Is We Speak Now?

Interpreting what guests want is often a problem.

With hand gestures and rubbing of stomachs it can take over an hour to order a pizza!

We have had to 'phone the corner shop-owner, who can speak any language for help only to ascertain that the guest would like to go to sleep!

We have had a regular guest, Flavio from Brazil, and we have managed to communicate verbally very well. Not so, by e-mail.

Flavio is busy with contract work in Angola, flying in and out, and sometimes brings his mates with him. Sometimes, they are here without him.

Last Monday, I received an e-mail from Flavio:

Dear Joy: Good afternoon,

I notice on the day 10 will be coming to you from the Brazilian personnel who arrived in Luanda for Brazil, who will stay with you, all of them have already been instructed to arrive at the airport when connecting the balcony to picking Steven them at the airport, many of them do not speak English, but has already reported that Steven will make the change to Rands to pay the taxi that had led up to the airport. I asked everyone to show their e-tickets with the schedule the flight for Brazil to program the schedule of the taxi, please help them.

I will arrive on 14/12 at 18:25 and once landed, I called Steven.

Thank you and up to 14/12.

On the day of the e-mail 10 guests did not arrive at the airport. And on the 1Oth, there were no guests either.

Maybe, we can sort this out with Flavio, if he arrives on the 14th.

Maybe.

I need to add that I admire the guests who try to speak English as that is all I can speak, read and write.