Two months after arriving in Africa I began studying Swahili, the main language
of East Africa.  After a few weeks I celebrated the Eucharist in Swahili at the
convent of the Immaculate Heart Sisters in Makoko, Tanzania.  In introducing
myself I said, “I have come from America by ‘banana’ (ndizi)” when I
meant to say “airplane” (ndege).  The Sisters roared with laughter as
they visualized a person riding on a banana.  My language teacher warned me that
this would not be my last mistake in Swahili.  It wasn’t!

   
Since then I have referred to the priest’s “pastoral work” (kazi ya uchungaji)
as “work of livestock and animal husbandry” (kazi ya ufugaji).  I have
mixed up “fisherman” (mvuvi) and “a lazy person” (mvivu) with
embarrassing results.  During a meeting at the Rulenge Seminar Center, I left
the delegates saying, “I’ll be back in a few days” (siku chache) rather
than a “few minutes” (dakika chache).