seems to be quite the week for language and speech trouble…especially on America’s Next Top Model. Renee seems to be the only one who can carry on a semi-intelligent conversation…but no one wants to, since she’s proving herself to be the world’s largest bitch. Jael speaks (well, spoke, since Tyra kicked her sorry ass to the curb this week) like she’s fellating someone…all garbled and such. and Dionne is all “that’s coo! That’s coo!” Natasha, everyone’s favorite mail-order bride, suffers from a serious language barrier…among other things. but, seriously, her Aussie accent on top of her Russian accent trying to speak words in English made me pee my pants a little. and then there’s Brittany who suffers from short term memory loss and apparently can no longer read. sheesh…even Leonard in Memento could read!! and last but not least we have Jaslene. they can blame English being her second language all they want, but that girl has a serious speech impediment. she sounds like Marlee Matlin (and seriously no disrespect for the deaf) and it’s strange that someone who can hear speaks like she’s deaf. maybe she needs a Q-tip or something!!
anyway, that sure was a long and winded sequeway to get to my point this morning, which is exactly what the title says….i feel lost in translation.
i mentioned earlier in the week that my new nanny Michelle started working on Sunday. What a sweetheart. she’s the polar opposite of my other nanny. in probably every way you can imagine.
Jhoanne was very talkative and outgoing. Michelle is timid and shy and reserved.
Jhoanne couldn’t clean to save her life. Michelle is a cleaning machine. seriously, i leave a room and come back five minutes later and it’s clean! amazing!
Jhoanne was a party girl. she went out every night. she used her phone, her email, her tv etc. Michelle doesn’t. she doesn’t even have a phone yet! she goes to bed early and is up working before she’s supposed to be.
Jhoanne spoke English very, very well. Michelle, erm, not so much.
i’ve been having trouble assessing how it’s going. people keep calling and emailing me to ask me. and i totally appreciate it, i just don’t really have an answer. is it too soon to tell? maybe. is it because i’ve been on my own this week while my husband was in vegas? likely. is it because i’m stressed to begin with so the added stress of this is clouding my vision? 100%.
she’s so eager to please. i think she really wants to make it work. the thing is, though, the way this nanny agency works, the agent does all the interviewing and sends you a girl. a “quality girl” as she calls it. the agent convinces you that she will do a better job choosing someone great. but, i’ve got to be honest. had i interviewed Michelle before, i probably wouldn’t have hired her. not because i don’t like her and not because she won’t be a great nanny – she probably will. but because of the English skills.
she can carry on a great conversation with all three of my kids, which is great. but when she and i talk…i have no idea if she’s understanding what i say.
do any of you out there have nannies or caregivers who don’t have great English skills? any advice for me? i know she’s grasping at least some of what i’m telling her. and there are little things that i’m sure can be smoothed out along the way. for example, this week she was feeding Isabella cheese in the family room. i said, straight out, Isabella should ONLY be eating in her high chair. and since then, she’s only eaten in her high chair. (Michelle – 1, Jhoanne – 0)
but let me ask you….how do you know if it’s a good fit? the kids really like her…that should be a good sign, yes? i really like her….that should be another good sign, right? is it worth trying to smooth out the wrinkles and work through the language barrier? i don’t know! how do you know? was i just spoiled because Jhoanne’s English was so great?? do i just not remember what the beginning stages with Jho were like? i mean, you have the same nanny for three years and you develop some sort of rhythm, right?
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