger sister, and even just lightly hit her on the shoulder and sort of yell at her “Neak niyay yeut yeut” – (speak slower) because the foreigners cannot understand you… and then the younger sister sort of gets frustrated with the older sister because you can tell that she wants to help us learn just as much – but is getting angry with her sister for cutting her off and it’s like this little competition between the both of them… and so on and so forth.

It just kind of cracks me up. It’s the same sibling rivalry we’ve all gone through growing up. But then after they know that we understand the meaning they are both so very happy and smiling and laughing it’s just pretty darn cute. But you can kind of tell the older sister feels a little more superior because she was the one who was patient enough to speak a little more slowly and clearly and then we were able to understand.

Just another one of the things that makes me laugh inside.
Over and out.