Yes, it sounds a lot like a weird spell -throw in a little "bubble, bubble, toil and trouble" and you can pretty much picture Bette Midler from Hocus Pocus dressed in her crazy witch wardrobe.
But in Nepali, it literally translates to "I was so full I was suffocating" and have used this phrase daily since learning it. Between Nepali lessons with my dai, language immersion at home and flipping through flashcards in the staff room during free periods, I've started to expand my conversational Nepali beyond introductions. I can understand basic conversations i overhear on the street AND can negotiate a better price in the shop up the street for photocopying my class lessons. I even fooled my older host brother, who lives in Australia, that I was fluent when he called this morning. (That is, until he went off in Nepali and I had to admit defeat.)
On Thursday, as I sat with a full plate of vegetable curry and beaten rice during tiffin break at school (it's really a wonder how in the world I'm ever hungry when I return home!), some of the staff wanted to know how much dhal bhaat I am served at meals. "Dheri, dheri khaana!" I replied, motioning with my hands to a pretend mountain of rice. "Ukus mukus bhayo!"
What I didn't expect was for the entire staff room to erupt in laughter, with everyone pointing, saying, "Did you hear her?! Ukus mukus bhayo!"
"Amisha-miss, you speak perfect Nepali. We are so proud of you," said Ananta-sir.
While far from perfect, I appreciated the compliment and it has served as motivation to continue with my Nepali practice. That and the fact that I need some way to manage my 62 sixth graders on the days I teach alone...
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