“In Africa, we eat presque everything.”

Le 5 decembre   (Petite) Sr. Gisele is Congolese and knows Swahili as a first language, learned French in school, and then has spent the last few years in Kenya for training where she’s been using primarily English. She’s currently learning Kinyarwanda, too, and is picking it up quickly.

In this house, however, English isn’t often used so she’s had to switch her brain from English back to French. This seems to be a challenge, because she’s been unknowingly creating some absolutely classic “Franglais” phrases. Sr. Josephine doesn’t seem to notice it too often, as she knows a decent amount of English herself. I’m sure Sr. Ema notices, though, because there will be a sentence spoken by Sr. Gisele where the key words are in English – and she doesn’t know English. For me, I laugh each and every time without even meaning to. The truly funny part is that she doesn’t even notice that she’s doing it unless you point it out!

Last week, Sr. Gisele was telling us how at Patronage (camp for the children) that day it was really hot and everyone was sweating. Well, the French verb for “to sweat” is “transpire.” The verb “souhaiter” is “to wish.” Instead, she said, “Nous sweatons” – emphasizing her mistake more clearly with a hand gesture of wiping sweat. For a moment, I wasn’t sure exactly what had happened, but knew that something wasn’t right – it sounded French, afterall. When we realized what had happened, we were in stitches! (I think quickly explained to Sr. Ema what her mistake was.)

Today on a walk through the garden in search of food to prepare for lunch, she would point to a plant and say “we eat the leaves of that… we eat the roots of that… we eat the fruit from that tree..” I was incredulous, because there is so much that is seemingly wasted in the US. “Yeah, here in Africa we eat presque everything.” (Presque being “just about.”) Bahaha, once again, I roared.

I do believe that this stage of transition will pass as she reacquaints herself with using French in the home, but I’ll be sure to enjoy it while it lasts!