Dinner with Uncle Siegfried

Omi1's brother Siegfried and his wife are over from Germany and yesterday we went out for dinner at a greek place in Hamilton. We being me, Mom, Dad, Omi, Craig2, Uncle Siegfried, Uncle Siegfried's wife. Siegfried took a course in English for seniors back in Germany. He says that he though he was pretty good at English until he came to Canada. Now he realizes he hardly speaks it at all.

It was fun trying to see how much I could understand using my high school German. I was feeling pretty good about myself because I could understand everything my Mom says in German. Of course this was because a)she was speaking half-English b)she does actions with her hands and c)I know what my Mom is going to say. Understanding Siegfried was a little trickier. My Mom translated what he said. She even translated when he spoke English. Sure Uncle Siegfried has an accent but, Mom, I can understand English. My Mom's crazy.

Craig whispered in my ear periodically "What are they saying?" Sometimes I knew the gyst of the conversation and told him. Most of the time I had no clue (unless they were talking about the weather, colours, or numbers, I was pretty much at a loss).

Anyway, now seems like a good time to tell you a song that I remember from German class.

ICH BIN AUSLANDER3
(sung to the tune of "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain")

ich bin auslander und spreche nicht gut deutsch
ich bin auslander und spreche nicht gut deutsch
bitte langsam, bitte langsam
bitte spreche sie doch langsam
ich bin auslander und spreche nicht gut deustch

ich bin auslander und spreche nicht gut deustch
ich bin auslander und spreche nicht gut deustch
ich versteh' nicht, was sie sagen
ich versteh' nicht, was sie sagen
ich bin auslander und spreche nicht gut deutsch.

1. Omi means grandma in German. Everyone calls her "Omi" regardless of whether they are related to her or not. My friends who have met my grandmother tell tales about her to this day. She is quite a character.
2. My brother. I also have a sister named Robin but she had to stay home with Hunter (her son). Plus she didn't want to come anyway because: a)She had a friend over and b)Omi is always going on and on about how I am her favourite grandaughter.
3. Basically this song means: "I'm a foreigner and don't speak very good German. Please speak slowy. I don't understand what you're saying."