Monday, July 9, 2007

Tales of the Nightbird of Manzese A

Nightbird is a bird that I've only seen once. Rarely does he fly during daylight. Rather, he prefers nighttime activities. As I mentioned before, I've only glimpsed him once, but I've heard him nearly every night since arriving in Manzese A. His call is a cross between the quack of a large duck and what a Pteradactyl might have sounded like. I imagine that he hunts small prey at night under the cover of darkness. When I did see him, he seemed to be the size of a turkey vulture and he did a full flying roll, as if he knew I was watching.
I'll keep everyone abreast of Nightbird's adventures as I deem fit. After 9-10 hours a day, 6 days a week, of learning Kiswahili, this is my creative outlet. As it is nearing nightfall here, I must return to my home for dinner. Not to mention that it is against PC policy to ride my bicycle after dark. Carla and I are both doing well, however Kiswahili is the most difficult language I have attempted to learn. While pronunciation is very straightforward, conjugation and structure are next to impossible to master as a non-native speaker. Also, there is no gender, but there are 6-8 noun classes instead. Needless to say, we have been quite frustrated. I will try to post again this week, but I have written and spoken language tests this week. Also, Saturday we leave for a one-night safari in Mikumi National Park. Until next post, baadaye!

2 comments:

modgirl said...

hey man-thanks for the update. one question: how do you say "rock on" in Kiswahili? kisses. T

Anonymous said...

Dude - email your tips on composting to dstezala@wi.rr.com
Seriously. I am at war with my the critters who keep raiding my garden, so I'm thinking I should just concentrate on being a dirt farmer. Ray says hi.