Accents, Friends and Conversations

I'm in heaven - I really am... There is one thing that I have enjoyed all my life and that is listening to other people and listening to their accents...

And here in Muscat - if there is one thing that is NOT in short supply, it's the vast amount of different accents there are. Over and above the National's accents, you have the British, which as you know not one of them sounds alike, then there are the Aussies, the Kiwis, the American, the Candians, the Indians, the Pakistanis, in fact I dont think there is a country that is not represented here.

In fact, just looking at my kids class - out of a class of 20 - there are 17 Countries represented and 21 languages spoken - I cant wait to hear him in a years time so see which ones he has picked up over the year. Hubby and I have decided that the minute he stops saying "JA" but says Yeah or Yes - thats when we send him back to SA to get his Saffer accent back... Already he is dropping his "t"'s - I have to keep correcting him that wa'er is water and be'er is better... but then I find myself dropping 'em also!

What I find strange is back in RSA - people easily picked up that I was not South African, yet here - they all know I'm from RSA - weird that...

Anyway I could sit and listen to the various accents found here all day - I find it amazing - and I really want to get out there and listen to them all...

I used to think that any accent from the UK was the best - but I have to say that I have found a better one - Canadian... WOW - now if I could just find a Canadian who would be willing to talk all day... :)



Have you ever had to go out and make a whole new circle of friends? And at what stage can you actually say they are your friends? Whats the rules? If you've met them once are they "people you know", twice "acquintances", three times "friends". What happens if you exchange numbers, or facebook details - what are they then cyberbuddies? I find this a very interesting train of thought and its been on my mind a lot lately.

I remember moving from UK to RSA waaay back when I was a wee girl (yes I can remember that far back) and we had to make new friends - but seeing as I was in school it seems to be so easy - I dont recall my parents having problems either - but then again I was a kid - I was wrapped up in my own little world.

Then of course you go through your school life, early adulthood, work, etc etc and you always seem to be surrounded by friends - friends you can call for a quick cuppa, or the one that goes shopping with you for that perfect outfit, or the ones that come over to watch the rugby, and even the wingmen that you play drinking games with - but you always had friends. You might meet new people, but because you are surrounded by your other friends its not really noticeable.

Just try coming to a completely new place and having to start from scratch... its not easy - esp. for me.

Now, even back in RSA, I had an extremely low sense of self esteem, and it took me ages to feel comfortable that people liked me for me, and they weren't just feeling sorry for the weirdo, I worry that I have overstayed my welcome and end up irritating them, I worry that I contact them too often to arrange things. Of Course it doesn't help your sense of self esteem when ONE person, out of a hand full that you counted on as being your best friends, hasn't contacted you in all the months you've been gone.

What I have decided to do - is to just get out there and meet as many people as possible! And so far I think I'm doing a damn fine job! (even if I say so myself!) I cannot for the life of me remember who told me this - but someone mentioned once that the joys of moving to a completely new country is that one can re-invent themselves - OH WAIT - I think I remember now - sorry I sometimes suffer from C.R.A.F.T - but they were actually talking about jobs... (oops!) but anyway, I've decided to take that good piece of advise and shift it over to my personal life - I'm re-inventing myself - I'm gonna start being a more confident person - and just pretend everyone likes me... :)

Oh dont worry - in the dead of night I'll still wake up worrying I wont get invited anywhere - but at least I will worry with more confidence ...:)

I've met some really nice people since I've been here... some of them I have met via the internet, some of them from the kids class, some of them via introductions from other people - I'd like to say that some of them are friends already - again I'm not really sure what the rules are - at what stage can I call them friends??? But I will confidently say I'd like to call them friends.... :)



This place is weird for conversations with people you have just met - I can guarantee you every single conversation will have the following topics in it...

- Where you come from - this on is fairly easy to contend with - you are introduced as - This is Gatvol, she's from South Africa - remember the good old days when you were just Gatvol - then you became Gatvol, so n so's wife - and then you became Gatvol, so n so's mother - well here you are Gatvol from South Africa. Of course if the country does not come up in the introductions - the very next sentenace will be ... "so thats a south African accent... which part you from?"

- Where you live - of course this is what everyone wants to know... :) we want to know if you have easier parking, closer to the shops, are you closer to the schools, do you have to contend with the traffic - of course for me to explain where I live - they end up in Upington (now apparently I can like one of my older posts HERE... but I have no idea how... just go read the older posts DAMN IT!)

- Booze licence... This comes up all the time... It seems to be that since one is restricted to certain hours and value limits on your Booze - one tends to think about it more often... I know I do... I CANT FIND JAGERMEISTER HERE!!!! :(

- Dust - why's there's so much, how it gets everywhere, how it procreates and multiplys, how its family and friends come back to avenge the death of the dust you just wiped away with no thought to his wife and kids back at home waiting for him (you get the picture right?)

- and Finally when will your Residencey Visa / Work Contract expire... MY WORST NIGHTMARE... meeting new friends (whats the rules?? are they friends yet??) to have them disappear out of your life in a eye blink...


One thing I do like about meeting new people tho.... they haven't heard all my crappy stories yet... ROFL...


anyway till next time...
xx

PS - you gotta, JUST GOTTA, go watch NEW MOON... TEAM JACOB!!!! :)