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seanie
Joined: 28 Nov 2003
Posts: 54
Location: m�xico
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 Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:42 pm Post subject: Re: Other examples: |
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| Mike S. wrote: |
The ''Paqueteria'' at all the supermarkets except Wal-Mart also function as ''complainerias'' which means that you have to wait up to 5 minutes to get your friggin mochila from the surly ''paqueteristas'' behind the counter! |
Funny! 
Next time, give her a nice smile and say "Oye, bonita, que tengo un poco de prisa" |
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notamiss
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Posts: 908
Location: El 5o pino del la CDMX
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:09 am Post subject: |
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I see a quiz taking shape.
How adapted are you? Translate the following words or phrases. (Explain your answer):
1. ma�ana
2. ahorita
3. 20 d�as
4. s�
... any more suggestions? |
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El Gallo
Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Posts: 318
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:30 am Post subject: |
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| If you think ma�ana means tomorrow or in the morning, you may be in for a wait. At "la migra" the Licenciado told me my FM-3 would be ready "ahorita" which translates to "now". After 20 minutes and red faced, another gringo explained that, in terms of time, most Mexican words can not be translated directly. |
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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Ooops! See post below.
Last edited by MO39 on Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:58 pm Post subject: Re: Correction |
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| Phil_K wrote: |
| MO39 wrote: |
| Mike S. wrote: |
| Correction: Mana�a means next month in Mexico. |
Another correction: ma�ana means tomorrow or morning. |
I could guess you are a gringo - that is called "IRONY" |
I understand irony, Mr. Smarty Pants; I was correcting Mike S.'s spelling. I included the dictionary definition out of my sense of irony! |
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Phil_K
Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 2041
Location: A World of my Own
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| notamiss wrote: |
I see a quiz taking shape.
How adapted are you? Translate the following words or phrases. (Explain your answer):
1. ma�ana
2. ahorita
3. 20 d�as
4. s�
... any more suggestions? |
The first 3 mean more or less the same and 4. has many meanings - no, maybe, don't know etc.  |
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MELEE
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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For some reason, 20 d�as means 3 weeks.
en 8 d�as=a week from today
en 15 d�as=two weeks from today
en 20 d�as=three weeks from today
Some pretty funny math going on in this country! |
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Mike S.
Joined: 27 Apr 2006
Posts: 91
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Correction |
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| Hey, there�s no use squabbling about who is an ironic Gringo or not. I think the point of this discussion is that we are free to vent about the problems that we experience here in Mexico without a Mexican overhearing us and telling all their friends what ''pinche Gringos'' we all are. What happens on the forum stays on the forum, kapish? |
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TheLongWayHome
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 1016
Location: San Luis Piojosi
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: Correction |
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| Mike S. wrote: |
| Hey, there�s no use squabbling about who is an ironic Gringo or not. I think the point of this discussion is that we are free to vent about the problems that we experience here in Mexico without a Mexican overhearing us and telling all their friends what ''pinche Gringos'' we all are. What happens on the forum stays on the forum, kapish? |
Asi es!
Ma�ana means cuando se me pega la gana in SLP. Yes, complaining about Mexico to Mexicans that have never experienced life outside of Mexico really doesn't cut it. Last time I did that I got: pero es el pais que te da de comer! So it is. Good reason to stay too. |
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notamiss
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Posts: 908
Location: El 5o pino del la CDMX
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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| MELEE wrote: |
For some reason, 20 d�as means 3 weeks.
en 8 d�as=a week from today
en 15 d�as=two weeks from today
en 20 d�as=three weeks from today
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Perhaps it's rounding or something for "20 d�as." Actually I meant to put "15 d�as," because it can be more tricky. Misunderstanding it cost me a useless trip once when my application was still a week away from being ready... won't happen again now that I've learnt to ask "�d�as h�biles o d�as calendarios?" You see I already knew that "15 d�as" means two weeks, so I went back 2 weeks after submitting my application, only to find out that 15 working days had been meant... 3 x 5 = 15, so 3 weeks. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| What happens on the forum stays on the forum, kapish? |
Whoops...too late. I've been using forum commentary in our TEFL course for years now. Smile...you're being discussed right now as a matter of fact!
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:25 pm Post subject: Re: Correction |
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| Mike S. wrote: |
| Hey, there�s no use squabbling about who is an ironic Gringo or not. I think the point of this discussion is that we are free to vent about the problems that we experience here in Mexico without a Mexican overhearing us and telling all their friends what ''pinche Gringos'' we all are. What happens on the forum stays on the forum, kapish? |
I apologize for squabbling with Phil K. I just don't like being stereotyped by my nationality! I agree that irony is something you need to employ from time to time when living in a foreign culture, no matter how much you enjoy the positives of the place that has offered you a home and a way to make a living. I wonder, Phil K., what drew you to Mexico in the first place? |
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samizinha
Joined: 12 May 2005
Posts: 174
Location: Vacalandia
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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It works the other way too!
Ex. from Mexico. I know that I'm having my bi-monthly gastritis attack. I go to the pharmacy, I ask for my meds, they put them into a bag and I go home.
Ex. from Canada. I call my doctor and wait two days to have him confirm that yes, my stomach is indeed inflamed and write a prescription. I crawl the pharmacy, and am told to wait for 20 minutes for them to put the sticker on the box. It actually takes 40 minutes because the pharamatecs are arguing about who should have sorted the boxes into a more alphabetical order. I pay double the price for the meds, and must have them fax my prescription to the next place that I move to.
Ma�ana or cold hard rule following? There's a catch in every country. |
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Phil_K
Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 2041
Location: A World of my Own
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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| I apologize for squabbling with Phil K. I just don't like being stereotyped by my nationality! |
No offense intended! Sometimes some people don't appreciate my humor. I know we love each other really, the Americans and Brits!
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| I wonder, Phil K., what drew you to Mexico in the first place |
A wonderful woman...now my wife. |
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periodista-masajista
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Posts: 54
Location: Texas, USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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| samizinha wrote: |
It works the other way too!
Ex. from Mexico. I know that I'm having my bi-monthly gastritis attack. I go to the pharmacy, I ask for my meds, they put them into a bag and I go home.
Ex. from Canada. I call my doctor and wait two days to have him confirm that yes, my stomach is indeed inflamed and write a prescription. I crawl the pharmacy, and am told to wait for 20 minutes for them to put the sticker on the box. It actually takes 40 minutes because the pharamatecs are arguing about who should have sorted the boxes into a more alphabetical order. I pay double the price for the meds, and must have them fax my prescription to the next place that I move to.
Ma�ana or cold hard rule following? There's a catch in every country. |
Absolutely. I'm back in the US and really miss how in Mexico, I could walk down to the corner pharmacy and buy- for next to nothing- medicine. The same medicine that, if I wanted to buy here, I'd have to schedule a doctor appointment, wait for that appointment, then get a prescription, then pay a lot of money.
That said, the above comments about Mexican inefficiency are also true. Every country has things that it does well and things that it does poorly. It's be nice if people could make honest comments about cultural differences on this board without eliciting "love it or leave it" boorishness. |
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