photo by R. Chursinoff
There was this one time, about twenty times a day, every day here in Kenya when kids, usually under the age of 8, would ask me, in their high-pitched, monotone voices, and in robotic unison (if there was a group of them, and there always was), as if they were sent from an alien planet of cuteness, “howahyou? howahyou? howahyou?”
And there would be no stopping this repetitive question until I answered, poa, poa, good, good. Or at least gave them a wave.
If I returned the courtesy and asked them, sa, sa? what’s up?, they’d suddenly fall silent, stare in disbelief that a muzungu would know some Swahili, then burst out into mouth-covered giggles.
So cute. . . the first two weeks I was here. Nowadays I don’t go out much for fear of the mosquito-ish phrase ringing in my ears like a persistent tinnitus.
howahyou, howahyou, howahyooooooouuuuuuuuu ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Howahyou???
Maybe you should make a shirt that says “Poa!” or “don’t ask me how I am…” in Sawhili?
Just some suggestions in the interest of your comfort.
Poa (fine), poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa poa.
Does that answer your question?
The funny thing is the kids dont even know what they’re asking. It’s just the first thing they learn to say to a white person. I could be saying, “ah, my genital warts are inflamed today kids” and they’d still give me the same shy giggle.
would you mind trying to capture this on video and posting it? i’d love to hear what they sound like. maybe you could get them to show you their best dance too? or some other fun thing. i wonder if you’re allowed to tape kids saying, “howahyou, howahyou, howahyooooooouuuuuuuuu ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????” If it were me that’s what i’d do. record them. so maybe that’s a dare. maybe be stealth about it if you do it? by the way Howahyou? howahyou? just kidding.
Hey Rob.
I gotta ask you something.
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.HOWAHYOU!!????????
Very funny.
I try.
And often fail.
In Cambodia, the kids know: “My name is…” Similar uncontrollable giggling ensues.
Like this as a literary device a lot. Might give a go myself…