The world of intercultural relations is an interesting one. The inherit problems created by mixing two completely different cultures are like atoms of an atom bomb. Alone they are harmless, but by putting so many together at once, the results could become devastating. There is various stereotyping that is done about different cultures, but not without good reason. Let me tell you about a story of two families that moved to America in search of a new life. One family was from Spain with the family name Penticello and one was from Israel with the last name Secher. The whole thing started when Mrs. Penticello and Mr. Secher were looking for an apartment to rent out and they bumped into each other in Queens while looking at the same apartment.
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“Lo siento senior,” Mrs. Penticello began apologizing. “Yo no puedo proporcionar este apartamento. Es mucho demasiado costoso.” An elegant English gentleman roughly translated that Mrs. Penticello told the agent who was trying to rent her the apartment that she could not afford the apartment because of its cost.
“Well then I simply cannot rent you this apartment Mrs. Pentikayo” the apartment owner explained as he tried to pronounce Mrs. Penticello’s name. “I can’t do less than $500 a month; no one in Queens can.”
*Knock, Knock* “Shalom! Sleechah, aval ani Shlomo Secher ve-ani shamaty et mah she-amart ve-ani hoshev she-anachnoo yecholim le-asot mashehoo.”
The translator said “Okay, enough! The Spanish was one thing, but I am not going to start translating some Middle-Eastern language for you guys. I’m leaving. Good-bye!” He closed his suitcase and walked out the door. Mr. Secher then explained that he overheard the conversation and that he was looking forward to making a deal with the young woman about having their families live in this small, cramped up apartment together because he does not have enough money to rent out an apartment either.
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“Lo siento senior,” Mrs. Penticello began apologizing. “Yo no puedo proporcionar este apartamento. Es mucho demasiado costoso.” An elegant English gentleman roughly translated that Mrs. Penticello told the agent who was trying to rent her the apartment that she could not afford the apartment because of its cost.
“Well then I simply cannot rent you this apartment Mrs. Pentikayo” the apartment owner explained as he tried to pronounce Mrs. Penticello’s name. “I can’t do less than $500 a month; no one in Queens can.”
*Knock, Knock* “Shalom! Sleechah, aval ani Shlomo Secher ve-ani shamaty et mah she-amart ve-ani hoshev she-anachnoo yecholim le-asot mashehoo.”
The translator said “Okay, enough! The Spanish was one thing, but I am not going to start translating some Middle-Eastern language for you guys. I’m leaving. Good-bye!” He closed his suitcase and walked out the door. Mr. Secher then explained that he overheard the conversation and that he was looking forward to making a deal with the young woman about having their families live in this small, cramped up apartment together because he does not have enough money to rent out an apartment either.
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