Only in Africa
I was thinking about the things that only happen in Africa and how in America it is safe to say they would not happen. I thought it would be fun to write about a few of them.
• The other day one of our workers said he was going to be late for work because he had to deliver a goat to friend.
• I woke up in the middle of the night to find a mosquito trapped inside my mosquito net with me and my arms covered with mosquito bites.
• We had electricity two days in a row this week…YEAH!
• The other day our Swahili teacher gave us sentences to practice for everyday conversation. Here are a few: Many people were killed by the lion. We were given a goat by the elders. This road is impassable. The food was not cooked well. How many tea bags are there?
• We place our trash outside and when the pile is large enough we have a huge bonfire. Everyone does this. There are bonfires burning all over the city…I just saw a HUGE one on the property of the court house.
• We road in public transportation and paid double the price because we are white.
• When we visit someone’s house for a meal there are never napkins involved. Someone brings a pitcher of water and a plastic bowl and they pour water on our hands before and after the meal.
• Bananas are a regular gift given to us from friends.
• Every morning Pastor Mbasha brings us fresh milk straight from his brother’s cow so we can enjoy our African tea.
• One of Pastor Mbasha’s sheep gave birth to a lamb and I named it “Happy Mark.” So now he has a goat named “God is Light” and a lamb named “Happy Mark.” By the way these are not names I made up but names a friend wants to give his own children one day.
• When I hear a scuttling noise in the middle of the night it’s usually a lizard…they are HUGE…the question is: is it in the room or outside my window…I usually just keep my eyes closed and hope it is outside.
• When my bicycle had a flat tire one of our workers went and got a machete to remove the tire so we could repair it.
• There is a hedgehog that lives on our property…we took pictures with him. We’ve decided to call him Spike.
• The other day one of our workers said he was going to be late for work because he had to deliver a goat to friend.
• I woke up in the middle of the night to find a mosquito trapped inside my mosquito net with me and my arms covered with mosquito bites.
• We had electricity two days in a row this week…YEAH!
• The other day our Swahili teacher gave us sentences to practice for everyday conversation. Here are a few: Many people were killed by the lion. We were given a goat by the elders. This road is impassable. The food was not cooked well. How many tea bags are there?
• We place our trash outside and when the pile is large enough we have a huge bonfire. Everyone does this. There are bonfires burning all over the city…I just saw a HUGE one on the property of the court house.
• We road in public transportation and paid double the price because we are white.
• When we visit someone’s house for a meal there are never napkins involved. Someone brings a pitcher of water and a plastic bowl and they pour water on our hands before and after the meal.
• Bananas are a regular gift given to us from friends.
• Every morning Pastor Mbasha brings us fresh milk straight from his brother’s cow so we can enjoy our African tea.
• One of Pastor Mbasha’s sheep gave birth to a lamb and I named it “Happy Mark.” So now he has a goat named “God is Light” and a lamb named “Happy Mark.” By the way these are not names I made up but names a friend wants to give his own children one day.
• When I hear a scuttling noise in the middle of the night it’s usually a lizard…they are HUGE…the question is: is it in the room or outside my window…I usually just keep my eyes closed and hope it is outside.
• When my bicycle had a flat tire one of our workers went and got a machete to remove the tire so we could repair it.
• There is a hedgehog that lives on our property…we took pictures with him. We’ve decided to call him Spike.
Pastor Mbasha holding Spike
• I am rarely called by my name…most people call me Dada, Mama, or Ridia.
• I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone call Jodie by her name…too hard to pronounce…so she is usually called Judy or Nesi. Pastor Mbasha calls her Doctor.
posted by Lydia | 3:11 AM
2 Comments:
Wow! Yes most of those comments you would not hear in the US unless of course we are retelling your stories ;)
JoRo
Hi Lyd,
I'd like to see a picture of the hedgehog! And I'd like to taste some of that African tea with the fresh milk in it...
Miss you terribly,
Freya
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