Sometimes there are things you do that makes you feel stupid. Especially when even in your second language you're unable to solve even the simplest of problems. And when you're called out on it, all you can do is hope that it gets laughed off and people move on.
It's no secret that I have bad luck with air conditioners. When I was at my old apartment, I was fighting for a month to get my air conditioner fixed. So when I was looking at my current apartment MacGyver, my housing agent, turned on the air to make sure I knew it was actually working before I agreed to take the apartment.
Months later, it's hotter than hell in June, and I go to turn on the air conditioner in the living room, and nothing happens. I went to my bedroom to turn on that air, and nothing happens. And it seems to be getting hotter and hotter by the minute.
First, I send my LP a WeChat message. All of the buttons are in Chinese. I can read Chinese, but my reading isn't all that great. I can read fairly simple sentences. A lot of other features I figure out by pressing buttons and seeing what happens. She gives me a quick lesson on what buttons to use. Still, nothing happens. I change the batteries to one remote, nothing happens. The other remote, I can't figure out if it's batteries or not, so I don't touch it for now.
Next, I check the fuse box to see if maybe there's a special switch I have to turn on for the air. I flip the switch, and one of the machines works! My living room has air! But what about the bedroom?! Nothing!
I do the next thing I have to do. I call my landlady. She was in a meeting, so she couldn't get there right away. But when she does, she brings her husband. The first thing the husband does is open the batteries and change them. Suddenly my air conditioner works again.
I'd never felt so embarrassed as I was when my landlady's husband changed out the batteries. I have no idea how many times I apologized for wasting their time on something so simple.
Moral of the story: No matter how good you think you are at a second language, even the simple things will throw you off.
Amen sister!
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