Australian Multilingual Writing Project

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Emily Westmoreland: 'Awkward' With Translation

There is no word for awkward in Spanish.
No me siento incomoda.
Tampoco me siento rara.

//translation
I don’t feel uncomfortable,
Nor do I feel strange

Me siento como mis piernas y mis abrazos están sticking out at strange angles,
Como los curly blonde hairs on my legs que
Las abuelas en el metro miran fijamente.

//translation
I feel like my legs and my arms are sticking out at strange angles,
Like the curly blonde hairs on my legs that
The grandmothers on the metro stare at.

Me siento como I’d like to stay in, pero voy a salir,
O salgo a las diez, y llego too early para la previa.

//translation
I feel like I’d like to stay in, but I’m going to go out,
Or I go out at ten, and arrive too early for the pre-drinks.

Me siento como I had to tell your abuela that vegeterianas don’t eat jamón.
Ni pescado.

//translation
I feel like I had to tell your grandmother that vegetarians don’t eat ham
Or fish

Me siento como un handshake,
En vez de dos besos.

//translation
I feel like a handshake,
Instead of two kisses.

No me siento incomoda ni rara,
Pero tampoco me siento como en casa.
Me siento awkward.

//translation
I don’t feel uncomfortable or strange,
But nor do I feel at home.
I feel awkward.