Silly

Our ayi started on Monday. Wendy works for us full-time. She is the mother to a 1-year-old little girl, and she works because she needed to get away from that little girl for a little bit! I told her that the same reason is why I'm hiring her - so we can identify with each other immediately. She lives with her husband, who drives a bus, and her husband's parents. It sounds as if each adult in the house is a caring and attentive caretaker to her child. I like her very much, and I sincerely hope she will work for us as long as we live in Shanghai.

Wendy speaks English quite well, and she is of course fluent in Mandarin. I had decided a month ago not to return to my Mandarin lessons - I am simply not going to enough effort to make them worthwhile. I decided that I would prefer someone that I could just ask questions of every so often. Wendy is my perfect tutor. As we walked to the store this morning, I asked her to clarify how to ask where someone is. I recently asked a misbehaving child where her mother was. Well, I meant to, anyway. I said to her ni de mama shi shenma di fang? which I believed to translate to Your mother is in what place? or Where is your mother? Apparently I actually said to the poor child, Your mother is from what place? which left her understandably confused. I received a nice lesson on asking where from Wendy as we walked down the street.

Likewise, Wendy uses me as her English tutor - a function I am happy to oblige her in. This morning, I called L-- silly.

Wendy: What is this word, silly?

Lynne: Hmm, its like funny.

Later, after she had schooled me in where, I corrected my definition of silly.

Lynne: Silly is like funny, but very childlike and often non-sensical.

Wendy: What is nonsense?

Lynne: Hmm, well, its something that does not make sense. Like babies when they babble - that's nonsense. Or little children telling jokes - that's nonsense.

The conversation moved on to the purpose of our shopping trip. Our washing machine continues not to work, and the landlord has finally given in and provided an allowance for me to buy a new machine. This after nearly 1 month of repairs, and culminating in 1 week without a working washing machine. In a house with 2 children under 3, 1 week without a washing machine is a crisis.

Wendy: Why have you gone so long without a washing machine?

Lynne: Because my landlord is cheap.

Wendy: Why will he not repair the machine?

Lynne: Well, that's really why we have gone so long. The landlord wanted to repair the machine, and tried to 3 times. He spent a lot of money on repairs, before he decided to spend the money on a new machine. He is being very cheap. It is very silly.

Wendy: Silly, like a child?

Lynne: Umm, kind of. When a child is silly, its funny - they're being creative and having fun. When you call an adult silly, its because they're making bad choices and acting like a child. It is not nice to call an adult silly.

When every phrase is a potential lesson in English, one must learn to choose the right words. This morning I became a bit more thoughtful in my word choice, and a bit more angry at my landlord. Who provided a budget far below what any machines cost. I am purchasing a washing machine and a dryer tomorrow at above the cost her promised, and will not accept any less than full reimbursement. I figure that if he will not raise his allowance for the machines, than he can pay me for my trouble. Going without a washing machine and dryer for nearly 2 weeks in total certainly goes against his agreement in our lease.

Wish me luck!