I am learning Portuguese. That’s the phrase I have memorized, saying it over and over in my head as I walk through the city. European Portuguese is not an easy language to learn, especially for the over 50 gal who occasionally forgets why she walked into a room. But I’m trying.
Anyway, in addition to being a part-time language student, many of you know I am also a knitter. Exhibit A, the last pair of socks I finished.
I call these my traveling socks, because I knit them over a several-month period, in six different countries, with a huge gap of time between each sock while we moved to Portugal. I started knitting a new pair this week at Tofa.
I know, I talk about Café Tofa in every post, but it really is a wonderful place. When I first started going there for my morning coffee, I sat in a corner in the back, listening but never speaking, glad the owner spoke English. I started practicing my order in Portuguese, repeating it on my walk there, nervous. The owner, whose name I didn’t even know, would gently correct my pronunciation, but seemed pleased I was trying.
We recently had a breakthrough, during a quiet, late morning visit. The owner was sitting at the table in front of mine, working through a paper inventory list. I was knitting. We struck up a conversation, during which I learned her name is Paula, she lives near the store, and has a son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter who are, as she says, her life. I told her about me and Lisa, our decision to move to Braga, and my struggle with the language. She said, in slightly broken English, that we were welcome here. “You come here and we will help you, anytime.”. Her kindness was overwhelming. I didn’t realize how much I needed a new connection. She introduced me to a few other locals and translated for us. Grateful doesn’t even begin to describe it. There may have been happy tears on my walk home.
Now, I’m a regular. I practice a new Portuguese phrase on my walk to the café. Yesterday’s was Estou a tricotar meias. (I am knitting socks.) I wave and offer a bom dia greeting, and have finally graduated to a “usual” order. Paula says we will now speak only in Portuguese, so that I continue to improve. Please keep me in your thoughts. 😬
Oh, I almost forgot! João the rooster has arrived in our home! I put him next to my yarn swift.
I hope you are all having an educational week. 📚
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