What If We Don't Speak the Same Language?

These days we don't need to travel to a foreign country to meet people whose first language is different from ours. Especially in college and university towns, such as where I live, students from around the world will be doing the same things we are: shopping, mailing packages at the post office, riding the bus, renting an apartment, working, attending religious services, eating in restaurants, visiting museums, doing laundry, throwing out the trash.

Smiling and saying "Hi"

Whether you come in contact with a woman wearing a scarf over her hair or a foreigner mopping an office building's hall, a smile is always an appropriate greeting.  
     When you begin to see the same person almost every day, it's easy to start saying, "Hi." One day, when I met the visiting Chinese mother, who was carrying the daughter of my neighbor, we both said "Hi" at the same time. The grandmother also raised the little girl's hand to wave at me.

Weather brings us together

Since it's been really cold here lately, it was very easy to exchange a few words with an Hispanic maintenance man when I came in shivering. He asked if I had always lived here. It gave me an opportunity to ask where he was from and if he had a chance to return there very often.
      When I came in this morning, a student from China asked me if it was cold, so he would know how to dress to go out. I suggested it was colder than China here, but he told me he had gone to college "on the same latitude." We agreed that he was familiar with this kind of weather.
     A woman from India who works at the local grocery store speaks English with a heavy accent that is somewhat difficult to understand. On a day when the temperature was six below zero, I mentioned it sure was different from India. That led to an extended conversation about her friend who was visiting from India and planned to travel on to even colder weather in Minnesota. I could tell her about a friend of mine who came to visit from Texas without an overcoat.
     When we're sweltering this summer, maybe I'll meet someone from Finland, and we can exchange observations about the heat.

Animals attract attention

It's hard to remember not all countries have the same animals. One day, when I was in the park with my granddaughter, a man pointed to a squirrel and sort of shook his head as if to ask what it was. Not all cultures have pets either. Two little Muslim boys who live across the hall from us are fascinated with our cat, Claire. When I see them, I linger outside the door to let them study Claire, while their mother and I exchange smiles.

The world watches some sporting and entertainment events

Just as it's easy to strike up a conversation with someone wearing a cap with the name of a team on it, it's easy to ask a foreigners if they've been watching the Olympics or a World Cup soccer game.
     After the Academy Awards, I knew a Mexican neighbor would be eager to exchange a few words about Alejandro G. Inarritu and his Oscar-winning Birdman film.

(For other ideas on this topic, see the earlier posts "Getting to Know You" and "How Do You Say?")