i've got a swahili instructor that comes to the office once a week when i am in town for a 30 minute session. she's a proper teacher so she wants me to learn verb conjugation and grammar. fair enough, but i find it really, really hard to shut down the analytical management part of my brain and fire up the learning center so i usually just stare like a deer in headlights and we haven't gotten very far. she suggests two or three classes per week.
also, i just need some basics to get around - like how much? where? when? instead of learning 'hello sir, how are you today?' 'i like your carrots very much ' 'how much will it cost me to purchase one bag?' when i really just need to smile and say 'shillings ngpai?'
seriously world, a smile translates into every language.
so one day last week we had some staff cleaning a room that is used regularly but mostly for storage. i hear a scream from the other side of the building. then a westerner who was in my office space turns to a national and says 'nyoka - that means mouse, right?' and she replies, 'no, nyoka means snake'. in about two seconds i am standing on top of my desk shouting 'INSIDE THE BUILDING - IS IT INSIDE THE BUILDING?' and thinking that somehow i'll be protected by standing on top of my desk - and even more ironically that the staff will understand me shouting in english. appropriate measures were taken and after some time i was able to gracefully exit the building and go home. but, think about it, when was the last time a snake showed up INSIDE your office? [vets excluded] it's Africa and life is raw here.
i don't know what happened to that snake and i have no picture to share but the next time my swahili teacher shows up i get aggressive about learning vocabulary instead of grammar.
also, i just need some basics to get around - like how much? where? when? instead of learning 'hello sir, how are you today?' 'i like your carrots very much ' 'how much will it cost me to purchase one bag?' when i really just need to smile and say 'shillings ngpai?'
seriously world, a smile translates into every language.
so one day last week we had some staff cleaning a room that is used regularly but mostly for storage. i hear a scream from the other side of the building. then a westerner who was in my office space turns to a national and says 'nyoka - that means mouse, right?' and she replies, 'no, nyoka means snake'. in about two seconds i am standing on top of my desk shouting 'INSIDE THE BUILDING - IS IT INSIDE THE BUILDING?' and thinking that somehow i'll be protected by standing on top of my desk - and even more ironically that the staff will understand me shouting in english. appropriate measures were taken and after some time i was able to gracefully exit the building and go home. but, think about it, when was the last time a snake showed up INSIDE your office? [vets excluded] it's Africa and life is raw here.
i don't know what happened to that snake and i have no picture to share but the next time my swahili teacher shows up i get aggressive about learning vocabulary instead of grammar.
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