So, what do you do?
In Ecuador:
So, do you have a boyfriend? Are you married?
When do you want to get married?
How many kids do you want to have?
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
I had a conversation with one of the Tías yesterday:
“Do you have a boyfriend?” I asked.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because there are no men! They’re all married, with children.” She said smiling.
“How old are you?”
“30.”
“And they’re all married with kids already?”
Jen actually got tired of answering the boyfriend question one night to a cab driver and made up a whole story of how she was married to an Ecuadoran. She made up how they met, what he does for work, and their last name. The next night she went to the airport to pick me up and happened to get the same taxi driver who proceeded to refer to her as that Ecuadoran name and ask about her husband.
While gardening I was asked the same questions by the gardener.
“So, how was your time gardening?” asked Jen.
“Very good!” I replied.
“What’d you talk about?”
“Just small talk: am I married, when do I want to get married, how many kids do I want to have…”
In the States, and many other places, I think those questions are classified as personal. But then again, do most people really want to talk about their jobs?
Family size and living situations are also points of contrast.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
“Just one.”
“Only two!”
“Yeah, it’s good! How many do you have?”
“Nine. “
“Wow.”
“Do you live with your parents?” the Tía asked me.
“Nope. I live with 3 friends.”
“Really? From what age?”
“Well, since I went to college I haven’t lived with my parents.”
“And your brother?”
“He lives in an apartment, alone.”
“And how old is he?”
“22. He likes it!”
“I would live with my mother forever!”
Interesting....
“Because there are no men! They’re all married, with children.” She said smiling.
“How old are you?”
“30.”
“And they’re all married with kids already?”
Jen actually got tired of answering the boyfriend question one night to a cab driver and made up a whole story of how she was married to an Ecuadoran. She made up how they met, what he does for work, and their last name. The next night she went to the airport to pick me up and happened to get the same taxi driver who proceeded to refer to her as that Ecuadoran name and ask about her husband.
While gardening I was asked the same questions by the gardener.
“So, how was your time gardening?” asked Jen.
“Very good!” I replied.
“What’d you talk about?”
“Just small talk: am I married, when do I want to get married, how many kids do I want to have…”
In the States, and many other places, I think those questions are classified as personal. But then again, do most people really want to talk about their jobs?
Family size and living situations are also points of contrast.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
“Just one.”
“Only two!”
“Yeah, it’s good! How many do you have?”
“Nine. “
“Wow.”
“Do you live with your parents?” the Tía asked me.
“Nope. I live with 3 friends.”
“Really? From what age?”
“Well, since I went to college I haven’t lived with my parents.”
“And your brother?”
“He lives in an apartment, alone.”
“And how old is he?”
“22. He likes it!”
“I would live with my mother forever!”
Interesting....
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