Dan’s girlfriend’s whole family is from Greece. Whenever he’s with them, they speak to each other in Greek in front of him. And he knows they’re talking about him. She thinks he just needs to learn Greek, but he doesn’t see why he has to. What would you do if everyone around you were speaking to each other in Greek and you thought they might be talking about you.
Jonathan: I’m not sure, but I think panic actually is a Greek word. We’ve got Dan on with us. Hey, Dan. So you have a bit of a problem with the language of love. Or the language of Greece? What’s going on?
Dan: So, my girlfriend, of about a year and a half going on two years now actually, she’s from a Greek family. And they’re off the boat from Greece.
Ayla: Okay.
Dan: They all speak Greek. The family does. And it’s kind of an issue.
Jonathan: Okay. Do they speak English too?
Ayla: Wait, why is it an issue?
Dan: They can. But when they’re with each other or I’m at the house or there’s a party going on and it’s her parents and all her family, they don’t speak to each other in English.
Ayla: Okay. I feel like that’s normal.
Dan: Yeah, yeah. They speak to me in English and everything, but speak to each other in Greek in front of me.
Ayla: Okay. Why?
Dan: Because I feel like they’re speaking about me.
Jonathan: Do they? Do they say your name?
Ayla: Yeah.
Jonathan: Oh. Oh my God. They point at you and say Dan and then other words in Greek?
Dan: Yeah. And then they’ll look at me and point and I can hear my name? I know they’re talking about me.
Ayla: Maybe it’s all good things, Dan. You don’t need to be so paranoid.
Jonathan: Maybe. Why wouldn’t they say it in English?
Dan: Exactly. What are they saying? And she just tells me don’t worry about it.
Jonathan: Are you kidding me?
Ayla: What’s wrong with that? What do you mean.
Jonathan: What’s wrong with that? She’s like, oh, don’t worry about it. They’re saying all sorts of things about him. Bastards. You’ve got a Scattergories pencil down there or something, you know? Who knows what they’re saying about him? I’m on his side on this.
Dan: So it’s not like I haven’t tried. I talked to her dad one time when we were alone. Would you guys mind speaking English around me because I feel like an outsider when you guys are talking. And he said no. He’s like, you know, this is the way that we talk. When I’m together with my family, we’re more comfortable talking in Greek than we are in English.
Ayla: So. Well, Dan, could you learn Greek?
Dan: Why do I have to? That’s exactly what my girlfriend said.
Jonathan: Yeah. By now. How long has it been?
Dan: Well, it’s almost been two years. But we’re just dating.
Ayla: Okay. But haven’t you seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding?
Dan: No.
Ayla: I love that movie.
Jonathan: He’s living it, though.
Ayla: Is it The Holiday or is it Love Actually, where he learns how to speak Portuguese and she learns how to speak English.
Dan: He learns how to speak Portuguese and in two weeks. Sure.
Ayla: Well then good. You could learn how to speak it in a year and a half.
Jonathan: It isn’t a romantic language, though. It’s not that. It’s not like learning Spanish.
Ayla: So Greek is a beautiful language. I’m just saying, Dan, I’m on her side. If you see a future, then you’re going to have to be in with her family and be a part of their life and their culture to a degree.
