Cultural Funnies

From Brad.

It's scary what you can learn from T.V. Although many of you agree with this statement, it is especially true when it comes to learning a new language. I have a friend who has been working on his English. He can communicate with me pretty well, but it is certainly broken English at best. However, it was great the other day when he came in and dropped a 'that's dope' on me. No, he wasn't referring to the powdered sugar on the table, he was using an expression that some in the US use when they want to say 'that's really cool'. You see, he watched the entire season of Prison Break and subsequently bought the book with his local language and the English. Now he's been combing through the English to try to learn some new phrases. That one was definately new (not sure I have ever even heard it live). Then he noticed that one black guy on the show kept calling the main star (a white man) 'snowflake'. He asked, 'do you often call people that?' 'Should I use that?'

Secondly, the kids and I took a local friend to dinner the other night. We ordered some shrimp dumpings (among other things) and thought they were quite nice. After dinner, the kids wanted to see the aquariums. Many restaurants here have lots of aquariums inside so you can see (sometimes choose) the 'fresh' seafood they have available. Well as we made our way over there to say hi to the turtles, clams, and large-instestine-looking seafood something?!?, I noticed a shrimp tank. As I looked closer I noticed 90% of the shrimp were on the floor of the aquarium not moving a muscle. Sometimes its better just not to know.