Linguistics Course

The linguistics course that I am taking in Toronto has been very informative so far. There is lots of information on how to learn a language without a school or a grammar textbook. Interesting!

At first, I was frustrated with the system. I thought that the method was different from that which I have become accustomed to. I thought 'no' and 'I want to learn from a grammar textbook so I can memorize the rules'.

But upon thinking this, I realized that there is no Fulfulde grammar textbook! In this way, this method is systematically arranged to learn the rules of sentence structure and verb conjugation.

During the course, I am studying and practicing this method in Korean. So, I am learning Korean!! Today, I learned a basic sentence: The mother is in the airport!, and then with seven pronouns and buildings:

mother

father

grandmother

grandfather

daughter

son

baby

______________

hospital

office

house

airport

church

So, I alternated the subjects and the buildings to say many sentences:

The mother is in the hospital.

The baby is in the house.

The grandfather is in the office.

In Korean: (even though I do not know the Korean alphabet)

Omoniega pwihwhaneh ita.

Agiga chipeh ita.

Halabodgega samushileh ita.

mother = omonie

hospital = pwihwhan

is = ga

eh = in the

ita = being

The direct translation: Mother is hospital in the being.

So just by moving the pictures around, I learned the order of words in the sentence and how the endings of the people and buildings changed by the intention of the sentence.

It was exhilarating! After one day (fours hours of studying the language) I am now capable of saying basic sentences.

I cannot wait to arrive in Niger to use this method to learn Fulfulde!

VISA Application

After only 1 tense day of waiting . . . my 3-month VISA to Niger has been approved!! Once I arrive in Niger, I will apply for an annual VISA to continue working on the field.

WOW! That was fast!

34 Days . . .

. . . and 15 hours

before I leave for Niger!!

These last 5 weeks will be full of preparations. Tomorrow, (Sunday) I leave for Toronto, where I will be taking a 2 week linguistics training course. This course is designed to teach missionaries how to learn a language. Which will become important when I begin studying Fulfulde (pronounced: full full day). Without the benefit of a school, planned activities to practice the language, and likely no grammar textbook - learning this language will be mostly oral, with the aid of a tutor. I have already learned my first two words of Fulfulde: mi yetti - which means thank you!

When I return home I will have three weeks to connect with a few of my cluster churches, and to spend time with friends and family. Though I am excited to finally be leaving for Niger (the actuality of which at times still feels surreal) I am sure that saying good-bye to those I love will be a difficult endeavour.

Though as I say good-bye to Canada and my friends and family, I anticipate going home and saying hello to Niger and the family that I will find as I finally meet my teammates.

I am also finishing the end of my physical preparations:

• Monday - final vaccination!
• Feb. 4 - begin malaria medication
• yesterday - mailed off my VISA application

And finally, it has begun to snow in Calgary! In anticipation of the extreme heat that I am going to, and how in one month I will long for cold, I am enjoying my final snowfalls. On Thursday afternoon, I sat on the c-train platform in the middle of a snow flurry while eating a DQ turtle ice cream blizzard. It was pure joy!

Prayer Requests:

1. VISA application - pray for approval and that this will process speedily
2. linguistics training course - pray that myself and the other missionaries will have open and alert minds to learn all that we will need for our future ministry and language learning
3. travel safety - for myself and the other missionaries as we travel to and from the training course
4. health - for well-being over the next month as I prepare to leave, and that I will arrive in Niger refreshed

Family Christmas

In the month since I arrived back in Calgary from Québec City, I have finished a course on Humanitarian Aid Relief. I have also spent the time meeting with family, friends, and churches - catching up on the last six months and spending quality time before I move to the other side of the world in one month.

Christmas was a wonderful time of connecting with my extended family and spreading the celebrations over three weeks! Starting with the Priebe family Christmas the day after I returned, a weekend which saw many family members from Saskatchewan who travelled to Calgary for the celebration. I was able to spend the next few days with aunts, uncles, and cousins. Even spending a day at the Calgary Zoo - where I saw some soon to be familiar animals in the African exhibit - giraffes, elephants, hippos, crocodiles and monkeys. It was a wonderful day.

My parents and I then travelled to High River on Christmas Day to spend time with my brother and his family.

Our day was filled with love, food, fun and laughter . . .

As my brother was preparing the ham for supper, my niece Maddie asked him what animal was that meat. My brother told her it was a pig and she then wanted to know what the 'thing sticking up was'. My brother informed her it was the bone from the pig's leg. Finally, she wanted to know how the pig could walk with only three legs! Ah the insight of a four-year old!

The following Sunday, my grandmother, aunt and uncle came over - and my family celebrated by eating a third Christmas dinner!

In all, it was a wonderful time to celebrate this final Christmas in Canada (for a few years) with so many.

A few weekends ago, my nieces Madelynn and Michella came to spend the whole weekend with Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Kristi. Though the entire weekend was fun; I enjoyed most the afternoon that my father and I took the girls to Bowness Park. We played on the slides, swings and I even found a bit of snow for the three of us to make snow angels!

Tribute to Québec

My last six months in Québec were filled with love, laughter and fellowship and beautiful sights. I loved the city . . . and I loved the people. Most of all, I loved the language! My memories of Québec, the friendship I made, and the fun I had at the school learning and stumbling with mistakes in my language will always be fond memories in my heart.

Here are a few of my favourite photos from my time there:

l'île d'Orléans:

Apple Picking:

Chutes Kabir Kouba:

Fall Colours: Gaspésie: Old Québec:

Home of many explorations, beautiful architecture, tours of old houses, speaking French, grammar lessons and strolling through the square looking at Christmas lights and eating maple syrup snow sticks!

I also savoured many cheap - yet amazing - québécois meals and treats:

crèpes, maple glazed ribs, sugar pie, maple syrup pie - yes, maple was a theme - chocolatines (crescent rolls with chocolate sticks baked inside) and coffee with hot chocolate and ice cream on a wintery night.

Chateau Frontenac: Finally, though I had known that the words in French sentences are often in a different order - or backwards - from the English words, I had not realized that it was this backwards: Salut Québec! I miss you already! Thank you to all who helped with my French!!

À la prochaine!

Until next time . . .