Sharobaro!

I had many willing tutors when it came to learning Swahili.  Teachers quizzed me relentlessly during morning chai breaks, the mamas taught me new vocabulary and phrases while cooking, and the girls wrote out songs for me to practice.  Back in the days when her living room doubled as a classroom, Jackie spent several evenings giving me lessons on a whiteboard while making dinner.

However, my favorite and most persistent instructor was Jonas.  Jonas, who is a budding linguist in his own right, often checked in on my progress and gently pushed me to continue studying.  He assigned me compositions, which he corrected and returned to me.  With a grade.  And suggestions for improvement.

What truly set Jonas apart as a Swahili teacher was his emphasis on “street words,” or slang.  I’d pepper my conversation with these new phrases whenever possible, always eliciting a hearty laugh from whoever was around.  Ladies at the market thought it was hilarious when I’d say something like “two bucks” in the middle of haggling for tomatoes.  While it was initially distracting, I think it ultimately earned me some street cred.

The street word I used the most was “sharobaro” which suggests someone is stylish, both in their dress and demeanor.  The best English translation I can think of is “swag.”  I used “sharobaro” as frequently as possible—because who doesn’t love a compliment?  Inevitably, everyone within earshot would burst out laughing.  I guess it’s like seeing a dignified Indian woman in a sari yell, “yo, what up, homie!”  It’s unexpected.

There were many sharobaro moments on campus.  Here are a few I documented…

 Lipstick.  It's not just for your lips anymore!

 Salome put this look together from randomness on my kitchen table.

Saleh was looking especially sharobaro for his gardening chores on this day.

 Khangas also make great turbans...

 Babu is looking especially classy in my sunglasses.

This was taken during a football jersey photo shoot.  At one point, there were two girls in one jersey.  We're just keeping the spirit alive in Kitongo!

Mama Mary put together a neon headband to match Stephania's...here they are sporting their very fashionable accessories.

This post is dedicated to Jonas, pictured here in a sweater-turned-turban with berry accents.

In other news, the domain www.sharobaro.com is available.  Oh, the possibilities!