Hernán and the mom

Last Friday, after school, a mom asked if she could talk to me.  She's from Phoenix and we had spoken about a week earlier.  She's in the middle of a separation and divorce and is looking for work as an English teacher, so she asked how I got my job.

Anyway, this day she came to talk about books.  She had not bought books because she was not working and her husband was only paying for necessities (food).  She asked if she could have a copy of the books to get a copy made (since that would be so much cheaper).  I of course obliged since there is no copyright law here and since my heartstrings were being tugged.  Christian is in first grade and Michael is in 4th.  

Hernán had to wait to lock up the room on Friday as she was giving me the whole spiel (more than I wanted to know, but I don't think she has anyone to talk to).  Her third child, a baby, was born early, so she didn't make it back to Phoenix to have her.  She is a Mexican citizen.  Her other two were born in Phoenix.  She wants desperately to go back, but she'd have to leave the baby here and of course the husband is not willing to go to Hermosillo (not sure how far away, but in our state of Sinaloa) to get all the paperwork signed, keeping her here.  

Today during recreo, the women who were from supervision that had come to school to do the reading testing/teaching were chatting at the table.  I was listening and Hernán asked me if I understood.  He talks so often with his mouth closed.  Then wonders why I don't understand.  Then he takes the sentence apart, word for word and asks me if I know what those words mean.

Of course if you say it slowly, clearly, word for word I know what it is.  But when you mumble it, it's a bit harder.  So he asked if I understood the ladies and I told him the truth.  "Yes.  I understand."  "Everything?" he asks.  "No, but I get the main idea.  I hardly ever understand everything."  

Then he starts asking me about the woman I was talking to on Friday.  Did she speak English?  How was her English?

I told him at least four times that she was from Phoenix.  "Does she speak English like you?  Perfectly, like you?"

Yes, Hernán!

"Yes, she does.  Just like me.  She was born in Phoenix.  She grew up in Phoenix.  She has always spoken English."

"Oh, because her Spanish.  She sounds like you.  Her English is good, though?"

I wanted to drop him on any street in the US and ask him if he spoke English.  If he understood every word.  If he spoke flawlessly without accent.

He just doesn't get it.

I understand that he shouldn't since he's never traveled or tried to speak English in the US, but goodness, Hernán!