LOST IN TRANSLATION: THE MANY FIASCOS OF STUDYING ABROAD
- September 26, 2023
- Posted by: Aditti Gupta
- Category: STUDYING ABROAD
Studying abroad can be an unforgettable experience, but let’s face it; it’s not all picturesque landscapes and exotic cuisine. Sometimes, you find yourself in situations that leave you scratching your head and wondering if you’ve accidentally enrolled in a comedy show. Here are some hilarious adventures of a student in a foreign land that might just help you in your own adventures abroad:
The Language Barrier Challenge:
You’ve spent months practising the local language, and you’re confident you can handle any situation. Until, of course, you find yourself in a heated debate with a street vendor about the weather. Apparently, you’ve been using a word for “rain” that actually means “unicorn” in the local dialect. At least it’s a conversation starter!
Navigating Public Transportation:
Getting around in a foreign city should be straightforward, right? Well, not when you’re trying to decipher a subway map that looks like it was created by an abstract artist on a caffeine high. You confidently board a train, only to realize that you’re now en route to a place you can’t even pronounce, and it’s nowhere near your intended destination.
Cultural Food Fiascos:
Trying local cuisine is a highlight of studying abroad. You bravely order something from the menu that’s covered in unpronounceable ingredients. It arrives looking like an avant-garde art piece, and you have no idea how to eat it. You end up using your hands, chopsticks, and a fork simultaneously, hoping that one of them will lead to food in your mouth.
Sudden Expertise in Charades:
Communication challenges often lead to impromptu games of charades. You find yourself in a pharmacy, miming your symptoms to a pharmacist who has a PhD in guessing games. Is that a cough or an interpretive dance of a dying swan? Who can tell?
The Misadventures of Public Restrooms:
Public restrooms in foreign countries can be an adventure of their own. You enter one and are faced with a high-tech toilet that seems to have more buttons than your smartphone. You press one, hoping it will flush, but suddenly, water jets shoot out from all directions, and you’re left feeling like you’ve unwittingly stepped into a futuristic water park.
The Lost-in-Translation Essay:
You’re tasked with writing an essay in a foreign language, and you decide to use an online translator to speed things up. What could go wrong? Well, apparently, “My favourite hobby is reading books” becomes “My beloved pastime is eating paperbacks,” leaving your professor to question your commitment to literary cannibalism.