ayobaness

Such a great group!

I turned on my computer this morning and right away the digital Advent Calendar that my mom sent me opened up. I smiled when I saw the snowy scene on my computer screen and looked outside where the sun was already blazing on all cylinders. But when I went to click on December 9, I had a real ‘wow’ moment – exactly four months ago, right around this time (10h00), Trevor and I landed in Kimberley, South Africa.

Four months. This is definitely an anniversary worth commemorating. It is exciting because I feel that I finally understand GRS Kim and Kimberley itself. It is daunting because I have developed several ideas that I want to implement before my internship ends. And it is thought provoking; in four months I have seen and done so much, and much of what I have seen and experienced has really made me stop and think – about NGO’s, about life for most people in the townships, about my own life, and about how I got here.

But enough “deep thinking.” In honor of this blue sky, burning hot, sun-scorching 9^th of December, I would like to share with you one of the best things about living in Kim for four months: I have a decent handle on the language! Well… not really… I have a decent handle on some words and phrases that I use and hear all the time… but that’s still pretty cool! So here goes:

English Words That Are Used Differently

Some of these are cool. Some of these are funny. And some are just confusing.

Howzit – A greeting/ asking ‘How are you?’

Sharp – I’m fine/ things are fine/ goodbye/ a way to end a conversation

Sure – an informal greeting/ an informal way to leave someone

Isit? – Really?

Tekkies – Sneakers

Cocks – cleats

Cokies – markers

Spears – scissors

Flat – Dead (referring to a battery, as in “My phone is flat.”)

Robots – Traffic lights. My favorite. Just imagine someone telling you to turn right at the robot.

Firecrackers – fireworks


Humps - Speed bumps

Borrow me – Pass/ let me use. People always say things like, “Borrow me your pen.”

Point my catch. – Instead of catch my point. Well actually, it’s just Coach Big Eyes that says this… but Trevor and I laugh every time and we have started saying it too.

Tswana

Tswana-speaking communities comprise the majority of Kimberley.

Dumela/ Dumelang - Hello

Wena – friend/ pal

Awae – a greeting

Ayoba – cool/ good

Reiteng – How are you?

Lekkai – I’m well.

Keratta – I love…

Kealebocha – Thank you.

Makwele – potato – This is one of Trevor’s nicknames.

Skangaga – “We are together.” This is actually prison slang.


Babalas - a hangover

Afrikaans

Afrikaans is very similar to German so I can understand a good bit of it, but I can’t speak it that well.

Hallo – Hello

Hoe gaan dit? – How are you?

Lekker – good

Assablief – please

(Baie) danke – Thank you (very much) (pron. ‘buy a donkey’)

Tot siens – a farewell

Uns wa saam – “We were together” – a farewell

Lekker dach – Have a good day

Die laaste hund – “The last dog” - a way to tell someone they are the man

Baie warm – very warm/ hot

Je’s yellick! – You’re ugly! (This applies to a lot of Afrikaaners unfortunately…)

Prachta – pretty

Pratt! – Speak!

Nie man! – No! (A very enthusiastic no)

Pompourmous – grapefruit – for a while Trevor was calling people pompermous.

Comcomer – cucumber

Naughty Words

We hear them a lot (not directed at us usually…) and they are fun to say.

Fit sack! – Piss off! – This is my favorite. I use it often…

Je pratt cack – You talk shit.

Je macht cack – You’re doing shit.

Je’s full cack – You’re full of shit.

Sebono – asshole

Pollo – penis – There is also a car over here called the VW Polo and whenever we pass one Trevor loves to say, “Klin polo,” which means “small penis.”

 Words for White People

Lanni

Mulungu

Boerjie
Yaku

I hope all you mulungus back home enjoyed that! I've got more blogs in the work, so keep checking in! 

The sun setting at Signal Hill in Cape Town.