Now saying anything in another language for the First time is a big deal !! A Milestone in any expats life. Your first steps to integrating with the society that you’re trying to live in and when you can actually express yourself in the local language it helps you to feel apart of the community, apart of the country.
The first time I spoke Dutch I was at a bus stop and decided to ask a guy standing there “was this the bus stop for Antwerp ?”…
I thought “Right I’m gonna do it !! I’m gonna Speak Dutch to this guy”, So I marched up to him and said …
“ Is dit de bus tot Antwerpen? ” … I knew it wasn’t perfect but, I thought “Look I’ve done it ! I’ve spoken Dutch to someone for the first time… Great !! Now my life in Belgium has taken another step forward, I’m gonna fit right in here …”
Then he said something I would never forget he said , “Sorry, NO – ENGLISH !! “
DAM !! I was confused, had I just spoken English thinking I spoke Dutch ? or was my Dutch so bad it sounds like English ?