bo betsy--hand embroidered sweetness for you!

Hey everybody, my Good Sistah Cathie Jo has started a store at etsy.com ("your place to buy and sell all things handmade"). She's got some really cute embroidered items and there's a big sale going on until June 15th--free shipping within the US! Check it out here

Someone is watching...

Hey! Check this out! I'm being watched. Better be careful what I post!

More Adventures in Language Learning

I’m learning a new language. Not that I’ve mastered Lingala already, but I’ve decided to move on to Laari because it’s the language most of my friends speak and it’s the main language where I do my marketing, so I have more opportunities to hear and use it than I do Lingala right now.

Laari is more difficult. Lingala is a trade language so it’s simpler in some ways, kind of like the grammar of English is simpler than German. Laari has more of the typical features of Bantu languages. Here are some fun things I’ve learned so far.

There are 15 noun classes, which means that a lot of words in a sentence are different depending on the class of the noun one is talking about. Just to say something like “Is there ____?” requires different forms:
Dimpa ha die? Is there bread?
Nsusu ha ye? Is there chicken?
Mbiji ha ze? Is there fish?
Loso ha lue? Is there rice?
Mungwa ha we? Is there salt?

My Lingala sometimes helps me because there are some words that are the same:
Sala: to work
Tala: to watch
Mona: to see
Loso: rice
Mafuta: palm oil
Etc.

And sometimes the words are similar to what they are in Lingala and I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep the two languages separate!
Lingala: Mbisi Laari: Mbiji “fish”
Lingala: Telema Laari: Telama “to stand”
Lingala: Soso Laari: Nsusu “chicken”
Etc.

When learning a language it’s always interesting to pick up on some cultural items. For example in Laari there are two words for “to lick.” One is for licking like we would an ice-cream cone and the other is just when you stick your tongue on something once. I’m like “Why do you need a word for sticking your tongue on something?” Apparently they do that a lot for when they have some salt or sugar on their hand. Not really sure of how that works just yet, but it’s important enough to have its own verb!

When my language tutor had the opportunity to teach me whatever he wanted one day (as opposed to me planning the lesson), the important expressions he wanted me to know included the commands: “Bury your spit” (like cover it up after you spit on the ground), “Wipe your mouth” and “Stop making noise.” Not exactly the first expressions I would think of to teach a beginning English speaker!

Learning local languages is fun here because people freak out and are so encouraging. You can just say a simple greeting and they’re like, “You speak my language!” My friends don’t get tired of hearing me say the same simple phrases, “I’m fine and you?”, “Until tomorrow,” etc. People also get a kick out of learning that I have a Laari name, “Mikembi.” A boy at the orphanage exclaimed, “That’s an old person’s name, like a mama who works out in the field!”

There’s a French guy here who sings with a Congolese group and speaks fluent Lingala and Laari. I heard when taxis pick him up they won’t let him pay. People all over recognize him. He’s highly revered for his adaptation to the culture, like a legendary hero. Someday…

life mottos

So I've made a new hobby of creating personal life mottos the past couple months. They take on a sort of informal vow-like quality for me...

"Everything is better with basil." So true. With basil sold at the market for about 25 cents I've decided I should put it on and in pretty much everything I eat. And don't forget the fresh pesto!

"Never drink Nescafe." After all the great espresso in Kenya and Ethiopia, I've sworn off the stuff at our coffee breaks at the office. Why do I drink something I don't even like? No, friends don't let friends drink instant.

"Don't bother posting videos." (not really a life motto, but I need to vent) OK, so 5 stinkin' days ago I posted 3 clips. This was like a technological miracle. Where's the love? Granted, they weren't fantastic, but I was so excited to finally share my choir with everyone and what do I get? Silence. See if I post any more videos!!

A few more pics

Hey, since I've got a good connection I'm just uploading everything I can! Added a few more pics to the Facebook album. Went to an amazing concert tonight. If you like Jack Johnson, check out "Tete" who is like his French counterpart. His latest album is "Le Sacre des Lemmings." Haven't heard it yet but I'm ordering it this week.

Monkey's Theatrical Debut

This is a lame video intended for the familial audience only. I figured they'd like to meet their grandcat slash cat niece. I tried to capture Monkey Business playing with her ball. She usually does summersaults, but of course for the video she just wants to lay there. Cats.

Another video!

This was our best song at the concert last weekend. Awesome soloist!!

Above All Video

Miracles do happen...I uploaded a video to You Tube! (The miracle is I have bad Internet connection here in Brazzaville). Here's a little clip of one of my solos at our concert last weekend. My solo isn't outstanding and the choir was actually pretty bad that night, but hey, God was there and we had a ton of fun!

Facebook photos from May, Strengths Finder, etc.

Here are a few pics from the past month (including photos of Monkey Business, my new braids, my roomie Theresa, Amelia's bday party, etc.)

Life's been a blast lately. Theresa and I keep coming home at 11 or midnight. Just not enough hours in the evening for all the fun we want to have :o)

Work's been going well too. One fun project has been writing drafts of 2 papers about things I've learned from singing with my choir.

I recently took the "Strengths Finder" test in preparation for an upcoming leadership workshop in Cameroon in September. The premise is that we work best by turning our talents into real strengths (rather than emphasizing overcoming our weaknesses). Gallup compiled like 34 themes of different talents people possess. A talent becomes a strength when you invest in it through learning, practice, etc.

My top 5 themes were: Communication, Strategy, Belief, Activator, and Woo (Winning Others Over). I definitely agree with Communication because I love giving presentations and writing. Woo was cool because it says that networking is one of my talents and that's exactly what I've been working on lately. Belief I definitely resound with because I absolutely have to do work that resonates with my values or life is completely meaningless to me. Strategy is sort of me because I'm analytical and can pull out the important themes in a discussion, but it doesn't really describe me in that I don't think through all the possible outcomes before making decisions. Activator is what I wish I were, but I don't really see that it's my natural strength to get things started and be impatient to put ideas into action. Looking forward to the leadership workshop because as team leader I have a lot to learn!

Amelia and Me

Haven't written about anything besides my hair and my cat for a while, so I figure I better talk about something with a little more depth, if only to prove to myself that my life is indeed deeper than braids and Monkey Business (I do live in the Congo, after all).

So something cool is that I have an amazing new friend named Amelia. Her new hubby is a "special agent" with the US gov't, so they're here for the new embassy building project. She's an artist and recently ran a half-marathon in South Africa. She comes over to hug me when I'm sad and bakes me muffins when I'm sick. On a scale of 1 to 10, they're "totally awesome." Meeting cool friends can't be taken for granted when one lives in Brazzaville. What are the odds of meeting someone I totally click with? God's grace and goodness are astounding. Amelia and I like to go to the orphanage, make cookies, address each other as "Hey Woman", hang out in her air-conditioned home, invite each other over for dinner, etc.

Fun times.

Liberation Day

After 2 weeks, my braids were getting a little fuzzy and I decided it was high time to wash my hair. The experiment with extensions was definitely a success, however, and will be repeated.

BEFORE

AFTER

A place for everything, and everything in its place...

J'adore mon chat. She's so stinking cute. She sleeps on my feet while I do the dishes. She bites my ankles in the morning before I feed her. She does frontward summersaults when she plays with her tennis ball. So, so cute.

Artistic Me

My musician friends adore my new look. Byas is like "From now on whenever you perform with me you have to do your hair like that. It's artistic." My choir director asked if I was a jazz fan. It's been in for 5 days now, so I'm starting to wonder how much longer it will last. Getting a little frizzy.

Monkey B the girly social cat

Time for a new pic of my kitten who's all grown up. This is what she does seriously every single time I open this manicure kit. She fits in there a little snugger than she did when I could hold her in one hand!


She's very social and hates it if I put her away when guests are over (many Congolese people are terrified of cats). I have to shut the door with a key, because she knows how to open it! When it's locked it's really pathetic to hear her flailing herself against the handle to no avail :o)

In short, j'adore mon chat!

Le Nouveau Look

Facebook photos from Kenya and Ethiopia

Here's an updated Kenya album
And some from Addis Ababa

Top 10 highlights of trip to Kenya and Ethiopia (Cont.)

5. LALIBELA: Heather and I flew from Addis to this obscure little mountain town which is home to 12th century rock-hewn churches, an amazing sight for Sub-Saharan Africa. This will need its own blog entry.

4. ANIMALS: We went to Nairobi National Park, the Giraffe Center, and Lake Naivasha. I saw lots of zebras, giraffes, cape buffalo, ostriches, hippos, and various birds and antelope/gazelle-like creatures. Next time I’ll have to find some lions and elephants. It’s very cool to see these animals just doing their thing out in the wild. Many have remarked that my photos finally look like Africa…Well, I guess if east Africa is all you know of the continent then that’s true, but I felt less like I was really in Africa since I was just a tourist. Congo is the real thing for me!

3. ETHNIC FOOD: It was a real treat eating out at a variety of restaurants. We had fantastic American, Korean, and Ethiopian food in Nairobi. We also delighted at the chance to eat Thai, Indian, and Italian in Addis.

2. OLD FRIENDS: It’s really fun that pretty much wherever I go in the world I get to meet up with people I know. Of the 35 people at the conference, I had already met 20 at previous trainings and seminars! I vacationed for a few days in Nairobi with my friend Angi who I met when I went on vacation in Switzerland a year and a half ago. In Addis I got to spend 10 days with my good friends Michael and Colleen who I knew from my summers at ORSIL. No one in my life is really stable—we’re always on the move, coming and going—so it’s always a comfort to cross paths again and see familiar faces. And within the organization I can pretty much count on seeing people again some day.

1. AFRICA AREA LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE: I guess it’s pretty good, especially considering all the other cool things I got to do, that the coolest thing on the trip was the real reason for the trip. The conference was very interesting and helpful. My team came home with a big list of action items to pursue, new tools to use, and a whole lot of ideas to think about. It was encouraging to consider my professional growth plan and to glean from the experiences of others who have been doing language research much longer than I.

Top 10 highlights of trip to Kenya and Ethiopia

Well, after 5 weeks in Kenya and Ethiopia I've got quite a blogging backlog. I just sent my newsletter, though, so I think most of my readers at least have the synopsis of my trip. How about a top 10 list? OK, here are the 10 best things about my trip...

10. BRACKENHURST, the conference center outside of Nairobi where I stayed for 3 weeks: Three great meals a day, having my room cleaned everyday, abundant flowers, and trails through the nearby tea fields were just a few of the perks.

9. LEISURE TIME: We had great fun in the evenings of the writers’ workshop playing various card games and watching movies. On the weekends we made interesting excursions (more on that later). In Ethiopia Heather and I had plenty of time on our hands for browsing shops, drinking coffee, a day at the poolside, long talks with our friends, a few episodes of Lost Season 4, etc. Leisure time has become a rare commodity for me in Congo between work, choir, orphans, church, etc.

8. NOT SWEATING: I can’t say one of the best things was the “cool climate” because actually I was miserably cold about half the time, but it was really great to not sweat for a few weeks. It was fun actually blow-drying my hair and wearing it down. No frizz! We are grateful to have missed a few of the worst (hottest, humidest) weeks in Brazza.

7. NEW FRIENDS: It was fun to get to know some of the other people doing language research in Africa. At these kinds of events I can’t help but make a few lasting friendships since we have so much in common and there are so many quality people involved.

6. ESPRESSO: Good coffee at cheap prices. Need I say more? There’s a Starbucks-esque place in Addis called Kaldi’s, named for the goat herder who according to legend discovered the coffee bean when he noticed his goats dancing after having eaten some. Fantastic caramel macchiatos for less than $1.

(Top 5 Coming Soon...)

Nairboi Nat'l Park

Last Saturday I went to Nairobi National Park. It's kind of like a zoo...except you're the one in the cage! :o) It's crazy, one minute you're in the city and the next you're driving thru the savannah looking at giraffes, zebras, ostriches, cape buffalo...you can see my pictures on facebook here.

In Kenya

Arrived in Kenya on Saturday with my teammates Dana and Heather. We're out at this really charming retreat center. Pretty much the nicest place any of us have ever seen in Africa. It's a bit surreal. Our schedule is packed for our conference, but I think we'll get to have some excursions on the weekends. Maybe I'll see some big animals! We were really excited to wear our "team pagne" together :o)


There are some beautiful places to walk around here, although getting into town is a bit difficult.


This place is surrounded by tea fields. Very cool. Although we're mostly enjoying drinking good coffee.