Katie, I blame you and that wet little island of yours for this.
Yesterday, my coordinator, in English, tells me about my schedule for today. "You will teach two pairs," she says to me, refering to the fact that my new job is to tutor Olympiad finalists. "The first from 11:45 to 1:15. The second from 1:30 to 3:00."
So I was a little surprised to find not two, but three, students in the room when I got there. I worked with them until 1:15, asked if they had any questions, and then dismissed them. I took my break, and discovered that there were no new students at 1:30. I checked with my coordinator: where is the next group of students?
There was no next group of students.
She blows up at me for letting them go, is absolutely freaking out that I let them go.
Apparently in British English, "a pair" is not two students, but a grouping of two forty-five minute classes. I was supposed to have the same three students--the three Olympiad finalists from the oblast--for the full three hours. They must have known that, of course, and had simply scampered off, happy to have the free time.
My coordinator, on the other hand, was livid. "We only have three days to train them!" she wailed. Have I mentioned how important it is to my coordinator that we have a Zhytomyr student win this thing?
She's a bit calmed down now, and is directing her wrath at the students, where it is better aimed, I believe. I'm just the hapless American that, when told he is going to tutor "two pairs" automatically thinks two pairs of students.
This is how two people can be completely fluent in English and still micommunicate.
Katie, I blame your people.