In the last couple days, I've realized that a few common words I have been using very frequently in the last week have been wrong. I now think that my neighborhood is convinced that there is no hope for this poor buleh's language to get any better.
For example, the word "pulang" means to go home. When you pass by people on the streets here, they ask "Ke mana?" which literally means, "Where are you going?" They're not really trying to be nosy; that's just the phrase they use like we use, "How are you?" So, naturally, I have replied in several variations to who knows how many people, "Saya palang", which I thought meant, "I'm going home." Turns out, "palang" means bulletin board! But all my neighbors have been so gracious to me. None of them have laughed at me...or tried to correct me, which is both a nice thing and a bad thing. Oh well. Now I know. It's scary to think about how many other words I've misspoken to my neighbors! Hopefully nothing bad!!
On a positive note, I have been able to speak with many many of the people who live in our neighborhood this week!!! And more than 10 second awkward conversations too! I was invited into a handful of homes for conversation, which was such a fun treat! The people here are so generous and hospitable. Another positive thing--I counted my words (not one by one, just a rough estimate), and I've been taught almost 700 words!! I think I know maybe 500 :) Doesn't mean they all come to my brain in a conversation, but if they're printed out on a page, I can tell you what they mean. So exciting!!
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