Saturday, January 1, 2011

The conversation I have every time I take a taxi in Diego

Here in Diego I take taxis quite frequently. Whenever I head home from downtown after dark, I take a taxi home, and also when I don't want to arrive to my destination all sweaty. So that's a lot. But this is the conversation that I have basically everytime I take a taxi (please note that a taxi will have as many passengers as possible across town. They are always letting someone off or picking someone up, so in the course of one ride you can be riding with 5 or so different people):

Me: I need to go to the university.
Driver: Ok. Let's go.
Me: *crack some corny circumstansial joke (usually weather or pace of taxi business related)*
Other passenger: Wow, you can speak Malagasy well.
Me: Oh yes, I have lived here for a long time.
Other passenger: Really? How long?
Me: Two years.
Other passenger: Yes, that's a long time. Where are you from?
Me: I am from the United States.
Driver: Everyone from the United States is good at speaking Malagasy, and they learn it very quickly.
Me: Yes, Americans study hard.
Other passenger: French people don't speak Malagasy.
Me: I know, French people don't speak Malagasy.
Driver: French people are lazy. Americans are hardworking.
Other passenger: I like Americans. I don't like French people.
Me: Hahaha.
Other passenger: When will you go home to America.
Me: Very soon.
Other passenger: Why? Madagascar is good. You should stay.
Me: I can't, my mom and boyfriend miss me.
Driver / Other passenger: hahhahaha.
Driver / Other passenger: Will you marry me?
Me: No.

Pretty much everyday.

Happy New Years!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

PCVs speak the language. American tourists don't make it a habit to learn the language of the countries they visit. And they are usually much more arrogant than other tourists. You should have explained this to them.