James Cason, the United States Ambassador in Paraguay, is putting together a CD. He isn’t singing in his native tongue, though. He’s singing in Guarani, the national language of Paraguay.
“What I’ve been trying to do is show respect for Paraguay and for its culture,” James Cason told the BBC.
“The polls show that Paraguayans thought we didn’t respect their culture. I said, that’s not true and so that’s why before I even came to the country, I learned Guarani and I’ve been studying since then,” Mr Cason said.
“I’ve never been to a country where I can’t speak the language.”
Now this is something I can really respect. I live in Thailand, and I’m one of the few foreigners I hold relationships with that can speak Thai at a decent level. I don’t know how difficult Thai is in comparison to Guarni, but Mr. Cason says it is harder than Chinese.
“I think they’re just amazed and delighted that someone would take the time to learn a language which is probably harder than Chinese,”
Harsh reviews are saying his music is horrible, and even other politicians are getting in on the bashing, hissing at his pronounciation of Guarani words. That hasn’t stopped his music from being played on the radio. The citizens still blast it over the radio.
Ambassador James Cason’s folk music CD features covers of other famous folk songs, as well as one he composed himself. The lovely ambassador is even great enough to put profits toward English language tuition for the poorer students of Paraguay.
I appluad James act of kindness, and the fact that he speaks a foreign language. I honestly don’t believe anyone should be allowed to move into a country and not be able to hold a conversation with the locals. What is the point of moving to a foreign country and only speak with other alien citizens?
That is why I think all the beer-bellied, balding, “farang” (foreigners) people in Thailand should get expelled from the country . The only reason most of them stay is to have some Thai chick take all their money because their buffalo is sick. That’s another post for another day, though.
[via bbc]
