Reouhidi Ndjerareou: Slang and Cultural Expression

Approx. time Expression Explanation
0:39 literally growing opportunities generally means increasing options for work and life, but here it has the actual and basic meaning of farming, of growing crops
0:44 Bhutan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutan mountainous Asian country between China and India
0:49 sustainability system of enduring processes that incorporate ecology, economics, and culture
1:21 curriculum coordinated study plan
1:32 agricultural growing crops
1:34 entrepreneurship process of starting and running a business
2:10 worked its way eventually became available
2:20 MSUE (Michigan State University Extension) http://msue.anr.msu.edu educating Michiganders to improve jobs, health, families, and communities
3:44 back to your roots returning to one’s earlier background or heritage
3:54 speechless unable to talk
4:13 ethnically Nepali having group or tribal identity from Nepal
5:01 birthplace place where someone was born
5:11 fled ran away, escaped from
5:16 civilians ordinary people
5:29 traumatic full of stress, emotion, upset
5:38 UNICEF United Nations Program providing long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance in developing countries
6:10 IOM (International Organization for Migration) http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home.html
6:20 resettled helped to make a home in a new place
8:00 Burmese the language of Burma
8:06 Karen ethnic group of southern Burma
8:15 gesticulating using gestures to show one’s meaning
8:29 empathy ability to understand someone’s feelings
8:58 grace giving and receiving of love and kindness, whether we deserve it or not
8:36 discrete skills skills that are separate and distinct
11:10 Bethany www.bethany.org/grandrapids/hope-farms

Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.