Laugh of the Day

In Angola, when you temporarily forget someone’s name or don’t know their name, you say, “o coiso” or “a coisa” – “the thing” with the appropriate gender article.

My name here is very difficult to say. The most common pronunciations are “Leez-lee” or “Lazy.” (Yes, Lazy.) As a result, most people simply don't learn my name or forget it very easily. (In fact, the woman who has cleaned ny house for the last 7 months still doesn't know my name, in spite of me telling her several times and casually saying things like, "The other day some one told me, 'LESLIE. It's hot, isn't it LESLIE?'")

There are three guards that watch over our apartment building. Yesterday as I was coming home from work, the guard started calling out after me, “Dona Coisa! Dona Coisa!”

Which, loosely translated, means “Ms. Thang.” Awesome.