Host father:Hey, Nina, I'm sorry but we're not going to be home tonight. We cannot eat the Spanish food you prepared for us.
Nina:Yes, K. told me that you had something going on.
H. F.:Yes, we have a "bank quit"
Nina (without understanding what was going on):Ahhh... Well, it's fine.
H.F. (to her daughters):Come on, girls, get ready!
Nina:Mmmhh... Where have you said you are going to?
H.F.:A "bank quit".
Nina:A "bank quit"? What's a "bank quit"?
H.F.:Well, there is food and stuff. You know, we are done with the diving season and we are having a gathering. It's a "bank quit".
Nina (without getting the word, but thinking that there is food):Ok. So... (wondering if I had to cook my Crema Catalana another day or if I should start doing it straight away) Am I coming?
H.F.:Yes.
Daughters (they are 4 and almost 3 years old):You have to wear a dress.
Nina (thinking "How weird, they go to the bank to eat and have a gathering and pay their bills and they wear dresses??):A dress?
H.F.:Well, you'll be fine.
I go and get changed, because I had flour stains on my T-shirt.
Daughters:You are not wearing a dress?!
Nina:No...
Daughters:We are wearing a dress.
Nina:I see... Do you want me to wear a dress?
Daughters:Yes.
Nina:Well, I guess I could get changed again... But I'm going to wear a dress with jeans.
So that's what I did. And I got ready to go. Once in the car...
Nina:So how do you call this thing?
H.F.:A "bank quit"
Nina (not getting it):How do you spell it?
H.F.:B - A- N - Q - U - E - T
Nina (not visualizing the word yet):B - A - N - K Q - U - I - T?
H.F.:No, B - A - N - Q - U - E - T. It comes from the French, I think. It is something like "bankué".
Nina (starting to see the light):Oh, "banquet"!!!! Now I understand it!! It's the same word in Catalan!! But you pronounce it so different! In French is pronounced "banké". Yes, now I know...
Half an hour later I understood where were we going. At least, I understood it before arriving there! Slow but funny. Sounds can trick you!
