Back to school on a spicy island
Yes, we’ve started learning Swahili. We were advised to contact Mama Anti, a well-known Swahili-teacher in Zanzibar. The classroom is in a very old building in Stone Town and it would have taken us some time to find it if we went just by ourselves! We have to climb narrow and steep staircases to reach the third floor of the house where the small classroom with a table and three chairs is located. The atmosphere in the room is fascinating: open mosaic windows, the view of the roofs, sun and wind playing with our notes… It feels so peaceful there.
Mama Anti is a great and patient teacher. And when we say it’s difficult, the answer we get is «No, Swahili is easy!!!».
We go there twice a week and so far we’ve had ten hours. We have learned some greeting- phrases, some important sentences and started a little bit with grammar.
So now we practice with people in the shops and market, cafes and the people who work at Haukeland house. They are happy to speak with us, but conversations often end like “Ok, could you please say that again in English?
Baadaye!
This is our classroom where we go twice a week to learn swahili.
Our great teacher in Stone Town.
Do you understand???
The narrow door at our school. Not easy to get in.
Staircase up to the classroom.
The street where the swahili-school is.
