Talking the untalkble

So, ladies and gentlemen I want to tell you what happend to me, about two weeks ago or less. It is an experience that has deeply marked me because from that day on I am more than sure that people could understand each other even if all the words from the world will vanish like a dandelion in the night wind. People will always find a way to express their thoughts and to make their voices heard. 

What happend? Well, we (I mean, me and my roommate, Giorgiana) were at home, in the kitchen eating. It was about around ten in the morning, we were sipping our juice and grabbing our sandwiches, when  a knock at the door startled us. Why? Because all of our friends usually call if they are coming and the owner of the flat we live in, does the same. We live in a nice apartment in Solec street, just five minutes distance from the Warsaw University, but never mind that, going back to the point. 

At first, we thought that we imagined the knock, but soon there were more persistent noises coming from the main door. We looked through the eyehole and saw a middle aged man with a blue cap on his head. He started to babble something in polish. 

We opened the door and greeted him with a big and surprised smile. He immediately got to the point, obviously in polish. We didn't understant a word he said and responded in english, but he did not speak this language. We used our hard artileria, took the dusty polish words that we knew, from the closet and uttered to him: "Nie mowic po polsku" which means "I do not speak polish". This time he answered "Rozumiem", word that means "I see or I understand". The fact that he acknowledged the language bariere between us did not stop him to come inside and to start to show us that he was from the water company. He kept pointing to the waters pipes in the kitchen and then at his dark blue uniform. He had an ID that proved his profession (or that's what we presumed that the card said:))). 

I felt like in a movie. A Charlie Chaplin film. No one talks, but the people do the best to show the other person what he (in this case) / she needs.  Not being able to fully comprehend what he was saying, we decided to call the owner. To let them sort it all out. The only problem was we did not have any credit:))). Finally, we found a phone with some money on it and called, Krzysztof, the landlord. They talked for a while and after this, Krzysztof informed us that the man was here in order to change the water meters.

In Poland there is this rule that says that after five years of usage every apartment has to have the meters changed. Change away, we said!

What happend next was like in a movie as well, more people came in the house because the guy made a call to his collegues and, soon, the place was full. They started to move the furniture in the kitchen, made us move all of our stuff, took and replaced  something at the pipes (I have no idea, what:)))) and the job was done. 

We could breathe easily. What a joke!
No, after they were done with the kitchen, they started "excavating" the bathroom. Did some changes to a water panel, talked a lot among themselves and left, leaving us with all the mess to clean up:))).
It was not such a big thing and we found the entire experience really funny. Especially, the looks on thier faces when we were talking in my native language, respectively, romanian. The only communication exchange we did, was the non-verbal one. We smiled, they smiled, we waved goodbye, they did the same:))).

This was episod one. The sequel is even funnier.

After a week since the repair, a woman knocked at the door. I opened. She started to speak really fast. I will write only the words that I managed to catch "Prosze pani" ( I am sorry, miss), "domu"(house), "woda" (water) and the rest sounded in my head like the cries of a baby. I used my famous phrase again ("Nie mowic po polsku"- I do not speak polish:))). She looked at me with pity and turned her back. I thought she was going home, but she came back, in like 15 seconds, with what seemed to be her son. He was young, tall, blue eyed and blonde and judging from his apparence I was more than sure that he was in highschool. My heart filled with joy. "YES, someone who can speak english ", wrong again:)). This kid knew only few words. I tried to explain him that I do not understand what the woman wants from me, but we just couldn't reach an agreement.

Seeing this is giving no result, the woman went practical. From what I have experienced, polish people are really practical:)). She took my by the hand and made me follow her into the basement. At first, I was a bit concerned. The basement is no place for having conversation, but what the heck, I went along. 

We passed through a weak iluminated corridor, there were a lot of old and locked doors down here. We stoped in front of one door, there was water on the floor and Like all the rest it was lock. She pointed to the lock, then to the water, so I understood. That was the basement that belonged to our flat and there was a water leak.

We went back up. She was signaling me with her hands that something need to be done (probably). At this point I asked her if she spoke french:))). Again no. She waved at me and I went back to my apartment. After five minutes, she was at the door again. She brought me a note that said "arriver plombeur" - to call the plumber. I could not stop laughing, she Googled how you say that in french, just to make me understand. 

I noded my head that I will take care of the problem, but she looked unsecure of my intentions. She went at her door, shouted and soon...tanananana. Another boy, blonde and blue eyed as well, that seemed to be seven or eight came out. This one spoke better english and assured her that I understood what she wanted and that I would call the owner and fix the issue. This time she was happy and left with a smile.

The next day, the " water people" came again. It seems thay made a mistake the first time they replaced the water meters:)).  Now the apartment has no water problems, but the owner told us that before winter fully comes, the heaters will need to be changed:))) so I will get to non-verbal communicate some more:))).

Why did I tell you this?

Firstly, because it is quite funny. Just picture, two scared faces staring at another scared face. Making desperate signs to each other, pointing to the objects just to give the right message. It was like watching a movie with no sound:))).

Secondly, because this experience showed me that polish people are very nice, kind and most of all, persistent persons, driven by their goals. If something needs to be done, they do it!

And, thirdly, because this made my understand the importance of non-verbal communication. In the theory of communication they say that more than 60% of what we say is non-verbal, but I didn't belive in this. Now, I do!

I strongly think that even in the most forgotten parts of the world, if there are two people who do not have any connections, they will find one. That's all! More, when the heaters will be changed:))).