Let me start today by asking  all “foreigners” that have been to Latin (American) countries a question:

Have you ever felt like you were unable to keep up with a conversation in Brazil? Or in Mexico? Or in Italy? Or anywhere else in that matter where there is nice climate and people that seem to be verbally way more expressive than an average countryman of yours?

The problem is not your language skills, but the fact that everybody is talking at the same time, cutting each other off and switching topics at the speed of light so you never even get a chance to chip in. Sounds familiar?

Well, fear not, it is not uncommon at all. Here is a real life example from a reader in response to my first blog post How to Understand an Estonian?:

 “(At the dining table) Friend: Are you ok? You’ve barely said one…