Week Ten: Planning My Language Study

            The past week was my spring break, a reiteration for my colleagues at the University of Wisconsin and potentially new information for my viewers elsewhere. I decided to take a break from studying Kinyarwanda; however, I used this time to plan my language study for the future.

            For instance, I acquired some new (and hopefully helpful) resources, including stories from Pearson’s Junior African Writers Series:

http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/International/Africa/Primary/AfricanLanguageLearning/KinyarwandaLanguage/JAWSReadersforKinyarwanda/JAWSReadersforKinyarwanda.aspx

I am not sure I would call them authentic materials, insofar as they were stories created for Kinyarwanda speakers to learn to read and write Kinyarwanda, as well as English, but perhaps they are more “authentic” than my translated version of Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda and my newly acquired Holy Bible. But then again, the stories are still intended as learning materials, so I guess they’re not entirely authentic or organic, are they? Regardless, if they help me, they help me, and I can proceed from there, right?

Speaking of my newly acquired Bible, my grandma was kind enough to provide me with an English version, so that I may translate and confirm my comprehension. Admittedly, I am a little proud that I owned the Kinyarwanda version first, but more significantly, my grandma (Nyogokuru) was able to participate in my learning in a supportive way, which I am sure she liked as much as me. I am sure she is also proud that I recently received funding for my education. She, however, did not like the following news…

Because I have enough funding to support myself next year, I have decided to withdraw some money from my savings and travel to Rwanda for at least a month this summer. I have already started arranging an internship in Kigali, and I am looking forward to making a more concentrated effort at practicing Kinyarwanda, and I hope grandma will become equally excited, even if it’s just because I am excited.

Of course, this is the most exciting news that I have to tell you, and I am sure you could stop reading now and be entirely pleased. However, if you did, you would miss the following news- I have arranged a meeting time with my former professor B for this Thursday! And I am very excited about it, particularly because his emails alone give me great opportunity to practice my language skills. Accoridngly, I look forward to seeing what our Skype chats will do for me.

Murakoze kandi muramuke!

Week Nine: Avoiding Avoidance in Kinyarwanda

            Like last week, I am not terribly proud of my language study this week, but I managed to review terms/phrases on Memrise. In addition, though I didn’t produce anything as a result, I began to attempt looking at Ntihazasigare N'uwo Kubara Inkuru": Itsembabwoko mu Rwanda (Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda). As I anticipated, the Kinyarwanda version might be well above my comprehension level, but I am sure I can still think of activities to do in relation to the text- identifying parts of speech, defining words, changing verb tense, etc.

            To the extent that I did not achieve all that I could or should have, I am still very proud of myself, as I actively thought and talked about Kinyarwanda. Indeed, we experienced very nice weather last week, and one day, I walked the two and a half miles to campus. However, insofar as this venture took longer than a bus ride, I made sure that my time was well-spent. Mentally, I identified the sights that I saw, and when I could, I would describe them internally. For example, I saw grass, so I said, “icyatsi! Icyatsi ni icyatsi kibisi” Notice that the word for “green” comes from the word for “grass.” When I saw trees, however, I said, “Ibiti! Ibiti ni birebire!” Trees! The trees are tall! When I didn’t know the word and/or phrase, I was looking for, I tried to take note, so I could look it up later. Through this process, I came to be familiar with the terms “inzira” and “akayira,” path/way and small path respectively.

            In addition to that small amount of productivity, I didn’t allow my lackluster Kinyarwanda study to prevent me from discussing the language with my classmates. Last semester, in particular, I noted that when I didn’t think I was where I should be in my language study, I avoided the language completely, out of embarrassment, shame, and maybe even guilt. This is evidenced in my blog posts from last semester, as well as in my somewhat unproductive sessions with my language. Now, however, I will still ask for resources from other L2 learners, compare the language with speakers of other Bantu languages, and even ask B to be my language partner.

            Yes, I emailed B to ask if him he would be my language partner, and he graciously agreed (in Kinyarwanda no less). We’re working to identify a schedule, but regardless of what we decide, I am sure that B will hold me to account. Indeed, due to our one-on-one intensive study, he is very familiar with what I am capable of and the standards I hold myself to. Conversely, I am also familiar with what we are capable of and the standards he holds me to, so I think I will be able to push my language study further. My primary focus, socially at least, is to avoid avoidance, that is- if and when my language study isn’t where I would like it to be, continue meeting with B. Do not allow my embarrassment, shame, and/or guilt to interfere with my language learning, as that will become a continuous and repetitive cycle if I let it.

            Sawa! Murakoze kandi murabeho!

Week Eight: Let's Talk about Kinyarwanda as a Reward

            In anticipation of midterm assignments, I think I shifted my attention away from Kinyarwanda a degree. I am not particularly proud of this, but I think my classmates and I have all agreed that, sometimes, it’s more prudent to concentrate on the assignment with the due date (in my case, a rough draft of a final project and a critical reflection) than it is language-study whose mission it is to be a life-long venture. Nonetheless, I have enrolled in a directed study now, and I have provided myself the time to study Kinyarwanda now, so I should probably take advantage of that, excuses be damned.

            Previously, I have talked about scheduling my language study into my weekly calendar of events, but when I have two extensive projects to focus on, it can be difficult to determine when exactly my time will be occupied and/or when I will be inspired to complete a certain task. For weeks like this or other weeks which I have difficulty maintaining language study, I will incorporate it into my break time. Indeed, when I am sit down and focus on a large project, I have a tendency to concentrate on that alone for an extended period, but I allow myself, as a “reward,” breaks. For example, if I write five pages for the seminar paper I am crafting, I allow myself to go to the bathroom (PSA: Your doctor would probably say this is ill-advised. Go to the bathroom when you need to go to the bathroom, lest you develop a urinary tract infection. Listen to your doctor). Or, furthermore, if I finish the seventeenth chapter in the book I am reading for class, I allow myself to write a blog post (True story! Please excuse me The Joys of Motherhood while I perform a metacognitive task). Accordingly, I see no reason why I shouldn’t include Kinyarwanda study into my break periods, especially as it will allow me to focus on multiple tasks in tandem, without really sacrificing one for the other.

            This week, I was also able to discuss Kinyarwanda with a variety of people, which was helpful and reassuring. First, I visited Dr. T in her office to discuss noun classes. Although she doesn’t speak Kinyarwanda, she is well-versed in other Bantu languages, particularly Swahili and Shona. During my visit, she helped me to identify patterns in the language, which not only helped me to understand why a certain connector was what it was, but it will also help me better present the language on my website, that is- in a way that will have my “students” anticipate and construct the patterns themselves.

Second, I had a number of colleagues over my apartment from the Department of African Languages and Literature for the first time, and while we were waiting for the rest to arrive, we were comparing languages and noting similarities and differences between numbers one through ten (rimwe, kabiri, gatatu, kane, gatanu, gatandatu, karindwi, umunani, icyenda, n’icumi), as well as a few other words and phrases. My guests were primarily Swahili speakers, but there was also a Zulu speaker present, and as these are all Bantu languages, there were a number of neat similarities to reflect on. However, one Swahili speaker, who also speaks Luo, noted that there were a number of similarities between Kinyarwanda and Luo, and as this is a Nilo-Saharan language, I found that to be intriguing. Regardless, N said she would enroll in a Kinyarwanda course if I were to ever teach one, though I indicated that I certainly wasn’t ready for that sort of challenge. And S and David said I could enroll in a Swahili course with them, which seems more my pace.

Finally, I also emailed a former student of Dr. T’s, L, who agreed to direct me to a few sources in Kinyarwanda. Presumably, we share another instructor in common as well, that is- Bayingana, who teaches Kinyarwanda at L’s current institution. Of course, I am excited for any resources L can provide me, but what I am most delighted about, though I wasn’t necessarily cognizant of it at the time, is that I spoke to an L2 speaker of Kinyarawnda. Sure, there are plenty of L2 speakers of African languages in my department, as well as in African Studies more broadly, and it stands to reason if they can do it, I can do it too; however, L is a more specific case. If he can study Kinyarwanda at the university and can now teach it at the same university, well, perhaps I can too. Perhaps. Or I can just learn to use it very well. I would be more-than-happy with that turn of events also.

Anyway, murakoze kandi ngaho.