I find myself extremely amused by the many of the staff members lingo. I'm sure they are equally entertained by my own English slang. Here is a small sample of some of my favorites:
1. "Let Kuku get his admission fee. He (the patient) is likely to escape."
One of our staff members Kuku is the accountant. He collects all the payments for the patients (admission fees, surgical fees etc). Many patients can be stubborn and try to leave before they are medically or post-
operatively stable. In this instance we had a young guy in his 20s who had a broken leg, who kept walking around on his cast and never listened to any of our advice.
2. "You don't eat dove?"
Dove season just came and went. I was unfamiliar with the trapping and roasting dove procedure. Two of the ex-pats (Julius & Francis) from Uganda made some contraptions with string to catch multiple doves in our garden. At first all I could equate eating a dove to was munching on a city pigeon, but I overcame these notions and I did partake in the dove eating . It was actually quite tasty meat.
3. "Laura, are you married? Good...I want a white one."
No explanation needed.
4. "Having a wife is not like drinking water...it's like putting yourself in prison."
My translator was explaining to me the difficulties of marriage and why he was not married yet. I guess he
may never be.
5. "We are going for communication."
In order to get cell phone service in this area you have to climb a mountain which is a good 20-30 minute walk or go to the "city" of Kauda which is 40 minutes by car.
6. "Mandi kills rats with his hands...he slaps them to death."
Mandi is the theater assistant that has now left to complete high school. I have witnessed the
catching and killing technique that he uses. It is quite impressive.
7. "They say that when a child pees on you that you will have a child very soon."
This was explained to me when I was urinated on twice by two different little boys. I tried to counteroffer this belief by pointing out that when children don't utilize diapers the chance of getting tinkled on exponentially increases. But in their defense there are a lot of pregnant women in the Nuba Mountains.
8. "So that's what you do when you're in a hurry...you walk fast?"
Definitely had an attack of laughter when this was stated by one of my Kenyan friends when we saw a staff member power walking to the hospital.
Oh my gosh Laura... this is too funny. I gotto start writing some of the ones i hear down. You crack me up. I'm sure there will be a few amazing quotes in the next few weeks with all the fighting... keep our pen handy so to keep yourself laughing a bit through it! I'm prayin' for you all!
ReplyDeleteWell, this is my second attempt to comment. I wrote a really good one, but could not remember my password on google...so i had to go and reset my password. I do love being 60...and using that for my excuse of not knowing my password. Anyway, I have a new one, I hope I will not forget...before i finish this comment.
ReplyDeleteLaura you are amazing...oh I probably already used that word about you in other comments...but you are. Your photo montages are breathtaking...it is hard to believe that you are there, and to learn about what you are doing. Your description of the dove dining was most fascinating. Your description of your patient interviews with the hot burning epidemic was most curious...although I have the hot burning for many years...but it has been diagnosed as hot flashes....your colleagues, the rat slapper, could probably get an internship in New York, as their rat population coould certainly use some rat slapping....hmmm, Robert Redford did play a Horse whisperer in a movie, maybe Wesley Snipes would be interested in portraying the Rat Slapper in a sequel to the HorseWhisperer....and the marriage inquiry where one of the gentlemen said they would like a white one...makes my head spin a bit...is that the guy who wants to be in all your photos? He is cute....Gotta go to bed....am taking a busload of rhode islanders to new york to see Eric's latest production....have all the Girl Scout Snacks made..though i have some that are glutin free, some are salt free, and some are peanut free...used to be a snack was a snack...but these days, at our age...there are all sorts of variables involved in snacking!
Keep up the good work! Continue your postings to prep for that prize winning book. And stay SAFE! You are in our thoughts and special prayers daily! And I think those little doves chanting on the telephone wire outside my window are looking differently to me now that i have read your entry on tasty doves....hugs, shelley and larry