Lost In Translation.

I've been lucky enough to have travelled quite a bit. For me, travelling is sensory overload - seeing places I'd only ever dreamed of going to, hearing a language I want to understand, tasting fabulous food, feeling a summer breeze or an icy wind on my face (they feel different when you're abroad), and walking on streets that are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. But, what I really love about travelling are those chunky nuggets of pure gold that you never see coming....

Picture it, if you will. It's a warm August afternoon in Berlin. After a morning of getting to know the place, my boyfriend at the time and I are relaxing in our room. We're staying at a youth hostel which is more like a rat's maze for humans. Every hallway looks the same and none of them are straight. There are small sets of three or four steps going up, to small sets of three or four steps going down. I came across the Internet cafe the first day I was there, but couldn't find it after that. I should have guessed that the guy crying at one of the computers was actually emailing reception to come and get him and lead him to his room...

Our room has three sets of bunk beds. One of the other bunks is occupied by a lovely couple from England. The third bunk is empty and has been for a couple of nights. So, we're chatting away to the lovely couple, having a few laughs, we get along really well with them. All of a sudden, the door flies open and in strides a middle aged man. His "luggage" consists of a green plastic bag tied at the top with a bow. He throws it down onto the bottom of the empty bunk....

"Hello! My name is Igor. I am from Poland!"

...From what I remember, I think he may have done a little Tarzan punch to his chest when he said that...

"I have wife and daughter! Where are you from?"

It felt more like an interrogation than exchanging pleasantries. We explained we were from Australia, the other couple from England. Then my boyfriend says...

"Whereabouts in Poland?

"Ahhh...well, not so much in city..more the country...you don't really see in the city...."

(my internal monologue)....WHAT is he talking about? Shouldn't the answer to that question be quite simple...and short?

Have you ever stopped to consider what you do when you are trying to understand something? You move closer, you tilt your head and look confused. I could have won an Oscar for my version of "trying to understand" except I wasn't acting. Meanwhile...

"...yes, maybe Warsaw but I never see...yes, mostly country I think...." ...and he keeps going...

.....I still don't understand *doingthetryingtounderstandthing*....he might be from Warsaw? But mostly in the country?...What does that mean? See? See what? Whatever he's talking about, he knows an awful lot about it ............Oh no.......surely not....oh if that's what he's saying, that's a bit funny.......it IS what he's saying!.... that's a lot funny!.....I need to laugh....I need to laugh right now and I can't.....the other guys don't get it....they don't seem like they need to laugh...is it just me? Oh no, that's worse! At least they are oblivious.......what am I going to do?....I know, I'll cover my mouth with my pillow....but then I'll be looking at him all crazy-eyed from behind a pillow! Oh man......I can't hold it much longer!....

"...Yes, and I have never really seen myself but that is where I think you find them, yes......I go now"

Igor strides out just as forcefully as when he strode in.

Just think for a moment. How long has it been since you laughed so hard that no sound at all comes out of your body? The ability to stand or sit upright disappears. I don't know about you but I usually have to hang on to something. Tears spring from your eyes, breathing becomes something you'll do later when you get the chance. Lucky I was on a bed or I would have been on the floor.

By this time our English friends understood and were rolling around on their beds. My boyfriend had no idea what was going on...he starts doing the "trying to understand thing"...

"So, where is he from?? And what's so funny?"

When I could manage it, I said...

...You asked him "whereabouts in Poland?" and he thought you said "where are BATS in Poland?"...

How Igor knew quite so much about bat populations of Poland I will never know. I can only imagine what he told his wife and daughter....I come here to meet people of other country and they ask me about bats??.......

God bless you Igor :)