“Here Be Lions”

It’s an interesting grasp of the English language – a poor, but very humorous arrangement of words. On a printed map showing directions to a local craft shop, the words “here be lions” were intended to show where the Nairobi National Park is located in reference to the store. For me, they were just there for a good laugh. When out and about in Nairobi, I find plenty of shop signs and advertisements with messy English. Finding these little foibles is so enjoyable because the word combinations are just plain funny! Admittedly, when I find these mistakes while editing papers for my coworkers, it gets frustrating. But it’s understandable, seeing as English is not the 1st language of Kenyans, and also seeing as it’s not their only focus in school. For many, English is spoken on the street, but not in the home. For some, English is spoken, but not written. It’s a common language, but I cannot expect perfection. Although from that imperfection I have come to expect some guilty pleasure every now and then.

east end adventure

I joined some American friends in playing hip and chic, wandering around the curry-smelling alleys, vibrant markets and business offices of London’s East End. Along the way, we stumbled upon these gems: the first a unique take on the traditional English meal, bangers and mash, and the second a testament to the commercialization of British culture symbolized in the conglomerate Tesco’s—the supermarket, textile retailer and insurance company all wrapped into one brand.

Snapshots: walls of Lisbon

Left to right: anarchist graffiti, teen angst graffiti, storybook graffiti.

Snapshots: Türkenmarkt

Every Tuesday and Friday afternoon Maybachufer, a street that runs along the banks of the Landwehrkanal in eastern Kreuzberg, hosts the Türkenmarkt, or Turkish Market. The Turkish represent the largest ethnic minority in Berlin, primarily due to a sharp increase in immigration in the 1970s, and nowhere in the city is their religious, cultural and culinary impact felt greater than in the southern district of Kreuzberg. Twice a week, Turkish and German vendors alike set up their stalls on the sidewalks of the narrow Maybachufer. Shouting, laughing and constantly hawking their goods, the vendors are loud, amiable and know at least three languages: German, Turkish and English. The market is close and chaotic, more in the fashion of a bazaar than a farmers’ market. The vendors sell meat, cheese, bread, vegetables, fruit, olives, clothing, bicycles, textiles, etc…The Türkenmarkt is not only a prime example of Berlin’s multicultural composition, but also speaks to the  entire city’s penchant for loud, fast and chaotic social interaction.