I’ve come to terms with it…I’m losing my ability to speak English. If my spelling wasn’t impeccable before, it’s gone to hell in a hand basket now. I find myself speaking Swinglish. Even my dreams have a SiSwati word thrown in here or there. When I go home I know am I still going to catch myself responding to people with ‘yebo.’ Also “she fell pregnant” “da thing” “this child” “that girl” “as for me” “that side” and “shame” have all entered my vocabulary. Not to mention a series of sounds “How!” (surprise) “iiiish” (wow or too bad) plus a plethora of mmmhmms, yeahs, clicks, and grunts, which all serve to emphasize.
I’m so ready for IST. I still love my community and my family but good lord I need some time with a hot shower and Americans. Also I keep repeating the four movies I have, time to trade with some people. Okay here are some quotes:
“Here, do you want this?” (girl younger than me, offering to give me her baby)
“Hola, bobaby” (a pick up line, using three languages, nice)
“DuDu is not my wife, she’s my chick” (the chief’s nephew, while lighting a cigarette)
“The grandgogo says you are so beautiful” (my friend Erik’s make)
“You are a living giant!” (the kids at the youth meeting)
“You are not exercising, you are just walking” (Make, walking home, after I ran 2 miles)
“You are going to fail your SiSwati test” Make
“Your husband will pay us twelve cows” Make
“What does poo mean Dudu?” Babe “It means poop.” Me .“poop?” “you know…poop, caca, shit.” “shit?” “yes shit, feces” “Oh! Feces, you mean simba.” “I thought Simba was a lion.” “Simba means feces.” “So does Dudu.”

It’s getting warmer. The rainy season is just ending and summer’s about to begin. Everyone has planted their crops and begun the hard process of weeding. It’s beautiful and green out, like spring time. I’m wearing tank tops and enjoying the weather. I also saw my first big hairy spider. It was digging a tunnel in the road. My bhuti told me he’s never found one inside, which is the only reason I’m still here. =)

I keep having these recurring dreams in which I go back home and do things like spend time with my family and go out to the club with friends, before panicking because I forgot to tell the Peace Corps office that I went home for a vacation. I quickly have to explain to everybody that I need to catch a flight home to Swaziland before the office finds out I’m gone. Then I wake up, all shocked that I’m still in my hut...then relieved I go back to sleep.