What I shoulda said...

Photo: Google Image Search

I sometimes forget I'm an American living abroad.  Well, that is until I'm laughed outta town when I say something super American.  I do try not to sound so American.  I do my best to avoid using typical American phrases and terms like "awesome" and "yeah, man." But, it sneaks out like verbal diarrhea and finds itself in the air and in the ears of my new Irish friends.  Even some words I don't realize are uber-American actually are and I'm certainly made aware of it because once they pass my lips, the incessant laughter that fills the room makes me very aware.  Don't get me wrong, no one laughs at me in a mean way...it is just for a bit of fun and it is definitely a learning experience for me.

Just to spread the laughter, I'll give you a few examples.

What I said: Cash register  What I should have said: Till

What I said: I have to run errands. *sidenote: I was actually asked if I was speaking a different language when I said this.* What I should have said: I need to go a wee message.

What I said: Do you want some candy?  What I should have said: Do you want a wee sweet?

What I said:  You want a dollars worth of those penny sweets? *sidenote:  I totally knew better here but, ya know...old habits die hard.*  What I should have said: You want a pound worth of those penny sweets?

Having said all of that, there have been times when hubbers has told me that I'm picking up a Derry accent.  For example, yesterday, we were examining our new curtain rods and discovered we would need to drill new holes in the wall to hang our newly acquired rods.  I asked him if he knew anyone that had a drill we could borrow.  Except, I didn't say "borrow"...I said "barra." And I was told it was a "barra" in a typical Derry accent.  So there ya go. 

Okay, now I have a date with Sky TV which we just had installed and can I say...hallelujah!  We get all my favorite American shows with a special hallelujah for the HBO shows. So...see ya later!

I'm going to build a fort

Exhausted, I arrived in Derry this past Saturday.  I went straight to bed 'cause I was tired and 'cause I was greeted by the fifteen or so boxes I had shipped over the past several months and that made me sad.  The thought of unpacking those boxes along with my suitcases made me want to sleep for days.  Which, I almost did. 

At approximately 2pm on Sunday, Barry summoned me from my snuggly bed to come down to the shop where two little girls were anxiously awaiting me.  They couldn't wait to practice their American accents on me. 

The little girls, who decided to call themselves Cindy and Jessie because they think that sounds more American than their actual names, promptly greeting me with a bouquet of tulips and showered me with their Americanisms which mostly consisted of "Yeah, Man!" and "That's totally awesome, Dude"!  Cindy even told me I sounded nothing like what she expected me to sound, so I think I disappointed them a wee bit.  I'll have to work on my American accent a little more.  Here we are:

And, here is my mountain of boxes, clothes, luggage and shit that I have to work on unpacking.  I think perhaps I'll build a fort instead.  And I'll name it Fort American and I'll go there to practice my American accent and perfect my Americanisms.  See ya in a few days kids--once my fort is complete.Or, maybe once all this stuff is put away.