May 16th, 2008 (and the 17th at some point)
"Ok so here I am on the plane. We were #40 on the runway about half an hour ago. I've been speaking with a very nice man named Mike on the plane. We have an empty seat between us. I hope I make my connection. I leave Zurich at 9:35AM and we were meant to get in at 7:30. I think I will make it..."
"I'm going to miss New York and home. I can already feel my brain transitioning though. Mike is telling his friend on the phone about me. I told him about birdcalling on Letterman because he was like, 'Hey, maybe I'll see you on T.V. going social work stuff.' And I was like, 'Well, actually.' He had lived in the Bay for part of high school and then moved to Alameda for a while, I thought maybe he had heard of it. So, the plane is an hour late so far. I've already eaten one of my Cliff bars and given one to Mike. I was so hungry...."
"I've been really wanting to ask for a taxi to my hostel for my night in Dar is Swahili. It would go something like this:
Habari!? (Pause) Nzuri, asante! (how are you, fine thanks)
Nataka teksi, tafadhali (i'd like a taxi please)
Tafadhali niendeshe mpaka (please take me to)
Corner of Nyerere/Segerea in the Kisarawe/Pugu Direction
(I have in my notes it should be 1.5 km and cost 5.000tsh)
some more Swahili I am learning
Unasemaje (how do you say?)
Unasema Kiingereza (pronounced kee-een-gay-ray-za, do you speak english)
Samahani (excuse me)
Choo kiko wapi? (where is the toilet)
So, I am in Zurich now, waiting on the next plane. I've just managed to change into my flip flops under my tray table containing peppermint tea that cost $4.50 without gagging from the stench of my other shoes. When I wear them without socks they get really smelly...
Not going to lie, Europeans are pretty weird when it comes down to it. At lease Swiss people in the airport are strange. They are nice, but kind of stern at the same time, it's very interesting. They seem to be very serious people. Samyra and Hana are both very silly though... So earlier when I was writing down some Swahili phrases, Mike struck up a conversation which I totally saw coming. We must have spoken for at lease an hour or two. He is 37, was married at 18, has 7 kids (all of whose names begin with "A," Andrew is the oldest, Aaron is the youngest, 3 girls and 4 boys). Oh my god they are counting all of us "economy class" passengers on a little silver clicky thing. I do get a good vibe from this flight though, when I came in there was a little video of penguins swimming to the shore."
i need to finish this later....
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