How do you say...

As you learn a language there is a constant inability to express yourself. My favorite phrase is "mutila shani (insert english word or phrase) ici Bemba?" I really want to say something but the syntax here is a bit goofy and every vocab work I learn equates rouggly to sally sells sea shells by the sea shore.

Wrapping my mind around the idea of being able to fit an entire sentence into one string of letters has been mildly difficult. Take for example the sentence "he was learning" that translates roughly to "balisambilila." I think the the longest string of letters that equals a phrase that I have had to use is about 19 or 20.

Also there are no "r's" in the language, however I think that everyone names there children using the letter R. Take for example my little brother, his name is Bright. They can't say Bright, so they say "Blight." That is kinda humorous to me. Maybe a bit to subtle for the rest of you but what can I say I have a delicate pallet for humor.

I mentioned before how I wanted to write down funny things that happen so I don'tforget to tell you all. Well I think the major problem with that is that maybe it's not funny later. After I looked through the list I made the only one thing was still funny. The event transpired like this...

It was a day like most days in Zambia, sweltering hot and 100 percent humidity. Also like many days I am suffering with an ache in my stomach rivaled only by food poisoning. My Bamayo has just informed me that "ifyafulya ca icuungolo" is ready and that I can come up to the house to eat. At that exact moment something deep and dark in my bowels awoke and I with toilet paper in hand tried as gracefully as possible to fly to the icimbusu (pit toilet).

My icimbusu has a hinged door to shield my private privvy moments from full view of anyone in the front yard. So I am, as I mentioned, trying to gracefully take care of my issues before I go to eat my evening meal of oil soaked leaves and grits. I enter my icimbusu remove the cover over the hole and begin the process of removing one leg of pants so that I do not end up soiling my clothes. At the moment I begin to un button my pants the door ( which I mentioned was shielding me from full view ) fell to the ground with a thud, turning everyone's attention towards me. It may be helpful to know that in Zambia using the toilet is a secretive and highly taboo affair. People will literally go 2K out of there way around the house through the woods and back so that people will not know that they are pottying. Apparently the book "Everybody Poops" didn't make it over here.

Back to the story, I am in my toilet, everyone is seeing me, and I have a demon to exorcise in my tummy. I re-button my pants and move out into the yard. I pick up the door ratherly dumbly and kind of just stand there not sure what to do. Meanwhile, there are tiny erruptions of anger in my stomach alerting me to the urgency of my situation. After what seemd like an eternity my Bataata come over and looks at me dumbly while I apologize for the door falling off even though I myself did not cause the thing to break.

He stares at the erroded and rusty hinge and then yells to my Bamayo for tools. Meantime my Bamayo makes me go inside to eat dinner. So i sat and ate dinner, because thats what you do. I'm sure you can imagine the anguish. I hope you enjoyed.

Check this out too, http://www.tamaniproject.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=88&g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=177 there some pictures of me around and my group!