The Language of Language (Tena, Ecuador)

As I sit beside a small Christmas tree in a town located within the outskirts of the Amazon Jungle, I ponder about multiple conversations about language.

Talks of talks, accents, body languages, varying expressions and words, phrases, conjugations, numerous mother tongues, onomatopeias (sp?), and of course... learning Spanish.

It's a common conversation within the backpacking community. Sometimes humorous and interesting, and at times exhausting and repetitive. Nonetheless, it is still an important topic. Especially the whole learning Spanish part. My progress continues, slowly it surely. I can definitely understand a lot more when people are talking or explaining something to me. I'm confident enough in it that the other day, Jimmy and myself went repelling and sliding down waterfalls (a fantastic and exhilarating little adventure all in itself) and I took all the guides instructions in Spanish. At one point he was talking about my "lifeline cord" and I didn't really grasp every word but I was too shy to ask him to repeat it. Meh... I survived, I was in good hands.

I digress. I am still quite envious of other travelers that can speak 3 or more languages fluently. English is always a common language and I feel guilty and/or privileged at times to have it as my first. Other travelers must speak English and Spanish, regardless if it is their mother tongue or not.

At times I'll be in a group and we will have 3 or more languages going at once, people switching back and forth, with the snap of their fingers. At times, someone will go on and on with me in a language I don't know (French or German) for example, and only a few sentences later will they realize what language they're speaking in.

Jimmy told me today that I speak spanish with a constant ummmmm at all of my sentences. It's me trying to translate in my head. Ugh... not easy stuff.

Anyway, I may be off the the jungle for a 3 or 4 day tour. I'll be disconnected with the cyber world, but hopefully connected to nature and some form of indigenous life, hopefully authentic and not like people in a zoo. Tours can be annoying at times, but I'm not gonna trek the amazon by myself I guess. Ugh, I hate Mosquitos... I'm dreading them!