Yesterday, I was taking a taxi back to my apartment, and the taxi driver took an unusual route home. He drove down a block that I didn’t recognize. I was sitting in the back seat and realized that he wasn’t going to my apartment entrance. I leaned forward and told him in Chinese that he needed to turn right. He muttered something quickly in Chinese that I couldn’t understand. So again, I said in Chinese– mister, you need to turn right to go to my house. And his response was the same, meaning he said something really fast that I didn’t understand. (I am sad to say that at present this is how much of my communicating in Chinese goes… I can say something, but I can’t understand what people say back in response). I was getting frustrated, because I knew that I was saying the correct words and using the appropriate tones. Obviously, he was just being difficult (and being a man, teasing!) and not listening to my directions. I told him once more – please turn right! He turned around in his seat, gave me an exasperated look, and pointed out the car window. My eyes followed his finger only to find a Do Not Enter, One-Way Street sign glaring at me…. The taxi driver couldn’t follow my orders to turn right because it was a one-way street. I immediately blushed and bashfully told him I was sorry like a million times. After I got out of the cab, I laughed and thought to myself, “Oh, that poor taxi driver, he has to think that I am a crazy American!”
I tell you this story for several reasons: first, it is a prime example of what it is like to live with a constant communication barrier. Bless his heart, the taxi driver explained to me three times that he couldn’t turn down the one-way street; but because I had no idea what he had said, I just kept ignoring his explanation and continued to instruct him to turn right. We were both doing our best to solve the situation, but we couldn’t understand each other and just kept going in circles. Secondly, this story is great for comic relief. Laughing at myself is something I have become quite good at. In fact, if you ever want to hear a funny story, just email me – I have plenty more to share : )
