Familiar Faces Make Such a Difference

Market man in the middle

I would like to introduce you to the market stall that I go to for most of my vegetables, oil, flour, eggs, rice, onions, garlic and tomato paste.  It is a long walk in hot sun, but I enjoy going to visit my market friends.  I get to practice some “Casa”, but they also like to practice a few words in English!  Generally people here go shopping each day for their food they are going to fix for lunch or dinner that day.  I think a lot of that is not having refrigeration and even with a refrigerator food here goes bad quickly!  As I go through my list often the other customers are fascinated that I am using their language and excited that I am buying ingredients to make sauce.  But I would like to introduce Mustafa, the seller at the market stall.  He is a very hard worker.  And I think part of the reason I love going to his stall is because he reminds me of my family.  He wears an apron to put all his money in and he works HARD and quickly.  Yet he is patient with me when I take a minute to say what I need.  Today I saw him on the street and he stopped and said hello to me. 

A broader view of his stall and those around it

There are people I walk past each time I go to the market, about 3 times a week and they have started saying or shouting common greetings to me.  Some people stop me and say something in “Casa”.  If I understand they celebrate.  It is a huge pick me up for the days when the language seems impossible.  And they are so understanding that I am learning kadan kadan – slowly, slowly.  People are astounded that a white person does not know French, but the fact that we are learning “Casa” first and can greet them in the language wins hearts. Somehow it makes their day, but the familiar faces and greetings that they give to me make it feel right.