Mwenge

Dalla Dalla!

There is a market near campus called Mwenge that we have been frequenting.  To get there we took the Dalla Dalla which is a small bus. (I know..."Dalla, Dalla bill y'all")  This is all of us crowding into the Dalla Dalla.  To ride the bus it costs 300 shillings that equals $0.19

 Mwenge

Mwenge is a bustling market with several different sections.  There is the craft market, and then some second hand clothes markets, people doing pedicures, selling food, and lots of other things.  At mwenge it is essential that you barter, especially if you are a mzungu (or a white person), because they assume all white people have lots of money.  I went to this one stand and found some giraffe salad tongs.  I started bartering with the lady.  I went about half the price she said they were.  "Dada" she went or "sister" and hit me on the bum a little bit.  She started laughing.  I eventually got her down a few thousand shillings.  Dada was a lively one!

Ninasema Kiswahili Kidogo

"I speak a little Swahili"

I practiced my Swahili quite a bit down at the market which was fun.  Someone asked me where I was from and what not, all in Swahili and said that my Swahili was pretty good.  Always a boost to the self-esteem.