So as Matt's post suggests we had a few mishaps getting out of Provo to our vacation in Las Vegas this past weekend. First Matt forgot to turn into the left lane on Center St. out of the gas station we filled up at, so we missed the entrance to I-15 South-bound. Then after we were about 30 minutes down the 15 Matt realized he forgot to grab the tickets for the concert we were going to. Since we were already running behind he thought since the tickets were only $5 each we could just get them when we got to Vegas. Shortly after that he asked me to change the CD we were listening to since we had listened to it several times already. So I asked him were the other CD's were. This is when we realized Matt had forgotten another item back home. Since there's no way Matt could drive for 6 hours listening to the same music this is when we turned around and headed back to Provo. From Provo to St. George it's about 280 miles. My little car could make it there without stopping for gas, but since we had already driven out over 30 minutes and then back, we had to fill up the car again, and turn out onto Center St. again. This time we made it onto I-15 S the first time and this time we didn't forget anything.
We got into Las Vegas pretty late, so we headed to the strip to eat. As Matt mentioned we had to get some flip-flops for me while we were out. I was wearing my nice new tall black shoes, and I've gotten pretty used to them, but Matt walks really fast. My little toes were getting torn up while we sped down the strip so Matt could take pictures in front of the Bellagio and so we could eat. Luckily Ceaser's Palace has a huge mall in it, unfortunately pretty much all of the stores where high-end fashion boutiques like Anthropologie, Diesel and Juicy Couture. For some reason these places don't seem to sale flip-flops, especially not cheap ones to replace the shoes that were seriously killing my feet. We found an Abercrombie & Fitch and we noticed they had men's flip-flops so I found a lady who of coarse didn't speak English and asked her if they had any women's flip-flops. She directed me to some girls who spoke English and they helped me. I just told them I needed their smallest size of flip-flop of any color, if they had any. One of the girls went to the back and came out with a large brown flip-flop. She says "this is the only size we have in brown." I'm thinking "did she just say what I heard her say?" So, I'm really confused. Did she go back and look at only the brown flip-flops? I already said I don't care what color they are I just need some flip-flops... So we go back to the non-English speaking lady and I tell her I need a SSMMMALLEERRR SSSIIIZZEEE, AANNYY CCOOOLLLOORR....I think she understood me. She not only got two smaller sizes, but they were both BROWN. I don't know what was wrong with that other girl who supposedly "spoke English" but she obviously wasn't able to find me a smaller size of any color including brown, which I never even specified as a color that I wanted. So my feet were saved from further torment, and we left A&F to go eat.
The next day the blisters on my pinky toes pretty much covered the entire toe. No wonder I was in so much pain.
So Mattie and I finally left Caesar's Palace we got all the way out to the strip when Mattie realized he had forgotten something once again. He forgot his very nice, not-so-cheap digital camera on the table we had eaten at. Poor Matt, he was not having the best day. I felt bad for him.
The rest of the trip however went off without a hitch. So, we had a lot of fun. Except I thought my ears were going to be plugged up for the rest of my life after the concert we went to. I loved Josh Kelly and Better Than Ezra, but once they were done I was pretty much pooped and ready to go home. We stayed for Collective Soul though, and they were pretty good too.
In case you were wondering the I-15 is pretty much under construction everywhere in Utah.
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About Me
Matt and I were married two years ago. We recently bought our first home in Eagle Mountain, UT. Little Ezra joined our family on September 30, 2007, and we love him lots! Feel free to get a peek into our life together here or at Matt's blog.
What is with you and people who don't speak english? When I came to this country I spoke very little english, but I spoke Dutch, German and French fluently. The English came slowly as I learned and attended events, but people were rude and unkind to me, just as you seem to have been to this particular sales lady. Just because one does not speak your language does not make them slow, hard of hearing, or less intelligent than you are. They are here for a reason, and are most likely trying their HARDEST to learn the national language even thouh it may come slowly. If you have never learned a foreign language you probably do not understand how frustrating it can be to be surrounded by people who don't care one way or the other as long as they get what the want and get it quickly. Try having patience with people learning English as a Second Language. It was probably just as frustrating for that woman trying to sell you flip flops as it was for you to buy them. Give her credit for trying, for getting out into a foreign working world and getting herself a job. I don't care if she spoke Spanish, French, Russian, or Croation, the least you can do is talk about her as if she were an intelligent, living, breathing human being, because she's probably had a harder life than you will ever imagine, since you are buying overpriced flip flops at Abercrombie & Fitch that were most likely made in a sweatshop by non-english speaking children. Maybe you should learn another language.
Wow, I feel hurt by your comment. I wouldn't say you know much about me. First it was the girl who actually spoke English that bugged me. Second the lady who did not speak English was super friendly, and I treated her with the utmost respect when I asked for her help. That's why I went to her for help in the first place. I don't feel like I said anything about her that made her seem like she was unintelligent. In fact she was the only one who could help me out even with the language barrier. I did not mean to offend anyone by writing this post. I have actually tried to learn another language. I have worked in a condition where I was the only one who didn't speak Spanish fluently. I worked hard to try and understand and communicate with my coworkers. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't judge me so harshly.
Heather is right. You really need to take a closer look at what she was saying before judging her. She didn't say anything mean about the person that didn't speak English. Perhaps you don't speak English very well and that's why you don't understand what she was trying to say. You missed her point completely. Maybe you should think before you speak. You don't know Heather and you have no right to assume that you do. That's what I have to say about your unkind words towards my wife. I also have some things to say about the topic you've brought up, however. Feel free to read them over on my blog.
Perhaps I was too asperous in my interpretation of your blog. To be honest, when I came across it by chance it hit a nerve because of my past experiences in this country.
I do apologize to both you and your husband for my comments. No, I do not know you or your husband and perhaps I spoke out of turn.
I was not, however suggesting that America change their system for languages. When I moved to Utah from Brussels because of my conversion to a new faith, I knew very well I would have to learn english. I had learned very little of it in school and it was a struggle for me. It was very different here. In Brussels, there are many national languages. Signs are posted in Dutch, German, French, and many of the people speak Flemish as well. Growing up I learned them all fluently, and if I encountered someone who did not know my language, I would switch over to another to make things more comfortable.
I am not insinuating that Americans should learn Spanish, I am just accentuating the fact that my upbringing taught patience with language barriers, accomodation, and kindness. While you and your wife may not have been hard on this sales lady as was my first impression, it has been my experience in the United States, and yes, even Utah, that people are not tolerant of people who are learning, and learning any skill, not just languages.
I have been to las vegas. many of the patrons in the casinos and at other attractions are hispanic and speak spanish. I assume that this woman was hired, even though her english skills were not fantastic, to cater to the spanish speaking customers. If she was hired, there must have been a reason, and as she was able to help you, there should be no complaint. Business is business, and to that Abercrombie store money is money. It doesn't matter to their corporate headquarters or to their money whether it is made in Spanish from Hispanic people or whether it is made in English from English speaking people.
Your husband's experience as a mormon missionary does clue him in to a few of the feelings that immigrants feel, I cannot contest that. But try being thrown into that environment and then having to work, communicate, learn, just to stay alive. Just to have food, a place to live...and with training in the language probably less than he had in the MTC.
It is good to learn english. I have done so, and am now a mother of two and an researcher at a successful insurance firm in Washington. I am a success story. I endured being spoken to as if I were a child or as if I were deaf. I held three part time jobs and snatched community english classes offered around my home when I could. I saved to buy used paperback books so that I could labor through them and better learn English. I asked customers questions as I checked their groceries, asked them to correct my english. I fell into bed at night with every bone in my body aching from both mental and physical exhaustion. And I did previal, even when it would have been easier to give up and go home.
But please do not pretend to understand the life of an immigrant, Matt. You cannot. My husband cannot, and he served an LDS mission in Russia. My children cannot, and I am their mother. Nor would I wish them too. So, no matter what I say, you will not understand the nerve that Heather's post hit when she described her encounter with this sales girl because you have been fortunate enough not to have to live it, nor would I wish it on you just as I would never wish it on my children. I am glad that you had the opportunity to vent on your response to me on your blog, which I read.
I feel that no matter what I can say the hurt has been done. Again, I apologize to you and to your husband. Please forgive me for speaking out of turn when I do not, as you pointed out, know you.
My sincere regrets,
Ariyanna Geigen
Ariyanna needs to learn some manners!! She is rude! Many people have learned other languages just like her. Many people have had hard lives just like her. She needs to stop complaining and stop trying to make people fell bad for her. I agree with mat, when you work in an enviroment where you serve mostly english speaking people you should be able to speak english. And if you don't then the person who does speak english is going to speak to you SLOW, LOUDLY, and in SHORTER SENTENCES. It isn't that that person is an idiot, it is just that they can't understand the other person when they speak fast. I know I have learned another language in a foriegn country. Ariyanna, find something better to do than to write mean things to people who are just telling a story. Get a life.