degg nga wolof bu bare

I know I am gloating, but I must admit that it makes me incredibly happy to hear, “Yow, degg nga Wolof bu bare.” (You speak Wolof very well) from people I don’t know. It makes me even happier when Awa tells people that I speak Wolof well, or at least that I understand it. It takes me awhile to construct complicated sentences properly without using French as a crutch, but I am trying to use Wolof as much as I can. It always fun to get a rise out of people when they greet me in Wolof, with the expectation that I don’t understand, then we have a conversation about our day, our lives, etc. It makes my philosophy that I should maintain a good sense of humor while here possible. It also, obviously helps me build relationships with people in my neighborhood and my clients.

Lisa, my dear housemate and close friend from MHC, who is a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, explained to me that people in her village tell her all the time that she can’t speak Hausa properly. It is the most demoralizing experience to be in a country where you are trying very hard to speak the local language and to have people chastise you for your speaking skills. I am confident that Lisa speaks Hausa better than I speak Wolof. It goes to show how different cultures are and how they impact a situation immensely. I am lauded for trying, while Lisa is put down.