Travel somewhere and you will have a golden chance to see something new, eat different food, meet people who think differently and who speak a different language.
A skilled linguist I am not 🥲. French and English I can hold my own ok…meet my “good enough” definition.
As to other languages that I have some proficiency in 😂 here is my short resume.
- pre-teens learned how to count from 1 to 10 in Spanish (can still do it)
- late teens learned how to count from 1 to 10 in German (can still do it)
- mid 50’s learned how to count in Japanese from 1 to 10 and maybe 10-15 other words (forgotten numbers and likely know a word or two now)
- multiple attempts to learn some Spanish, 6 sessions in City of Wpg course, Rosetta Stone pre Camino long walk, Duolingo, Babbel and now Coffee Break Spanish which has 30 beginner lessons of which I have completed 6 😂. I likely can recognize a couple of hundred Spanish words however outside of basic courtesy greetings cannot even ask a decent question.
Somehow the gene required to learn a new language seems to have flown the coop! Suspect the only way I could ever learn a language now is to actually move to that country…not likely in my future!
Oh well it’s still fun to make the attempt…always have Google Translate or even a couple of Apps where you can speak in English and Spanish comes out.
Would seem incredibly rude to do this however in a pinch…nature calling, starving, don’t want to sleep on a park bench it may be the best/only option.
Brief summary of key languages on my various Caminos including the Kumano Kodo
Via Jacobi - Switzerland (German, English, French)
Via Podiensis - France (French)
Camino Frances - Spain (Spanish)
Camino Portuguese- Portugal (Portuguese)
Kumano Kodo - Japan (Japanese)
The first 8 days on the Via Jacobi in Switzerland where German was the predominant language was a real challenge.
Spain and Portugal one can often get by with English and having a Brazilian pilgrim friend who speaks Portuguese and Spanish.
On the Kumano Kodo in rural Japan I relied mainly on pantomime (ask family members how good I am in charades 😂🤣) and sign language.
Switzerland - German
Skill set of counting to 10, while admittedly very impressive, isn’t quite enough…why did I ever think that would be “good enough”? 😳 I was walking in rural Switzerland from Rorschach (Swiss/German border) for the first 8 days…had assumed English would be spoken everywhere…not so.
I slept 4/5 nights in Sleep in Stroph accommodations which essentially mean you sleep in a barn on hay…cows have moved up to higher pasture…very rural Switzerland.
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| City kid thought sleeping on straw would be like lying on marshmallows 😊…you know lie in it and have trouble getting out…well straw often has the consistency of cement! |
Signs were also a issue at times 😂
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| Zoom in in sign…why are German words so darn long? |
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| Ok guessing Be Careful Kids or Kindergarten? |
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| Ok easy to understand however this is Switzerland! Is this sign really necessary? |
While I did not know this in 1978 when backpacking in Europe or 2013 on the Via Jacobi I believe I now have cracked the mystery of lengthy German words!!! See following example:
Jugendherberge
Pilgerherberge
One German word means Youth Hostel…the other Pilgrim Hostel.
Jugend = Youth, Pilger = Pilgrim, Herberge = Hostel
Here is what I found doing a Google search on “why are German words so long”
“The reason for long words to exist is, because in German it is not allowed to have noun clusters. While in English you will just write a bunch of nouns to describe the final noun, Germans just leave out those unnecessary spaces and form one word out of it. If you have trouble understanding them, just think of them as separate words.”
I suspect many of you can now look forward, like me, to reading German signs with ease 😂. The key to the language code has been solved…
Now Actuaries, System Architects, Past/Current Company Presidents need not even try to do this…well beyond your pay grade! Keep trying with complex analyses, ridiculous cloud diagrams or high level strategic thinking…
A few blog examples of language challenges…
Via Jacobi (August 1, 2013) - Day 1 Rorschach to Schwellbrunn
I had my first "Am I going to be lost forever" in a few places where the signage was a little sparse...however I trusted and I was going in the right direction.
I saw my first Camino arrow in Herisau
First Camino Arrow
I persisted and finally reached Schwellbrunn where I used my international cell phone for the first time...well I didn't really know how to use the phone (hate instructions) and I also did not understand how to phone using the country code. I had done research however it wasn't on the mark!
Finally I got it...my phone conversation went something like this...Hi I am at the church...Do you speak English? What a stupid question...of course the answer is something like “nein". So then I said Jakobsweg, church, pilgrim...and Katherine said something promising ( don't know what) and hung up.
I was staying at Christian and Katherine Kollar's Sleep in Straw farm...about 4 kms from where I was.
So I waited and by this time had decided that if they did not come I was prepared to take a taxi to Barcelona (where I fly from) and fake it in future blogs. Or I was prepared to die right there on the church bench. Just then the church bells rang for what must have been 5 minutes at least. It was really a cool sound however I was worried that I might have set out some secret alarm or something!
My girls....especially Claire...tell me consistently that I look terrible. Well I looked worse then that and I thought that if someone was picking me up they might just refuse and drive right past me!
I had my first "Am I going to be lost forever" in a few places where the signage was a little sparse...however I trusted and I was going in the right direction.
I saw my first Camino arrow in Herisau
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| First Camino Arrow |
I persisted and finally reached Schwellbrunn where I used my international cell phone for the first time...well I didn't really know how to use the phone (hate instructions) and I also did not understand how to phone using the country code. I had done research however it wasn't on the mark!
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| View from Church bench |
Via Jacobi (August 4, 2013) - Day 4 Pfaffikon to Alphal
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| Day started out hot again and I had a 550 meter climb…picture does not do it justice at all! |
Sign at the bottom of this hill was in German of course...however I believe it said Billy goats only without backpacks or crazy Canadians.
Speaking of language it was explained to me that the Swiss learn some French early and then German...don't know if High/Low however my friend Dennis would know as he knows most everything. Swiss people speak a dialect of German among themselves...it is a language that is handed down through families as opposed to being learned in school.
So the Swiss understand German however the Germans do not understand the Swiss. I don't understand anything!
Via Gebennensis France
Via Gebennensis (October 2, 2013) - Day 25 Le Pin to La Cote-Saint-André
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| Me, Claude, Albert |
A great meal however the best part was the company. Claude is really quite an interesting character...very diverse individual. He is a comedian, has written over 200 songs which he performs, has written two novels, is a local activist involved in all things political in his home village and a fervent environmentalist.
Claude speaks German quite well, Patricia his wife not at all...so the conversation over the next hour and a half was Claude speaking German with Joseph and Albert...Claude translating for Patricia and me...Claude, Patricia and me speaking in French and Claude translating to Joseph and Albert...Albert and I having a hilarious broken English conversation and my translating to Claude and Patricia and Albert translating for Joseph. An absolute zoo of a conversation yet a lot of laughs and some very serious animated conversation between Claude and Albert.
Camino Frances blog postings language challenges
Camino Frances (May 11, 2014) - Day 79 Cacabelos to La Portela de Valcarce
After a couple of hours of walking we stopped for breakfast in Villafance del Bierzo. I went into a cafe with Paulo...however the service was extremely slow...Paulo suggested I might go elsewhere...so I did. Really he just abandoned us to see what would happen...well DISASTER!
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| This is supposed to be hot chocolate…was like a pudding and tasted awful…no idea what I ordered! |
Then Marc and I had some kind of tortilla thingy meant for a late night snack AND to top it off we had some type of Twinkie reject chocolate ugh...lousy donut something or other. A pathetic breakfast...thank you Paulo for your help this morning! See what happens to two Canadians left by themselves ordering food in Spain!
Camino Frances (May 14, 2014) - Day 82 Sarria to Castromaior
Before supper Marc, Cyrille and I went to a Farmacia (Paulo had to work on a Legal case) where Marc was looking to purchase Second Skin for his blistered feet! What happened next was one of the funniest , most pathetic, purchase attempts I have ever seen.
Pharmacist approaches us Hola..."can I help you" in Spanish. Marc looks at her and says "I'm Canadian". That's it folks...nothing else...not even an attempt to point at his feet and try to convey why he was there. The pharmacist looked nonplussed and smiled and walked away. Marc then proceeds to purchase something which as it turns out is not Second Skin at all! Only my brother could have pulled this scene off perfectly!
The Kumano Kodo in Japan presented some very unique challenges from a language perspective! A few signs as examples
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| Should I go right or left? |
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| Sure I will respect and abide by these rules…now what are they? |
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| Japanese toilet - ok now what do I do? |
Kumano Kodo (Mar 26, 2015) - Day 4 Ukegawa to Koguchi
Last night's supper at the Minshuku Kuraya was considerably quieter than the previous night's. I had my own table.
There were 4 Japanese people seated a few meters from me...they spoke no English and likewise for me no Japanese. The only point of contact was when through hand gestures I indicated that I would take their picture with one of their cameras. In return they took my picture.
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| Notice Canadian eating style |
Now for anyone still reading these Planning blogs (why?🤣😂) I want to let you know that I have a Plan to finish the Planning blog mini-series…here is my Plan!
Next week or so will publish 3 Planning blogs
- Electronic equipment and Getting Lost (yes they go together)
- Weather Rain/Snow/Hail/Heat
- Dangerous Animals
As of result of special requests past/present I will publish a final (for now) blog posting on Food. This blog will simply be a series of 35 of my favourite photos…5 from each of Via Jacobi, Via Gebennensis, Via Podiensis, Camino Frances, Camino Portuguese, Kumano Kodo and Thames River Walk.
Food and drink is always a good reason to walk!
Then a long rest 🙏👏👍 and a lot of sorting before a final Planning blog on Backpack Equipment & Clothing. Quite simply this is the key to a great walk…the right equipment adding up to the LEAST weight possible!
A bientôt
See you soon
Seh dich später
Hasta pronto
Vejo você em breve
また近いうちにお会いしましょう
শীঘ্রই আবার দেখা হবে
Ps The language of the last greeting is not mentioned in this blog posting…a special nod to my new daughter-in-law Pri.
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