Slip of the tongue

I led a Q&A in an English class with high school seniors recently. Questions always range. Why don’t Americans like salt? How can I go to America? How many kids does your father have? Can you take me back to America? Why did your country kill Saddam Hussein? (Seriously, but it was a teacher.) And so on. I was asked recently what American women wear and I gave a lengthy response on the diversity of the American population, how that answer can range from near nothing of a college frat party to a full burka. Following that question, I was asked if it is acceptable for women to go out in a slip. Thinking that was a short dress, I said "Yes! Definitely!" They giggled for several minutes before someone finally asked how it was that women in America could be allowed out without covering their "ses." Having no clue what that was, I repeated it several times, turning to the professor saying I did not understand the word. Turns out a slip here is more like a camisole, meaning it does not cover the bottom half, and that "ses" means vagina. Imagine a visitor in a high school class saying over and over again, "Vagina? I don't understand. Vagina?" louder and louder over increasing roar of laughter. Yes, American public, your tax dollars are well spent on cultural exchanges such as this.