8. Calling call centres and choosing the English option. 9. Reading out English advertisements on street hoardings. 10. Reading simple English novels. I whistled.‘ It’ s a different approach,’ she said. She walked me through the ten steps and spoke non-stop for a few minutes, explaining each step.
‘ And last, reading simple English novels, like, the one by that writer, what’ s his name, Chetan Bhagat,’ she said, ending her monologue.
I watched her face, pretty as always. Do not fall for her again, I screamed in my head.‘ So, let us start. Talk to me in English.’ I switched to English. The English I knew at that time, that is.‘ I am... very... thankful... for your making the list... for learning the
English,’ I said.‘ Thank you for making this list of steps to learn English,’ Riya said.
She spoke in a calm voice, without sarcasm or judgement.‘ Yes, same thing only.’‘ So instead of“ same thing only”, say“ I meant the same”,’ Riya said.‘ I will correct you sometimes. It is not that I don’ t understand you. I just want to make sure you say it right.’‘ Thanks,’ I said.‘ Now that one word was correct.’ I laughed. She made me talk to the waiter in English. I did fine, since the waiter’ s English was worse than mine. She didn’ t correct me when the waiter was around anyway.‘ And sweet... later,’ I said as he left us.‘ We will order the sweet dish later,’ Riya said,‘ or, dessert instead of sweet dish.’‘ Desert? Like Rajasthan desert?’ I said.‘ D. E. S. S. E. R. T. Different word, same sound.’‘ I hate that about English. Hindi doesn’ t have that problem.’
8. Calling call centres and choosing the English option. 9. Reading out English advertisements on street hoardings. 10. Reading simple English novels. I whistled.‘ It’ s a different approach,’ she said. She walked me through the ten steps and spoke non-stop for a few minutes, explaining each step.
‘ And last, reading simple English novels, like, the one by that writer, what’ s his name, Chetan Bhagat,’ she said, ending her monologue.
I watched her face, pretty as always. Do not fall for her again, I screamed in my head.‘ So, let us start. Talk to me in English.’ I switched to English. The English I knew at that time, that is.‘ I am... very... thankful... for your making the list... for learning the
English,’ I said.‘ Thank you for making this list of steps to learn English,’ Riya said.
She spoke in a calm voice, without sarcasm or judgement.‘ Yes, same thing only.’‘ So instead of“ same thing only”, say“ I meant the same”,’ Riya said.‘ I will correct you sometimes. It is not that I don’ t understand you. I just want to make sure you say it right.’‘ Thanks,’ I said.‘ Now that one word was correct.’ I laughed. She made me talk to the waiter in English. I did fine, since the waiter’ s English was worse than mine. She didn’ t correct me when the waiter was around anyway.‘ And sweet... later,’ I said as he left us.‘ We will order the sweet dish later,’ Riya said,‘ or, dessert instead of sweet dish.’‘ Desert? Like Rajasthan desert?’ I said.‘ D. E. S. S. E. R. T. Different word, same sound.’‘ I hate that about English. Hindi doesn’ t have that problem.’