Lost in Translation
On language gaps, independence, and elephant farts
I remember early on — over a glass of wine — telling someone about our plan to live abroad for a year. They looked at me with concern and asked, “Are you sure this is a good idea? Won’t it be hard?” I was caught off guard. Of course it would be hard.
They pressed further: “But won’t you feel isolated? Lonely? Nobody there will speak your language.”
They weren’t wrong.
But isn’t that the reality for so many people — living in places where they’re “other,” without the comfort or security of being easily understood?
One of the biggest reasons we chose to spend a year here was to truly immerse ourselves in Swiss culture, to soak up everyday life with Marc’s local family, and to do something outside our comfort zone that we’d never otherwise get the chance to do.
For Teo and me, that means learning the language — or at least doing our best to try. 😅
First: Quick Crash Course
Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh (spoken by less than 1% of the population).
Here in Saas-Fee, the primary language is German — more specifically, a local dialect known as Saaser Deutsch. It’s quite different from standard High German, and borrows many words from the French language. For example:
‘Door’ in High German: die Tür
‘Door’ in Saaser Deutsch: die Port
To add to the challenge, Swiss German is primarily spoken, not written. There’s no Google Translate for it. 😅
That said, Saas-Fee is a tourist destination, so you hear a mix of languages, and most people are impressively multilingual.
Our Goal
My personal goal is to hold onto some of my autonomy and not to rely on (or hide behind) Marc for every little interaction. I love solo outings and want to navigate the basics on my own, ideally with a little confidence…eventually.
For Teo, he’s along for the ride and is in a sweet spot — kids are language sponges at this age and apparently 4-year-olds can pick up new languages in 3–6 months with immersion.
Currently…
I’ve been dabbling in both High German and Swiss German, but I’ll be honest, I gave up on Duolingo early on. Now I’m just winging it, learning as I go through awkward encounters. In a tiny village where you’re constantly running into people, you really can’t avoid interaction whether you like it or not (like when I recently got roped into a spontaneous coffee date with locals).
If you know Marc, you know he likes to golf, which has meant lots of opportunities for me and Teo to stumble through errands and activities on our own. Marc’s golf has become rewarding for me — never thought I’d say these words, ha!
Right now we’re at the level of greetings, simple small talk, ordering at cafés, and basic vocab.
How We’re Learning
From Marc and his family, who are all fluent
German kids’ books and cartoons (i.e. Paw Patrol is now exclusively in German)
Real-life exposure (signs, menus, shop talk, and small interactions)
Local activities like biking and tennis with other village kids
Playground convos like “What’s your name?” / “My name is…”
And soon, through kindergarten — which is German-speaking
Memorable Moments
For the most part, it’s been a positive experience, though I’ve definitely gotten a few confused stares when I attempt German. When someone assumes I’m fluent (cute), I usually make it a few sentences before having to admit “kein Deutsch…” and bail. 😅
The hardest moment so far: Picking up Teo from bike camp to find him sitting on a bench in tears because no one spoke English. We talked it through, made a plan for next time, and he says he’s ready to try again.
The sweetest and funniest phrases from Teo so far:
Good morning, did you sleep well? — “Güete Morge, hast du gut geschlafem?”
I love you — “Ich liebo dich”
Excuse me? — “Entschuldigung?” (in a full sentence used daily: “Entschuldigung, can I bitte have some ice cream?”)
“My name is ich bin Teo” 😂
Elephant farts — “Elefanten Furz” 🤦🏻♀️
This whole language bit will be a journey for sure, but we’re taking it a day at a time. If anything, I know this is already teaching both me and Teo SO much about being an outsider in someone else’s culture.
Until next time!
