Friday, August 01, 2008

Arabic blunder # 3

Don't you just hate it when people drive up to you when you've stopped at a red light, ask you for directions and you don't know what the hell they're talking about?
You see people ask me for directions ALL the time when im out driving. And I mean ALL the frikken time. I dunno is it the way I look or something? Do I exude some kinda superficial charm that I'm unaware of? Is there some kinda sign that makes people think "oh gee you know what I think i'll ask him, he looks like he knows everthing" ?? WTF man

Anyways this was back when I just got my driver's license after spending 2 weeks in that shitty excuse of a driving school (and people wonder why saudis can't drive). So its a hot summer night and I'm ready to go out somewhere. I stop at a red light and lo and behold a white landcrusier driven by some saudi in his 40's (as usual) pulls up next to me. He pulled down his window and motions to me. So being the good natured idiot that I am I pulled down my window to hear what he had to say. This is what ensued:

Him: Hala ya shabab. T3aref wen Abqaiq?

Now this was before I even knew any of the other cities in shargeya besides dhahran, khobar and dammam. I can't say "maafi maloom" again because I already tried that and I'm not afghani. So while trying to think of something to say I see across the road a bakery with the name "Bayt al Cake" in arabic. I dunno what happened but all of sudden I made this instant connection with "abqaiq" and "bayt al cake". So thinking I'm a genius I say with a smile on my face:

Me: Cake? Aha! Shoof cake hinak (pointing to the bakery)

The guy stares at the bakery for a minute and then looks back at me as if I was the strangest looking creature he had ever seen.

Him: Aghollak wen abqaiq. Ma t3aref?

Me: *shrugs* uhh la2.

Him: Tab gol hada! Ish feek? *drives off in a huff*

Of course now that I know lots of arabic if anyone asks me wheres abqaiq is I'll just say "Up your ass thats where you mofo! Ask somebody else!".

laterz.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL thanks for entertaining me in the wee hours of the morning :D

Duncan said...

...dats' d best thing to do...cheers!

SwaRwaR said...

LOL okay I think u know the directions of my home well :P

Reem B. said...

wow... anger!! anger!!

Well I don't blame you! They can really be annoying..


you know what's more annoying? A guy stopping you pretending that he's the most innocent creature on earth and plays the "lost kid in town"

And so you offer help and next thing you know is: HE JUST WANTS YOUR NUMBER AND HE'S NOT LOST! HE KNOWS THE TOWN BETTER THAN THOSE WHO BUILT IT! :S

;)

Worm said...

lmao!!
you should stop trying to help Saudis really.

SouS said...

haha, id love to hear you speak arabic.. but as i said before.. i have seen AND DONE worse:P

eshda3wa said...

hahahaaa

i have no sence of direction what so ever
next time im lost

ill make sure never to ask u!

A Walking Coffee Bean said...

hala hala b ra7eel

LMAO!! :D

well it aint the bad..
ease it up showeya
now u know better :)
in their faces!

listen man,
dont help saudis in white cars!:P
white cars are mostly chosen by..
(oh my, i dunnwanna say the B word)
b3deen ygoloo 3leeya 3on9oriya

dont help em! say u dont know!
dont put ur window down!!, pretend like u dont see em! lol
look 2 ur side, throw them an angry look "f---, ya want yo?! piss off" & then look ahead 2 the street again "i am not seeing you"!
kiddin. dont take my advices:P

Gloomy said...

Lol
I don’t know were this city a9ln.
I know its in the Eastern region but not sure where.

Note to self: Never ask Ren Crow for directions :P

Rimyoleta said...

that was funny Ren :)
So let me get this straight!
your not Saudi but you look like one so everyone is asking you about directions!
Why is that?!

Anonymous said...

Hahaha... 7ilwa...

ren_crow said...

8bitsofcoffee
It was my pleasure senorita *bows*

duncan
Eh I suppose so. Right back at ya me scurvy scalleywag!

swarwar
Huh? uhh what are you talking about...no I don't *looks around nervously*

canc3rian
Sheesh how annoying. I would never try an antic like that. So anyways since you're here would you like my email or what? :p

numbing charade
Thats exactly what I tell myself everyday. Alas my heart is far too big.

sous
I speak arabic like a bedouin. You really need to tell me one of your stories some day.

eshda3wa
*in jack sparrow voice* No problem me lassie. The next time you get lost I'll just consult my navigational compass...now if I can only get it to point north. Oh hmm and the rums all gone.

hebz
White cars are mostly driven by who?

gloomster
And if you're lucky you'll never have to know.

rimyoleta
I don't know it must be something in the coffee. And yes apparently to most saudis I look like I just stepped off the plane from lebanon or syria. Maybe the lebanese and the syrians are famed for their navigational skills? who knows..

likeairillrise
Thanks. And btw cute name.

Anonymous said...

LOL.. Is it really annoying being asked about directions? Think about how the person will always remember you as their guiding torch :p
I always make the driver ask random people about places I want to go, since I could get lost in our own house.. So once I was looking for AlRajhi bank and I made him memorize the phrase "Rajhi bank hareem" and ask every single man we pass, it was really funny cause no one would understand what he wanted to say, and eventually they'd speak to me directly. Okay must stop talking. Post more arabic blunders :p

Manutdfanatic said...

Ha. Ha.

A Walking Coffee Bean said...

bedouin :P

*sssshhhhh*

A Walking Coffee Bean said...

you do realize i have very weird theories in life :P

ren_crow said...

binkish
Interesting predicament. Your wish is my command!

manu
:p

hebz
yea i pretty much figured that out :p

A Global Citizen said...

LoL .. Abqaia=bayt el cake !!!!

I don't blame you, they do somehow sound alike.

Hilarious!

Anonymous said...

haha so funny
bayt el cake... so funny