April 24, 2010

Speaking the language

Fellow blogger Teresa in Merida recently wrote about the benefits of learning Spanish when living in Mexico in her blog "What do I do all day?" My property is on a small island in which the growing American population sticks together and avoids talking in Spanish as much as possible.
Poor things. Not only will they not get the benefits when TelMex calls with higher speed internet for a dime a month, but they might just hang up on the kind of call I got Friday.
" Yes, my name is Viktoria and I am a lawyer for FonaTur. (Everyone employed by the government is some kind of lawyer!) And we conduct tours...." at which point I think I'm going to get some pitch.
"What is the purpose of your call?" I asked, as I do every telemarketer who won't get to the point.
Turns out the information on my F'ing visa , as I call the series of FM documents, had listed I spoke Russian. They need Russian speakers to assist with tourists who evidently have money, Russians! EcoTours to Sian Ka'an and Punta Allen, paying $120US a day.
I need to check with Social Security, but disability income does allow $700 a month for work without violation the pension so long as it is reported. Now, since I don't freeze when I get a Spanish phone call, I may get a lucrative part time job, lucrative for Mexico anyway, and get to practice my Spanish and Russian together. Now about that higher speed internet....

4 comments:

Island Nana said...

And you'll learn a lot giving those Sian Ka'an tours. We went on a great all-day tour there several years ago.

Anonymous said...

Very cool Zina!! Hope you get the job.

Ann said...

That's great--a little extra can't hurt!

Jackie said...

Sounds interesting.