The Helpful Polyglot Visitor

I'm just a visitor in this country, but I'm making the most of my time here. I'm also representing my home country. I've always been aware of being in the position of role model to various degrees at different times in my life. But it doesn't really bother me, in fact, I've learned to just be myself and not consciously try to act any differenly really. (By the way, I met a group of very friendly American students traveling together. More friendly Americans abroad. It was nice to chat with them.)

So, my friendly, helpful nature was in overtime today. It must have been the day for me to earn "karma points" in giving directions or something. Or maybe I exuded that "I know where I'm going" energy today. Or maybe I needed a boost because I really like helping people.
Anyway, the first girl to stop me off the tram I, unfortunately couldn't help. I think I understood where she wanted to go but I couldn't communicate to her that she had to take the same train I was taking just get off earlier. Besides, I didn't remember that her stop was actually on the same train I was taking or I could have shown her on the S-bahn map.

So, no points there, but I got a chance to redeem myself and I should get bonus points because it was in FRENCH! There was a family needing directions at the very same station where the girl stopped me earlier, only I was on my way back home. I heard the mother say something that I recognized and immediately asked, "Vous parlez Français?" They all said "oui' and then I started to answer in my best French w/German words thrown in. It's funny because now that I've been here and I hear German every day, I'm forgetting some French words quicker than I thought. In just 2 months the language that immediately flowed from my mouth when anyone asked me a question in German - the language that I love and remember from 5 & 1/2 years of study and that I was dreaming in when I first arrived is now slipping to the recesses of my mind to make room for Allemagne.

But I actually was able to get them to the exact stop that they were looking for. Then as we waited for our tram to leave, a German man came over and asked the French family if the tram went to the Hauptbahnhof which is the main train station. Which, by the way is a beautiful station! They just stared at him because they didn't know nor did they speak that much German, but I was able to help him also AND I answered in German to boot. I told him that he needed to take the S-bahn which is where we (the French family and me and my family which of course are the dogs) had just come. That would take him to the Hauptbahnhof.

Wow! I had actually impressed myself a little with how quickly I was able to switch my brain to German and understand him right away. No translating in the head necessary. Even when the driver said (auf Deutsche) that if he took the bus it would be faster I was inclined to yell after him to tell him that, but I had done my job. And a damn good one! I am feeling pretty good right about now. I just have to make time every day to squeeze in German AND French conversation so that I don't forget. In no time I'll be an interpreter for the UN!

Ha! I won't take it that far, but it's fun for a "chatty Cathy" like me to have opportunities to meet people on public transport and help out if necessary. It's good for a helpful person like me to be able to communicate with people of many tongues. I got to speak English with my fellow Americans, French and German. I think that qualifies me as a polyglot. Yeah? Yeah!!
That's one of my goals - within reach.