Merde!
I know I in an earlier post said that Motrealeans don’t mind speaking English. But I had only been here for a few days. I know now that this is only true for a part of the population.
I have several times come across Québéqois who either refuse or are reluctant to speak English to me. I usually put on a thick Norwegian accent to diffuse the situation. As long as my native tongue isn’t English it’s not a problem it seems. Just like the myth states.
But today I met the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I was on the bus and it terminated at a stop. I didn’t realise this as I thought it was going to travel further down St. Cathrine Street, which is one of the main streets down town. So the bus driver started talking to me in French. I got up, walked over and said: “Pardon? Can you repeat that?” to which she replied in French.
“No… Sorry. I don’t speak French. Could you repeat that in English?”
“You should not come to Quebec and not speak langauge!!” she shouted back.
That was IT!
“Excuse me miss! But Quebec is not a country! Canada is! And Canada has two official languages! One of which is English, which you, obviously, do not speak very well! I on the other hand speak five languages (now that’s a lie… The little Maori and Swahili I know can barley even pass for “conversational”, but she doesn’t know that) and I am on my way to my French class now at the YMCA. Maybe you should consider joining me. I hear the Eglish classes are quite good!”
Now, I realise this is a “one off” and that most Monties (as I will call them from now on) are very nice and polite people who are happy to help a poor foreigner out in English. And I also realise that French is the dominant language (hence my French course) but this is my blog and this was my experience.
And God, it felt good to have a good come back!
Peace, out!
