goodbyes. languages.

{ May 12, 2010 @ 12:26 pm } · { Uncategorized }

It does not seem so long ago that I experienced teary goodbyes amongst friends and snow, and I have already had to say goodbye to more people that have become close to me.  Except that I will see them soon.  The other day, we had our last day in our training homestay families and on Friday, I will be sworn in (nshallah) as a real live Peace Corps volunteer! It was hard saying goodbye, but we know that we will be back in a couple of months to greet Baba and co.  My last day consisted of trying to learn how to do laundry, Senegalese style but I think my mom thought her efforts were futile because she only let me try for about 5 minutes then told me to go sit down, and then we ate some chicken (twice in one week, i knowwww, patrone)

And real excited for swearing in because the Madinkas have fabulous coordinating outfits (sort of like Destiny’s Child).

I am nervous/ecstatic/need to get my life together/brought too many clothing to this country for next week when I move to Nafadji and will not be spoon fed anymore by the training staff here in Thies.  I have also had some Malinke crash courses so I will be able to at least greet people when I arrive next week (although greetings in Malinke seem more of a language test than a hello, more to come on that when I have more insight)

But some fun literal translations/humor in Mandinka for you now, because I am officially done learning Mandinka and its time to be on to Malinke (sad!)

Humor:

One day, we were sitting in class eating peanuts (which are plentiful in this country) and Lamine, Spence’s host dad just says

“Vieux! (David), your dad is not a peanut farmer” and cracks up laughing.  I, being thoroughly confused because nobody in Mbour is a peanut farmer that I know of, and I don’t know why this is funny.  So I just said to him, “Neither are you.” and everyone just made a sound like “ooooo she did not go therrre!” and cracks up laughing again.

Moral of the story: Basically, Lamine was calling David lazy because he is eating peanuts and his dad didn’t farm them.

More humor and literal translations:

Telling someone they eat only, are fat, ugly or stupid is the funniest thing you can say and a great ice breaker.  I even told the teacher he was dumb during my language test yesterday, I hope it scores me extra points.

But more fun translations:

To call someone stupid, you tell them “your brain is not sweet”

To call someone lazy you tell them “your body is sweet to you.”

Exercising is “making your body hot”  Yesterday, Spence was trying to describe what a physical education teacher does and he said in Mandinka “He makes children’s bodies hot.” We had a good chuckle out of that one.

Describing someone as pregnant: Woman with sexed up stomach

STIs- diseases of the bedroom.

I just love how poetic and descriptive it all is.  More to come.

Loves,

Leah