Comments on: Morning Walks With Juan http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/ Thoughts and photos from an American living in Spain. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:03:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Raytibbitts http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2901 Raytibbitts Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:21:36 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2901 My parents and my in-laws have not met in person. My wife's parents lived in the U.S. for several years before she was born. Then, my mother-in-law decided it would be nice to come back to the U.S., not when we got married, (she was against the whole idea) but after I had worked for 3 years with the same company, and finally got a real vacation, and was headed to Miami Beach during springtime, to spend some quality time with my wife: Her mother decided it was the absolute best, and only time, that she should come and visit us. Of course she couldn't come when we visited MY parents, but when we were actually going to have a chance to enjoy ourselves, by ourselves. Language: My father speaks 'border Spanish' and Brazilian Portuguese. My mom speaks high-school French. My Mother Inlaw understands enough English to know what they are saying, without really being able to have a conversation with them, and definitely without picking up on when they are being too nice to just simply say, "No," but instead speak all the nice things that they assume she expects to hear, which most people in Cali, and a lot of Brits, know really means, "No." So, I guess I'm saying that my inlaws, and most of the time my wife, don't pick up on the 'tone' so much. I wish I could say that I don't intentionally mis-translate anything, but I'm not about to tell my mother-in-law that my parents don't take her invitation to stay at her place in Madrid seriously, nor are they actually making any plans to come to Spain, ...nor did they actually find anything appetizing about her description of cured ham, (even if they are the type of people (gross) who would love eating too much of it, if they ever did come here.) My parents and my in-laws have not met in person. My wife’s parents lived in the U.S. for several years before she was born.
Then, my mother-in-law decided it would be nice to come back to the U.S., not when we got married, (she was against the whole idea) but after I had worked for 3 years with the same company, and finally got a real vacation, and was headed to Miami Beach during springtime, to spend some quality time with my wife: Her mother decided it was the absolute best, and only time, that she should come and visit us.
Of course she couldn’t come when we visited MY parents, but when we were actually going to have a chance to enjoy ourselves, by ourselves.

Language:
My father speaks ‘border Spanish’ and Brazilian Portuguese. My mom speaks high-school French. My Mother Inlaw understands enough English to know what they are saying, without really being able to have a conversation with them, and definitely without picking up on when they are being too nice to just simply say, “No,” but instead speak all the nice things that they assume she expects to hear, which most people in Cali, and a lot of Brits, know really means, “No.”

So, I guess I’m saying that my inlaws, and most of the time my wife, don’t pick up on the ‘tone’ so much. I wish I could say that I don’t intentionally mis-translate anything, but I’m not about to tell my mother-in-law that my parents don’t take her invitation to stay at her place in Madrid seriously, nor are they actually making any plans to come to Spain,

…nor did they actually find anything appetizing about her description of cured ham, (even if they are the type of people (gross) who would love eating too much of it, if they ever did come here.)

]]> By: Erik R. http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2900 Erik R. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:32:11 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2900 I'll have to ask him about his success rate and hunting experiences. I've never heard him talk about it and I haven't asked. I'll let you know. I’ll have to ask him about his success rate and hunting experiences. I’ve never heard him talk about it and I haven’t asked. I’ll let you know.

]]> By: Uncle Neil http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2899 Uncle Neil Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:28:40 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2899 Erik you misunderstand. I am talking about gathering food, rabbits and quail, and wondering what is done there. Here when I was a teenager the tool I used the most was slingshots I made from flat tire innertubes, parts of an old shoe, and a tree branch. My buddy and I also set snares, traps {deadfalls made from sticks and rocks}, and created and fired black powder in a waterpipe. It is hard to gather or harvest meat without a small caliber .22 rifle or revolver. It is easy to get hurt bad by a hog or a goat or worse do a messy job dispatching them without. Juan never obtained hare, quail, or rabbit? Erik you misunderstand. I am talking about gathering food, rabbits and quail, and wondering what is done there. Here when I was a teenager the tool I used the most was slingshots I made from flat tire innertubes, parts of an old shoe, and a tree branch. My buddy and I also set snares, traps {deadfalls made from sticks and rocks}, and created and fired black powder in a waterpipe. It is hard to gather or harvest meat without a small caliber .22 rifle or revolver. It is easy to get hurt bad by a hog or a goat or worse do a messy job dispatching them without. Juan never obtained hare, quail, or rabbit?

]]> By: Erik R. http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2891 Erik R. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:33:11 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2891 A little inquisitive, aren't we, Uncle Neil? I don't think Juan is much of a hunter or a firearm user outside his several years of battle-less mandatory military service. At 10 years old, Juan quit school and was picking cotton full time. His "toys" as a kid consisted of whatever was free, i.e. rocks and twigs. Not even a rubber ball. I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure he's never owned a weapon. First of all, I don't think there was enough money, and second of all, the US second amendment is exactly what you <i>don't</i> want when trying to run a dictatorship. Seeing any cultural differences yet? A lot of the area we walk through are hunting reserves. Hunting wild boar with packs of dogs is very popular down there. But I've never seen Juan take any interest in that. The brother of one of Marga's aunts (by marriage) is big into hunting and has boar heads hanging in his house and a big kennel full of hunting dogs. Juan neither condemns nor condones such hobbies (because that's what hunting is for these people); he's just uninterested. I suspect he's never eaten bear, but they eat some crazy stuff in Spain, so I could be wrong. I wouldn't mind trying some bear meat myself. And I don't know the fate of horses. Perhaps my veterinarian wife knows. A little inquisitive, aren’t we, Uncle Neil?

I don’t think Juan is much of a hunter or a firearm user outside his several years of battle-less mandatory military service. At 10 years old, Juan quit school and was picking cotton full time. His “toys” as a kid consisted of whatever was free, i.e. rocks and twigs. Not even a rubber ball. I don’t know for sure, but I’m pretty sure he’s never owned a weapon. First of all, I don’t think there was enough money, and second of all, the US second amendment is exactly what you don’t want when trying to run a dictatorship. Seeing any cultural differences yet?

A lot of the area we walk through are hunting reserves. Hunting wild boar with packs of dogs is very popular down there. But I’ve never seen Juan take any interest in that. The brother of one of Marga’s aunts (by marriage) is big into hunting and has boar heads hanging in his house and a big kennel full of hunting dogs. Juan neither condemns nor condones such hobbies (because that’s what hunting is for these people); he’s just uninterested.

I suspect he’s never eaten bear, but they eat some crazy stuff in Spain, so I could be wrong. I wouldn’t mind trying some bear meat myself.

And I don’t know the fate of horses. Perhaps my veterinarian wife knows.

]]> By: Uncle Neil http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2890 Uncle Neil Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:21:12 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2890 I suspect Juan was hunting hare, rabbit, and quail when he was ten years old. Was he? Did he use a tool to kill animals when hunting? At what age was he first using a gun? What was the first weapon he ever owned? A .22 or 20 gauge or what? I bet he will enjoy talking with you about it. I don't see any cultural differences. Despite my parents I was hunting small game as a teenager. Everyone I know was hunting small game as a teenager. Minnesota has a system for road kill for your home use. If you hit it yourself you call in to let the Department of Natural Resources know that it is not poached. Everybody signed up is called on the phone the moment someone else hits a moose, deer, or bear. Yum. It is a huge amount of work to do a good job quickly on call like that especially in the summer. Has Juan ever had bear? What do they do with old horses there? I suspect Juan was hunting hare, rabbit, and quail when he was ten years old. Was he? Did he use a tool to kill animals when hunting? At what age was he first using a gun? What was the first weapon he ever owned? A .22 or 20 gauge or what? I bet he will enjoy talking with you about it. I don’t see any cultural differences. Despite my parents I was hunting small game as a teenager. Everyone I know was hunting small game as a teenager. Minnesota has a system for road kill for your home use. If you hit it yourself you call in to let the Department of Natural Resources know that it is not poached. Everybody signed up is called on the phone the moment someone else hits a moose, deer, or bear. Yum. It is a huge amount of work to do a good job quickly on call like that especially in the summer. Has Juan ever had bear? What do they do with old horses there?

]]> By: Erik R. http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2888 Erik R. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:39:35 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2888 I'm curious as to the language with which your parents and in-laws communicate so well that they can imply things with tone. I have the double-edged curse/blessing of monolingual parents and in-laws that will never communicate anything very serious without going through me or my wife. It's not that we mistranslate anything, but that the difficulty of the language barrier helps muffle the extreme differences between them were they to actually speak to each other fluently. Do your in-laws have any interest in visiting California? That could be just as wild/stressful as your folks visiting you in Spain. It's still weird to see <a href="http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/08/28/the-in-laws-go-to-bilbao/" rel="nofollow">both sets of parents together</a>. Presumably yours at least met at your wedding? Or not? I’m curious as to the language with which your parents and in-laws communicate so well that they can imply things with tone. I have the double-edged curse/blessing of monolingual parents and in-laws that will never communicate anything very serious without going through me or my wife. It’s not that we mistranslate anything, but that the difficulty of the language barrier helps muffle the extreme differences between them were they to actually speak to each other fluently.

Do your in-laws have any interest in visiting California? That could be just as wild/stressful as your folks visiting you in Spain. It’s still weird to see both sets of parents together. Presumably yours at least met at your wedding? Or not?

]]> By: Raytibbitts http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2887 Raytibbitts Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:51:31 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2887 The sad part is that they aren't they type who have ever said "Why travel?" Even with five kids, we always took long trips, even outside the U.S. The fact that they won't be coming to Spain for awhile isn't sad to me, it's actually kind of a relief. But not what you think. It's complicated to explain why hardly a day goes by that I don't imagine going to visit them where they live in California, but I shudder at the thought of them actually coming here. I don't know why. I can hardly explain it to myself. But, I know very well the tone of voice that they use when speaking to my in-laws, and it's just not going to happen anytime soon. But, who knows, maybe I'm hearing what I want to hear, and they'll show up and surprise me. The sad part is that they aren’t they type who have ever said “Why travel?”
Even with five kids, we always took long trips, even outside the U.S.

The fact that they won’t be coming to Spain for awhile isn’t sad to me, it’s actually kind of a relief. But not what you think. It’s complicated to explain why hardly a day goes by that I don’t imagine going to visit them where they live in California, but I shudder at the thought of them actually coming here.

I don’t know why. I can hardly explain it to myself. But, I know very well the tone of voice that they use when speaking to my in-laws, and it’s just not going to happen anytime soon. But, who knows, maybe I’m hearing what I want to hear, and they’ll show up and surprise me.

]]> By: Erik R. http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2883 Erik R. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:58:50 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2883 Your folks aren't interested in visiting your adopted country? That's a little sad. But my in-laws will never ever leave Iberia, so I understand the type of people that don't travel. Your folks aren’t interested in visiting your adopted country? That’s a little sad.

But my in-laws will never ever leave Iberia, so I understand the type of people that don’t travel.

]]> By: Raytibbitts http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2882 Raytibbitts Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:43:22 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2882 I really felt a connection when you described how your in-laws get excited about the idea of showing your family how things are in Spain. My wife and her mother are always saying similar things like, "your parents are going to just love this-or-that" or "When they try so-and-so they'll never go back home." I don't have the heart to tell them that my wife's in-laws, when responding to questions about how soon they will come to Spain, over the phone, are just 'being polite.' I really felt a connection when you described how your in-laws get excited about the idea of showing your family how things are in Spain.
My wife and her mother are always saying similar things like, “your parents are going to just love this-or-that” or “When they try so-and-so they’ll never go back home.”
I don’t have the heart to tell them that my wife’s in-laws, when responding to questions about how soon they will come to Spain, over the phone, are just ‘being polite.’

]]> By: Erik R. http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2008/08/20/morning-walks-with-juan/comment-page-1/#comment-2881 Erik R. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:06:46 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/?p=750#comment-2881 Extremadura is an entirely different Spain, as far as I'm concerned. Rural southern Spain is quite unlike northern urban Spain. Extremadura is an entirely different Spain, as far as I’m concerned. Rural southern Spain is quite unlike northern urban Spain.

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