So last week I was having some friends over for dinner. One of them, Ana* (*names have been changed to protect the innocent) asked if she could bring anything. I assured her that I thought I had everything I needed. She really wanted to know if there was something she could bring so finally I said, 'Well, you can bring flowers if you want.' Later that evening my guests arrived. Ana had with her a grocery bag with a big bottle of pop and some other things. 
She handed it to me and I took out the pop thinking the rest were her own groceries that she was going to take home. But she said, 'No, this is for you.' She lifted a 2kg bag of flour out of the bag. 'You said you needed flour.' For a brief moment I was uncomprehending, until suddenly I realized that I had told her to bring flowers! I burst into laughter and we spent the rest of the evening teasing Ana and laughing over yet one more cross-cultural blunder. But I did promise to make something for Ana with the flour the next time she comes over!
She handed it to me and I took out the pop thinking the rest were her own groceries that she was going to take home. But she said, 'No, this is for you.' She lifted a 2kg bag of flour out of the bag. 'You said you needed flour.' For a brief moment I was uncomprehending, until suddenly I realized that I had told her to bring flowers! I burst into laughter and we spent the rest of the evening teasing Ana and laughing over yet one more cross-cultural blunder. But I did promise to make something for Ana with the flour the next time she comes over!
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