We’re like the old joke: guy goes to Vegas in a $50,000 car and returns home in a $300,000 bus. We had a four bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home in Texas; now we have six showers and four toilets in the dorm.
J.T., Matthew, Nan and I all share a bathroom, and that is fine; we know it is a luxury to have running water. We build a fire if we want hot showers, and it has been cozy except for one...
Habari zenu? Which is Swahili for “How are y’all?” We are fine – at least as fine as world circumstances currently allow. I’ve been meaning to sit down and write an update from my (Nancy’s) perspective. With all that has transpired since 9/11, I’ve been hesitant to write of more ordinary things, but the ordinary does continue in the midst of the greater picture.
Many of you have asked about our good friend Grace. Yes, she is again working for us...
Some people like to be at the forefront of a trend. Since this is scientifically impossible for me, I am more inclined to celebrate the end of a trend. In the states, there was a radio ad playing right before we returned to Africa in which a young child earnestly yelled, “Ovaltine rocks!” I think it is safe to say that the expression “That rocks” has passed out of cool.
In the same spirit, I wish to announce the end of...
During the 70’s, there was a genre of movies called disaster films. Buildings caught on fire, boats sank, and other bad stuff happened. When they started to run out of ideas, they had several movies about killer bees attacking people.
In the last week, you can walk twenty yards from our home and hear a huge buzzing. It is huge swarms of bees, and it is the eeriest sound I can think of. If Ernest Borgnaine shows up, I’m on the...
You know how in the US everyone will ask you how you are and you say fine? And how that gets old? In Kenya, people greet you with Habari yako which means how are you and you respond Mzuri sana which means fine.
I’ve tried to change it with inflection. I say Habari in a normal voice and then, on the last syllable of yako I sound like my underwear just bunched up. It never fails to get a response from...
Sound interesting? Like to spend 45 minutes of the only life you’ll have on this earth learning what they are? Me either.
But it is my task to make learning subordinating conjunctions interesting, or at least palatable. How is this done? I have had my panic attacks over this, but so far this is what has hit and missed:
Finding the subject in a sentence: Since we just read Sherlock Holmes, I had everyone wear a hat to class and they had...
Continue ReadingYou can learn things from small children. I was an ear witness to the following:
Them1: I promise you it works.
Them2: I don’t think it can, but it would be SO cool if it did.
Them1: I promise you I tried it and it works.
Me: What works?
Them1: If you drink a Coke really fast and hold your burp until it hurts, it will be three times louder than normal.
Me: How do you know?
Them1: I have...
I like to walk in the mornings. We are in a very rural area of Africa, so I get to see all varieties of birds and animals, including monkeys and baboons. I have learned proper baboon etiquette, which I am sure will be useful the next time you run across one.
First of all, it is unusual to run across one baboon at a time. Baboons travel in families, or packs. When I am walking, I usually notice a branch in...
