When you live in a foreign country, there are constant verbal surprises. Here are a few of our recent favorites.
In French, bread is "pain" (you know, like au bon pain?) and sandwich is "sandwich." So this just says "Sandwich Bread" but it really sounds like something much more violent. It's like a knuckle sandwich taken to the next level.
This is my health insurance card from the "Cafat" or government healthcare office. I am the insured person or "assuré." However the abbreviation for "assuré" has connotations I'm not sure the Cafat is aware of.
Maybe it means I'm covered for proctology appointments.
And finally, there's Tate's parking ticket. She parked the car in the wrong place and owes a whopping 1000 cfp, or about $12. That in itself is strange, but the ticket really shows you the weirdness of French bureaucracy. Not only must Tate list her place of birth, but also the names of her mother and father.
What are you going to do, Nouméa? Tell on her? Send a bill if she doesn't pay? She's very sorry for parking incorrectly, but you don't have to tattle.
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