Paper Airplane

The walk between home and the office is about 12 minutes each way.  I am developing a routine of coming to eat lunch with Dana and Asher.  Today, Dana was away having tea and lunch with some new friends so I had to fend for myself.  PB & J and a big fat carrot did me right.  I had a meeting scheduled with the Language Team Leaders today but didn’t have anything to write on at the office.  So, I grabbed one of our spiral notebooks before I headed out the door to return to work.

About halfway to the office, I passed 4 little boys none of whom could’ve been over 5 years old.  One of them had what appeared to be a piece of trash plastic… then he began to hold it up as if it were an airplane.  It amazed me that he made a make shift airplane.  Especially since he lived in obvious extreme poverty and I have yet to hear only one high-flying jetliner my whole time here in Mbeya.  But I asked him in Swahili what it was and sure ‘nough, he said it was an airplane.

Hahaha… watch this little man.  I bent down and told them I was going to make an airplane out of paper.  All of them were immediately shocked as they gathered close to me.  It took me about a minute to fold it and I don’t think any sets of eyes peering on blinked a single time.

I finished, cocked my arm back and threw it.  Nose dive.  It even stuck in the dirt.  “I’ll try again!”  I exclaimed, trying not to let down their hopes.  This time I stood up and aimed up.  It flew a good 40 feet away.  They took off after it as I stood behind them yelling, “Michukue! Ni zawadi.” (Take it!  It is a gift.)