1.Which do you like better, your mission field or the USA?
(They feel very uncomfortable. It may seem like an easy question, but once you live double lives, and meet dear friends everywhere, you tell me it's easy.)
2. How do you say my name in Spanish? Whichever second language you speak, this is just my example.
(This isn't emotional like the first one. Simply because they have to answer that EXACT SAME question, in almost every single church they visit. It is that simple. Again, try living the MK average life, and then see for yourself.)
3.Can you speak Spanish?
(Because MKs think of it as obvious that they speak Spanish, when they are standing in front of the mission display that says, CLEARLY, "The Vernoys. Missionaries to Paraguay." So, when you ask them that, it's like asking someone, "are you a human?"
4.Which language do you speak more?
(Who knows? That is like asking someone how many times they blink every year.)
5.Do you like living in your mission field?
(To an MK, it is obvious that they like living in the only place they can really feel at home. If they didn't, they wouldn't be there. It is like asking someone, "do you like living in your house?")
6. Do you have any friends in Paraguay?
(Do you think we have friends? Or do you think we are some alien species that no one wants to be around or talk to, just because we're different?)
Questions MKs LOVE to answer:
1.What is your favorite food down in Paraguay?
(Most MKs like talking about their field. So, this is a great question, that they can answer freely.)
2.I hear it's pretty in Paraguay, what's your favorite part about living there?
(Again, they love to talk about their field.)
3.What kinds of animals and pets do they have in Paraguay?
(MKs usually have exotic pets. It's like a big advantage of being an MK. So they can tell about their pets, and feel comfortable talking about something different. For once.)
4. I bet you make lots of friends. What are they like?
(Again, they can talk and talk about their friends. Names, ages.)
5.So do they have really cool food?
(NEVER refer to foreign food as wierd. For a lot of full-time MKs, your favorite food is wierd. This question, referring to their food as cool, is like heaven to them.)
Other things not to do when around MKs:
1.Don't talk about them being wierd behind their back. They can usually feel it.
2.Don't ask them boring or personal questions, because they feel like they are being studied, or are your social studies project. Believe me, it isn't a nice feeling. If you do need their perspective on your Social Studies or Geography project, ask them, and they'll really help you. Using them trying to be sneaky, doesn't, I repeat, DOES NOT work.
Things to do when around MKs:
1. Instead of trying to avoid them because they are wierd or you don't know them, invite hem to join you, ask them to teach you their favorite Paraguayan game, and try to include them.
2. If you are going to invite them over to eat, find out what their favorite Paraguayan food is, and try to make as close as possibel to that when they eat with you. THEY LOVE IT!!
3.Try to get to know them. Try to relate to them, and let them know that you don't care what they do or that they are different, is really the best thing you can do to be nice to them.
I hope you learned something.Ha!
Love,
Jayde
