Me and the Translator

Probably ... I give this more attention than it needs, in Dutch we say maybe it's: “**een scheet in een fles” but... I must write this post because I was a little embarrassed.

I placed a comment on Jen's comment* in her blog, but because the translator deceived me, the joke that I made there... became a real blunder.

Maybe I am an "old tart" but, in the first place... I interpreted what she said correct! I know what "to break up" means, I don't need the translator for this but her comment came so suddenly, it was so unexpected that I started to doubt myself. Therefore I consulted the translator with the result that I made a fool of myself.

My problem is that I can say it in English and of course my conjugations are probably not always correct but I need the translator to check my spelling. I also need sometimes the dictionary because one word can have so many meanings.

Let me say.... the translator and I... we supplement each other but, today I would give him: "een stamp onder zijn gat**"! He fooled me!

From now on... if I have doubts ... I am only going to follow my own intuition.

The translator will never have the same capacity to translate as the human brain .... even not as that of an old lady!.

Do you think that “that" will ever be possible? Do you think that the translator might ever “reason” as a human brain?

I don't!

PS: * if you are interested look for my comment in Jen's post on July 14. ( Update: Jen's blog exists no longer.)

** I invite you to use the translator! Could you find out what it really means?

America... Here we Were!

To day, July the fourth.... now 30 years ago we were at this place!

Probably you shall not recognize the place, it's a small village called Sweetwater. It's situated in the state Tennessee and it lies in the environment of Chattanooga and Knoxville.

There we experienced independence day with a real American parade! (see pictures)

I almost can't believe that it's already so long ago!

We made this trip to America with a special reason.

My husband had been in the U.S for the company he was working for and he was interested to emigrate to America!

I was not so keen at it because, we had bought only a few years before a property ( a penthouse). If we would move to the U.S then we had to leave everything behind! Therefore we made this trip to have a little fore taste of America!

First we flew to New York and with a rented car we drove to New Orleans. There we experienced hurricane Bob!

From there we took a plane to Los Angeles. Again we rented a car to drive to San Fransisco. From there we flew to New York and afterwards we flew back home to Europe. (I hope that you could follow this)! We visited many places, the whole tour took 32 days!

It was a very exciting experience and now it's still a beautiful memory!

Maybe ....I will write a post about this tour some day.

Because at that moment, there were still too many uncertainties and headaches, we decided not to emigrate. In fact we have never had regret of that decision because, starting all over in an other country is not always without risks and also, my husband had a good job here in Belgium!

He worked with much pleasure for this same company till his pension.

He had a beautiful career!

Now, we are sure that we made the right decision then and we are still happy to live in Belgium!

PS: The boy on the forefront is my son. Do you recognize me on the picture?