Sounds like the beginning of a joke, but here at St. Swithuns it is my reality. Here they have 4 GAPs on staff every year. *A GAP is a young person usually taking a year off before heading to university. *
The American gap (me) helps in a boarding house and is the Chaplain's assistant.
The German, and Ecuadorian gaps help in boarding houses and the language department.
There is also an Australian gap that helps in a boarding house and the PE department.
Laura, Juliana, and I have had one day together (Alex, the Aussie, returns Tuesday). Our conversations are slow and hard to follow as we try to explain words, find similarities and repeat ourselves, a lot.
L: What is the opposite of Luck?A: Bad Luck. Or Unlucky.L: Really?
Or this conversation that happened at dinner.
L:What does this fruit chew look like?A: I don't know.J: An old man.L: The bird. You know the one that goes "Hoo, hoo."A: You mean an owl?
If you had told me communication would be difficult before I came, I probably would have laughed at you. Proper English is easy enough to understand, even the Kiwi on staff is understandable if I pay attention. I never would have guessed that 3 girls would struggle to understand each other using the same language.
Even though we struggle, we have made a promise that I will help correct their English, and I hope they will teach me some words or phrases in their first language. Today I learned the German word for Butterfly.
Schmetterling
But for more than one butterfly it is NOT schmetterlings. It is schmetterlinge. We are able to laugh at our mistakes, and learn freely without feeling like a failure. We have an understanding that we will help each other throughout the year. Today it is language, by the end it might be helping each other say goodbye.
We joked tonight at dinner that by June I will be able to finish their English sentences for them, without prompting. I can't wait for the adventures I will have with these girls and the memories we will make.
Adios! Auf Wiedersehen!
~~Lina
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