Today I am writing the blog post I should have written Friday. We had a busy weekend. Marty and a friend brought most of what was left in the storage unit to our storage shed. So Saturday and Sunday we were unpacking again, putting up things, repacking what doesn't work, and taking the boxes back to the shed. We are still going through things. And there is more to bring to our shed. Not much, but some. Now to the weddings.
Wednesday was again a slow day for weddings. The first wedding the groom asked me, " Do you know my friend, Joe, who works here. I thought of our Joe who guest blogs, and is the only Joe who volunteers. I said yes, he and his wife are my friends. Oh, groom's Joe is not married and doesn't do weddings. He works for a County Supervisor. Not in this building and not our Joe.
The bride wore a black suit with a pencil skirt, short jacket, and the under blouse was black. She wore a wrist corsage of white roses and carried white roses. The groom wore a black suit, white shirt, and no tie He had a white rose boutonniere. The witness pulled out a beautiful pearl tiara for the bride's something borrowed. The bride wasn't sure, was it too much? I told her it was one of the few times in her life she could wear a tiara and she should wear it. She looked beautiful wearing it.
It was sad to be with the next couple. He (64 looked 100) was legally blind (some sight) dragging an oxygen tank. The canister was not even on wheels She (59 looked 79) was totally blind and could barely walk. Their caregiver was with them and the brides' daughter and two grand daughters. He would bend double trying to breath after walking. I suggested they do the ceremony sitting on the bench. No, they wanted to stand under the arch (the daughter had told them about it). They held hands tightly during the ceremony. When we went back downstairs, the daughter reminded him that he had a doctor's appointment later Wednesday. He said I am too sick to go to the doctor.
When I returned to my desk, the lead clerk asked me to help train clerk K who is new to Vitals. K and I went over the license. It was a reprint, and it and the souvenir certificate couldn't be completed because of mechanical problems. Wedding Desk Clerk C was going to finish the paper work. K joined me to observe this ceremony. The couple was from Ethiopia. She was gorgeous and he was very handsome. He wore a black suit with a crisp white shirt. She wore a long blue wrapped dress which had long sleeves. The couple looked very elegant. I noticed she wasn't talking and that he was translating. I asked if English was going to be a problem, and he said that he thought she might be OK. Might be? Great. I questioned her and she was able to answer me in very short sentences. I was sure she could understand what was going on. I did a ceremony that the couple did not have many vows to say to take the pressure off the bride.
The last wedding was a good one for K to observe. I had told her that you never know what is going to happen, and this wedding proved the rule We had license problems, the couple had to sign again, a dead typewriter, and had to prove the bride understood English.
Showing posts with label language problem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label language problem. Show all posts
Monday, March 11, 2013
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Wednesday Weddings
Wednesday I had four couples to do ceremonies for. One must have been normal and boring, I can't remember one thing about them. I couldn't remember anything Wednesday night.
The first wedding the bride, groom, and all their guests were dressed up. The bride was in a summery flowered halter dress and the groom wore a suit. She had a son and daughter and he had a son from previous marriages. The boys were in suits and the little girl was in a flowered dress. The bride and her daughter carried beautiful bouquets that the bride had made that morning. The daughter was going to hold her mother's bouquet during the ceremony. The boys were each bringing up a ring for the ring ceremony. I told the boys I would tell them when to come, and started telling them how to hold the rings so they were easy for the couple to pick up. Her son said, "I know how to do this, I did a wedding last week." That brought the house down.
In the post before this one I explained problems with non English speaking couples, and the legalities involved. The issue came up again with the next couple. They were from the Ukraine. His English was perfect. He C had been here long enough to be a citizen. She was here very recently. Clerk T asked me to talk to them, she was worried about the bride's English. I explained the legalities to the couple and took the bride to another part of the lobby. I asked her to pronounce her name for me. She did that. Then I said why are you here? What reason are you and C here today? What do you want from me? No response, not a flicker of the eye. Then she suddenly asked me to repeat the questions. That was a good sign. I asked again why are you here. She said, "I love C and we want to marry." Bingo, we have full sentences. I called C over and it all boiled down to her extreme nerves. The bride told me she had learned English watching youtube. She understood me, she had just been afraid of not speaking well. Also, the couple and the couple witnessing for the ceremony are a little nervous around government agencies.
I apologized for the interviewing of the bride. I was told they didn't mind that. I was protecting her, no one had protected any of them in the USSR or in the Ukraine. They had been controlled by communists much of their lives and told me how dangerous their countries are. One witness told me how she had escaped Russia and been able to become an American citizen. She raved about what a wonderful country the USA is.
The next couple was from Afghanistan. No language problem here. They had previously done a cultural wedding. I asked if they wanted the ring ceremony since they were already wearing wedding rings. She said, "Yes, I want an American wedding."
The first wedding the bride, groom, and all their guests were dressed up. The bride was in a summery flowered halter dress and the groom wore a suit. She had a son and daughter and he had a son from previous marriages. The boys were in suits and the little girl was in a flowered dress. The bride and her daughter carried beautiful bouquets that the bride had made that morning. The daughter was going to hold her mother's bouquet during the ceremony. The boys were each bringing up a ring for the ring ceremony. I told the boys I would tell them when to come, and started telling them how to hold the rings so they were easy for the couple to pick up. Her son said, "I know how to do this, I did a wedding last week." That brought the house down.
In the post before this one I explained problems with non English speaking couples, and the legalities involved. The issue came up again with the next couple. They were from the Ukraine. His English was perfect. He C had been here long enough to be a citizen. She was here very recently. Clerk T asked me to talk to them, she was worried about the bride's English. I explained the legalities to the couple and took the bride to another part of the lobby. I asked her to pronounce her name for me. She did that. Then I said why are you here? What reason are you and C here today? What do you want from me? No response, not a flicker of the eye. Then she suddenly asked me to repeat the questions. That was a good sign. I asked again why are you here. She said, "I love C and we want to marry." Bingo, we have full sentences. I called C over and it all boiled down to her extreme nerves. The bride told me she had learned English watching youtube. She understood me, she had just been afraid of not speaking well. Also, the couple and the couple witnessing for the ceremony are a little nervous around government agencies.
I apologized for the interviewing of the bride. I was told they didn't mind that. I was protecting her, no one had protected any of them in the USSR or in the Ukraine. They had been controlled by communists much of their lives and told me how dangerous their countries are. One witness told me how she had escaped Russia and been able to become an American citizen. She raved about what a wonderful country the USA is.
The next couple was from Afghanistan. No language problem here. They had previously done a cultural wedding. I asked if they wanted the ring ceremony since they were already wearing wedding rings. She said, "Yes, I want an American wedding."
Friday, July 1, 2011
Monday weddings? No, yes, yes.
There were three couples who wanted to get married at the Marriage Factory on Monday. Only two were allowed to marry. Sometimes we have to make a hard call and say no, we can't do your marriage ceremony.
The couple was from Ethiopia. The clerk R did not think the bride understood much English. The groom's English was fine and he was doing nearly all the talking. Couples can fake English to a high level, so we have to interview them. If a person can not communicate with the marriage commissioner, the commissioner can not legally do the ceremony. R asked me to come talk to them before they paid for a ceremony. I have to be hard nosed and bossy when I do this. I tell them why, legal issues to protect the non English speaker, I am questioning them. Then I tell the English speaking person, he/she can not talk, nor give signals. Sometimes I even put the couple in separate areas of the lobby.
.
I asked the bride her name, that one she knew. I asked her why she was at the county building, nothing. I asked her where she was from, nothing. I asked her what service she wanted from me. Nothing , understood nothing. We sold them a license, but they had to find someone else to do the ceremony. We sent them to the library one block away and told them to Google translators, and to also look for an Ethiopian church or cultural center. They understood why they were turned away. And thanked us for giving them options.
One couple had a large group of friends and family. They also were dressed traditionally for the wedding. He had on a black suit. She wore a creamy satin strapless wedding dress. The bodice was embroidered and had bead work. This continued around the hem and onto the cathedral length train. A gorgeous dress. Her shoes, because we know Janet loves shoes, white sparkly flip flops. Wasn't a fan of those.
The family and friends were very vocal, in a good way. The couple were very quiet, serious, intense. They leaned into each other, and even after the ceremony did not seem to relax. This ceremony was a huge important deal to them, as it should be.
My last couple were casually dressed. He was Army Aviation. She was moving to the base in Washington to be with him. He is a short timer and should be out of the service in under a year. They never took their eyes off each other during the ceremony. They were dead serious. I pronounced them married and he laughed and swung her up in his arms to kiss her. It looked like the typical carry the bride over the threshold.
Three couples that were very different. A small sample of what happens at the marriage factory. Wednesday's weddings, again a problem with English. Stay tuned to see out that turned out.
The couple was from Ethiopia. The clerk R did not think the bride understood much English. The groom's English was fine and he was doing nearly all the talking. Couples can fake English to a high level, so we have to interview them. If a person can not communicate with the marriage commissioner, the commissioner can not legally do the ceremony. R asked me to come talk to them before they paid for a ceremony. I have to be hard nosed and bossy when I do this. I tell them why, legal issues to protect the non English speaker, I am questioning them. Then I tell the English speaking person, he/she can not talk, nor give signals. Sometimes I even put the couple in separate areas of the lobby.
.
I asked the bride her name, that one she knew. I asked her why she was at the county building, nothing. I asked her where she was from, nothing. I asked her what service she wanted from me. Nothing , understood nothing. We sold them a license, but they had to find someone else to do the ceremony. We sent them to the library one block away and told them to Google translators, and to also look for an Ethiopian church or cultural center. They understood why they were turned away. And thanked us for giving them options.
One couple had a large group of friends and family. They also were dressed traditionally for the wedding. He had on a black suit. She wore a creamy satin strapless wedding dress. The bodice was embroidered and had bead work. This continued around the hem and onto the cathedral length train. A gorgeous dress. Her shoes, because we know Janet loves shoes, white sparkly flip flops. Wasn't a fan of those.
The family and friends were very vocal, in a good way. The couple were very quiet, serious, intense. They leaned into each other, and even after the ceremony did not seem to relax. This ceremony was a huge important deal to them, as it should be.
My last couple were casually dressed. He was Army Aviation. She was moving to the base in Washington to be with him. He is a short timer and should be out of the service in under a year. They never took their eyes off each other during the ceremony. They were dead serious. I pronounced them married and he laughed and swung her up in his arms to kiss her. It looked like the typical carry the bride over the threshold.
Three couples that were very different. A small sample of what happens at the marriage factory. Wednesday's weddings, again a problem with English. Stay tuned to see out that turned out.
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