Do you know how to paint?

over New Year's weekend I painted my new bedroom.

I don't actually have possession of the flat yet (I was supposed to by now, but i'm not surprised that things have not worked out the way they're "supposed" to)...maybe the weekend...

anyway, Sera helped me paint. I decided that with the long weekend it would be fun/theraputic/save me money to paint myself (which is very strange around here. painting is a specialized skill here).

So we went to get the key from the landlord, and we had this conversation:

Me: can i have the key so we can paint.
Landlord: when will the painters come? (it was kind of late in the day).
Me: oh, we're going to paint it ourselves.
L: You know how to paint?
Me: oh yes.
L: you know how to paint?
Me: how many rooms have i painted in my country!?!?!

then he checks out the color of paint, and eventually gives me the key.

On Saturday I had to go see him about something else, and he'd been in to look at the paint...and we had this conversation.

L: How did you make the walls look like that?
M: what?
L: the way the walls are, how did you do that?
M: i used a roller to paint.
L: Did you take a painting class in your country?
M: no, i just know how to paint.
L: But how?
M: Well, in my country, everyone just paints their own house.
random man standing nearby: yes, in America they have a labor problem.
L: oh, yes.
M: no, we just think that we can do it ourselves, and it saves money. (i could tell they didn't believe me on that one)