Superstitions

Yesterday two students came to the English language class.  Both of these men speak English much better than the majority of the studenst.  They had asked that I start with verb grammar.  So after the grammar portion was done, we were having conversation.  Somehow we got onto the topic of cats.  The drivers told me that there are not many cats here in Soyo because people are afraid of them  They said the belief is that the yowling that you hear at night with cats is like a person and that cats can fly when they are making that sound.....so they are afraid.

Then we began to talk about other superstitions.....and one of the drivers said that some people talk about seeing someone who has just died....in the market.....  I asked what he thought of that and he said, "they are lying".  Now I should be smart enough to know that I should just let it go.....but I didn't.....and began to tell him about some of the things people see at end of life.  Working in hospice and palliative care for over 6 years, there are many stories and I thought he would be interested......  So I told him about one patient I had that would stare off at the wall...and I asked her, "what do you see?"  She said, "You see a wall but I see a garden...and all my friends who have died are there and they are calling me but I don't want to go yet".  To me that was such a great story.....he just looked totally distressed.  And, of course, there is no way to take the story back......and no matter what I said after the it....he was just very distraught.  The other driver made no real comment or facial expression so I don't know what he thought.

So what did I learn?  Since I don't know the culture.....let the students tell the stories.....not me....