tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post6628669453975211960..comments2024-03-27T19:24:35.230-07:00Comments on TIME FOR REFLECTIONS: The Italian Experience.Victor S E Moubarakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04280638667651857296noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post-76036027815092518312021-04-10T03:19:21.997-07:002021-04-10T03:19:21.997-07:00😉😉Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16877699174880945452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post-78316783671553392772021-04-09T18:35:28.220-07:002021-04-09T18:35:28.220-07:00Thank you for this story, Mariette. It is indeed r...Thank you for this story, Mariette. It is indeed rude when people speak badly about a country or person in a loud voice assuming that no one will understand them. You did very well and were very courageous. Bravo.<br /><br />I am a coward and mostly keep quiet. But don't frequent that restaurant again.<br /><br />God bless always.Victor S E Moubarakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04280638667651857296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post-2098195130696770022021-04-09T17:56:10.094-07:002021-04-09T17:56:10.094-07:00Dearest Victor,
Oh, we both know this feeling when...Dearest Victor,<br />Oh, we both know this feeling when you 'surprise' others that had been talking badly.<br />We were at a hotel in Jakarta for the weekend, before flying to our work destination after having met with our boss in the capital. At the pool there were lots of Dutch women, in their 40s I guess, they'd JUST arrived, by bus and were touring Indonesia. They were gossiping and badmouthing the very country they just had landed in and arrived here... So I started talking to Pieter in Italian, so they would not get suspicious of us being so close to them. Once they were in the water, Pieter informed me that their dialect sounded just like some students he'd had, from my neighboring Province. Are you sure I asked Pieter and he said, yes 100%. The loud woman went on and on. All of a sudden, I jumped up and told Pieter that's enough! In my bikini I dived in and swam straight to the 'lead' gossip woman. And asked her in my dialect, which is rather close to theirs, how they knew that much about Indonesia in only half a day? Have you forgotten where you came from, how we used to live in the 1950s? And some more straight questions. She forgot to swim for a moment and went bloop... down under into the water! She gasped and uttered, so you are not Italian?! I can be anyone I want to be I said as I speak but seven languages and we often switch as it proves to be quite interesting! She lost it and then I swam back to Pieter and he grinned. The group continued and one woman said, that girl... No said the 'lead' gossiper, she's older than you think as she mentioned lots of things about daily life in the 1950s. That taught all of them a good lesson!<br />We've done it more times and always had a good laugh.<br />Hugs,<br />MarietteMariette VandenMunckhof-Vedderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16877699174880945452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post-55743094829206754902011-10-18T22:49:15.630-07:002011-10-18T22:49:15.630-07:00Hi Barb,
This experience actually happened to me....Hi Barb,<br /><br />This experience actually happened to me. The waiters were talking amongst themselves in Italian, fortunately not about me!<br /><br />I said nothing until the end when I left.<br /><br />God bless.Victor S E Moubarakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04280638667651857296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post-58644460127057883232011-10-18T18:19:04.976-07:002011-10-18T18:19:04.976-07:00Mario Lanza - a man with a glorious voice who died...Mario Lanza - a man with a glorious voice who died much too young. I never get tired of listening to his songs.<br /><br />A good lesson - we should be careful what we say in the presence of others who might overhear us.Barb Schoenebergerhttp://www.sufferingwithjoy.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post-6571709849013037612011-10-18T00:20:39.663-07:002011-10-18T00:20:39.663-07:00Thank you so much Mary for your Award. I'm ver...Thank you so much Mary for your Award. I'm very grateful and blushing right now.<br /><br />I have accepted and posted my acceptance speech above.<br /><br />God bless.Victor S E Moubarakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04280638667651857296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100862372880209397.post-43301918103091079322011-10-17T18:33:25.624-07:002011-10-17T18:33:25.624-07:00I bet the look on their faces was priceless! Excel...I bet the look on their faces was priceless! Excellent story, Victor.<br /><br />By the way, I passed along a blog award to you over at my site. The thing is: you have to tell us seven things about yourself. Only if you want to, of course :)<br /><br />God bless!Mary N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06618318192221168152noreply@blogger.com