Funny, is not often an adjective to describe Afghanistan

Funny, is not often an adjective to describe Afghanistan. However, many Afghans of foreigners in the war and launched it raised an unexpected sense of humor.

Afghans throughout the country to tell anecdotes NATO troops about confrontation. The best of these packages, share, and sometimes interesting, a half sad story, told in the form of a warm Wanchai or picnic, Jishou, Huaihua. Sometimes laughing, sometimes bitter tone told to tell these stories is often a culture, after 11 years of international intervention, accidents still occur with alarming frequency and misunderstanding.

Provinces, it seems that these stories have its own changes. Here, I will share what I have heard, in Bamiyan, Kabul and Kandahar City, to meet with local entrepreneurs. All of these are based on - or my informant told me that - based on actual events.

However, even if they are apocryphal, these Afghans are speaking on the description of the foreigners in everyday conversation - not around when foreigners.

1. Disproportionate response

Beautiful with electronic Amir, Afghanistan's first national park, a 18-year-old high school student from the octahedral centers on the coast more than a picnic smiled and told me this story:

One day, the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team lunch with some of the local village for the elderly. At the end of the meal, they want to thank their host. On behalf of the team, one of whom said: "Thank you for your hospitality and the food was delicious."

But interpreted confused. He translated: "Thank you for your great food we will build you a hospital."

The elders were surprised, but happy. But not so much the hospital, never realized.

Later, I shared who works, NATO and a friend. He shook his head. "This is serious," he said. "I grabbed my translation make the same mistake in the last week Kundi.

2. "Not on the agenda!"

A colleague in Kabul, who works in the collection of non-governmental organizations, media training, language mistakes sharing. This time is the most memorable.

Afghan government officials, a routine visit to a U.S. military trainer his guidance. He was very excited, because just delivered a new computer, he wanted to hear how the device works.

The trainers have a thick Southern accent, apparently, find it difficult to understand his translation.

"How to?" The teacher asked.

"How is your sister?" Translation, translation.

Government officials is apparent anger, confusion of the United States: "My sister! Who asked my sister!" Translated translated into English, the official response, but said "the system" rather than "sister".

Trainer: "ah, your system! We just provide a new computer system."

Translation of the translation: "Yeah, your sister you have a beautiful sister."

Afghanistan, yelled: "You'd better stop talking about my sister!" Interpreters remains poor communication, and again told the U.S. official said: "system".

Trainer: "Hey, relax! Which is on the agenda."

Afghanistan, gasped: "My sister is most definitely not on the agenda," he stormed out.

U.S. confused. Interpreters shrugged.

3. Best ever

I, I went to visit a friend in Kandahar City about these anecdotes. Have a good laugh, a problem shared by friends. "This is absolutely correct," he said, "because my friend explained!

As early as in 2004, an official in Kandahar airport hired a number of local residents to do some manual labor. When the staff arrived, the officer instructed his translation: "OK, tell them, get their shovels and start working, I'll be back in an hour."

Interpreters think this is a strange request, but he translated it: "OK, he said to go to the shower, back in an hour."

As a result, the workers went to the local bathhouse. When the officer returned, he asked angrily translation, "all the men gone?"

"They went to the bathhouse, translate the answer.

Officials furious. "Why would they do that?"

"Well, because you told them ..."

The officials suddenly understood what had happened. He grabbed a shovel, fierce explanation. "Scoop shovel I said, do not take a bath!"

At least in this story, a moment of understanding and confrontation can be avoided. However, all of these stories so that I do not know how many times the hospital unexpectedly promised? Often this mistranslation lead to bad blood? We may never know.