The one thing that I dread, after the tigers/lions from my nightmares, is visit from 'his' friends and family friends that are here in Oz. I dunno why...
Then he jokes, "Not like they're gonna eat you alive!" *yeah! That helps!!*
"No really, you're so sweet and they love you!", he tries to calm me down.
But c'mon! I cant help it. Its not like I like to torture myself or anything!
They are punjabi and their spoken Hindi is not too good. To be fair, they take just as much time to speak a sentence in Hindi as I take to speak one in Punjabi. *ok..ok.. I'm exaggerating just a little bit.*Their Hindi is better than my Punjabi. And the credit goes to Bollywood. IF only they made more punjabi movies that were watchable... I would be completely fluent in Punjabi by now.
And who wants to talk English?! For some strange reason its only 'ok' with uni mates to ramble away in English but other elder people don't always appreciate that. They probably think - "Angrez!!"
So, I smile politely when someone cracks a joke and everyone laughs. I nod as if I understand ever word, I mean I understand most of it, unless a word I've never heard before is used. Then I pretend that I understand. They talk to me in Punjabi and I reply in Hindi.
And it does not end there.
I consider my cooking decent enough. Some of my dishes better than some others. But, I cant even think of making Punjabi stuff! No Chhole - No Rajma - No Daalmakhni etc. Those ladies make much better of all those than me!! It would be impression-suicide!!!! *is that a word, oh! you know what I mean.*
And cant make effortless stuff like aloo-matar, as they only visit me once in a few months. Would seem like I can't even make a small effort.
Ok...fine, I'll make Paneer butter masala!
And after 5 hours... Phew!
*Hugs* "Bye Nupur, it was great. The food was absolutely delicious! My turn next time."
"Thanks" *shy smile!* ;)
They are all nice....but I get so nervous every time! No matter what, they will always be the people from the 'other side'. Or will they?
Until next time...............
Does anyone/anything makes you just as nervous?
16 comments:
ashi: lol..u'll get used to it..don't worry!
Hey Nupur,
Tusi kehnde ho teh main tuwade punjabi dee practice kara denda haan. Gaal hee koi nai. (Translation: Agar aap kehte ho toh main aapke punjabi ke practice kara deeta hoon. Batt he nahin koi). When will the punjabi friends come in use? Chalo atleast now I know that your dude is Punjabi (we rule!!!).
Anyways was it so important to mention all those so yummy punjabi foods...ummmmmmmmm...chole, rajma, panner...ummmmmmmmmm...brrrrrrrrrrr...
Whenever you need any good punjabi receipe just give me a shout. No worries...:). By the way, I am sure you will do great in whatever you put your mind into.
Happened to bump into this space through your comment on someone's comment. Just skimmed through first few posts and wowww... what I discovered was a wonderful blog! Let's take a look blog has now become a must read blog. :-) Good sense of humour and close to real life writing, Nupur this blog is class apart! Do keep writing, will keep coming back. :)
oopz messed up with English I guess! :O) This was supposed to be *though your comment on someone's 'blog'. Grr.. my English teacher will never forgive me for this sin. :D (well not that she doesn't expect me to goof up but stil... :) )
*through* damnnnnn x-(
Actually just make the rajma etc and they if you screw up on the recipe ..flatly deny it being rajma but call it some exotic mexican beans dish!
How u doin?
Cynic in Wonderland
@Ashi: I hope so too! :)
@Ricky: Thanks Mate~! I knew blogging wasn't totally useless after all!!! ;)
Hun mainu kide vi practise di zaroorat payi to mai twanu zaroor dassangi. Changa?
@Fundamental: Thanks so much! :D
Thats very sweet of you. Would love to hear from you...so keep popping by.
And don't worry about your English teacher... I promise I will not tell her about your double goof-up...ok?!
@Cynic: :lol:D yaaa...how come I didn't think of that.
I'm doin gud! Haven't heard from you in ages. Where have you been??
Hey Nupur,
Changa jee belucul changa. Meri punjabi wee inne wadiya nai haige hai par kaam chal jaanda hai.
Just a trivia: I started learning punjabi after coming to Canada, just coz people here speak more punjabi. For GOD's sake you can give your driving test in punjabi.
Even a lot of goras speak punjabi in Vancouver. So don't be surprised if you are standing in a street and a white dude comes and says "Hor kee haal hai paaji?"...happened to me more than twice...haha. Coz punjabi is taught in most universities and schools.
Anyways, hun main chalda haan. Take care of yourself.
Ricky..
http://seventeentomatoes.rediffblogs.com/
@Ricky: Tussi te phir inne bad nahi ho...considering it wasn't your first/second language either. But you are surely lucky...you can practise it even with the goras! :D
Ha Ha, I love your punglish "Tussi te phir inne bad nahi ho." Hello!!! It's my first language girl. I am a punjabi...:)..Are you a Gujrati by the way??
Ricky
http://seventeentomatoes.rediffblogs.com/
@Ricky: My bad!!
I thought when you said that you learnt Punjabi in Canada, meant it wasn't ur 1st language.
Anywho! Hum to Kanpur ke baniya hain! *giggle*
hmm.. i jus thought of one thing after reading this... I loved the way Big B talks in Veer Zaara... in the punjabi style.. so, am fascinated by that language.. :)
@Prasad: Although I think that Punjabi is a very tutta-phutta version of hindi, it is quite interesting anyways. For me it could be the only way I can communicate to some of 'his' family memebers. So I'm learning it...slowly slowly!
:)
i am wary of friends and family from the other side too.. but friends have been okay as of now.. except for a few.. which i can manage.. family .. I am always on my mental toes.. goes without saying I must say.. heheeh !!
@Pallavi: On mental toes!! :D
Yaa... you have nailed it on the head.
I will have to get myself used to it. There is no escaping it...is there?!
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