Broken Family

Having just finished my second week of Intensive Czech class, I have newfound respect for myself. Seeing how difficult Czech is to learn, I wonder How the hell did I ever learn Spanish? Until this point in my life, I have never truly appreciated my Spanish abilities.

When people hear that I speak Spanish, they all ask the same question.
Most people: "Are you fluent?"
Me: "Hardly. I only know a little."

I realize now that that's bullshit--and that I need to stop being modest. Compared to my Czech abilities, I am fluent, and only because I can say, "I do my homework" (Yo hago mi tarea) and "My father's name is Brad" (Mi padre se llama Brad).

This is the sad thing about Czech. I have been learning the language for two weeks, and I have yet to learn how to say, "dad," "father," or even "husband to my mother who is the reason I am born." None of this. Mother, yes, sister, yes, even boyfriend I have learned, but somehow my Czech education has glossed over the word father.

I am fairly certain that I am the only student in the class who seems to have missed the father memo, though I can never be certain because, to tell the truth, if they were saying the word "father" I wouldn't understand. For all I know they could be saying "I play basketball with the my drug dealer" or "I live at home with my mom, my brother, my sister, and the milkman."

Because of this, I am convinced Jana, my Czech teacher, thinks I come from some broken home, where any mention of a man, or father figure even, is something that's just not done. In class we had to answer the question, "Koho mám ráda?" (Who do you like?). Because of my ignorance, I had to respond to the question, "Mám ráda moje maminku, moje sestru, moje kluk, a Obamu" (I like my mother, my sister, my boyfriend, and Obama). And when I am posed the question, "Who do you telephone?" I can only simply answer, "Telefonuju moje maminku" (I telephone my mother) or else, "Telefonuju domu" (I telephone home).

Saying that I telephone home would be the easiest bet at this point to ensure that all my bases are covered when it comes to including my father, but I worry that the damage has been done. Already my teacher has it in her mind that I have been raised by a lone woman and that father figures don't factor into my life. Therefore (tak), when I say maminku or maminka, I say it to mean "parents" rather than just mother.

I hope you're not offended.


PS--Dad, maminku, congrats on the new job :)