Kanduki: First Letter

When I was in Junior High School, my teacher's friend had a daughter in the Peace Corps who was teaching English in Zaire. She thought that writing letters would be a good way for her students to learn English.

My teacher asked for volunteers and told us that, according to her friend's daughter, life was very different in the village where our pen pals lived. There was very little waste. So little that in one month, the amount of garbage for one household would only fill half of one small garbage can. Everything was reused and recycled. There was no electricity in the village, and the students worked by candlelight. With no electricity, televisions were unheard of. As a matter of fact, their village had only recently started to have public movie nights. Additionally, the mailbox for Kanduki's village was many miles away, and trips to the mailbox were only made once a month. This meant that there would be a two to three month lag in between our letters.

My Dear Friend,

I am a young man and I like to corresponded with you. I have sixteen year old. What old are you please?

In Zaire we are very happy because there are many things expensive. How many children have you are you in your family

We are ten children and I am the 6th child.

We have I study in a seminary and we have many "lesson": English, french, latin, Geogrophie, histoire... So English is very interesting but we don't know to speak very well. We speak French.

I wait there so I will be happy if you answer very quickly at my letter.

Your affectionate friend
of Zaire Kanduki