Monday, November 15, 2010

My Very Own Billboard

I spotted my Setswana name in big letters on a recent trip. This is one of a series of billboards at the bus rink in the capital city of Gaborone.

As part of my training, I lived with a host family and they gave me the Setswana name "Mopati." My name has many different translations and it depends on who you ask. If you look in a dictionary it translates to "a suitable wedding partner." Other definitions include "partner," "one who helps out," and my personal favorite, "sidekick."

I had to get a little help with the translation and it roughly translates to: "A journey becomes shorter with a partner (sidekick)."

Its not quite a traditional African proverb, but it works.