Monday, March 1, 2010

Umva!!!!

Apologies for not writing more lately!
But I had to share this small personal victory----if it doesn't translate, so sorry!~

I teach very far away in the North and so I have to take the bus back down to where I am. Anyways, I'm tired and really hungry (hadn't eaten much that day)....and was operating on minimal sleep. I was listening to my headphones sitting in the middle seat on the bus (ie not comfortable---the middle seats fold down in the middle of the bus and you are sandwiched between other people sitting lower than them and they tend to move around on curves in the road....and was going round those tough road turns sitting next to a very pregnant lady who looked like she was going to toss her cookies quite soon.

But thankfully, this blog entry is NOT about that~! Whew...and for the record, she did not throw up.

Instead, it's a happier one! So, many many MANY Rwandans say "umva" when they are speaking....it basically is like listen!, ecouter, etc. They do this a lot in the middle of talking. Umva, I want a sandwich/ I am going here, umva, and then i'll go elsewhere....etc. Anyways, there was a man 2 seats in front of me (not on the middle seat like me though, but the more comfy ones) and he was YELLING (not in an angry way, but in a listen to me!!!! way) on the phone (it's modern technology...no need to yell!~) ha, anyways, he KEPT saying UMVA! while yelling to who he was talking to, trying to get whomever he was talking to to come to the right location to pick him up. And in a series of phone calls... i'm going to guess at least 10, if not more, he kept saying UMVA......and so the entire bus started in on a joke and making fun of this guy, parroting his "umvas" ...and he started laughing at himself too for his habit, hanging his head and laughing along too. But he couldn't help still saying UMVA!

so, i started counting the number of times he said it and sharing with the bus. gatanu in a 30-40 second conversation (5 times) sooo funny, but there it is. we all got excitable when he got back on the phone again and waited with baited breath for the next 'umva'...and laughed and clapped every time he said it.

so the entire bus starting joking and said umva in random circumstances like: Umva, did you reach your friend? umva look at that tree! Umva, urumva, murumva (all forms of it) umva, how many times are you saying umva!? and then they said, urumva, umuzungu yarasetse (the muzungu is laughing) and i said: "yego, ndumva! (i understand), urumva!"

It was hilarious way to end a loooong day! But I was happy to be a part of a joke and be able to follow along and laugh with my fellow travelers! So, when I return back to the states and I start saying, umva! you can feel free to laugh with me too.....

a bientot.