Warning: This post is light, frivolous, low on calories, lean in content, and has absolutely nothing to do with real estate.
Arizona has its share of richly-monikered (or at least richly-nicknamed) real estate bloggers. We have, for instance, the Jesuit Libertarian Bloodhound (I have to believe I’m not the only one who refers to Greg Swann thusly). Then there’s Shailesh Ghimire, an Arizona-based mortgage broker, upon whom I hereby bestow the moniker Shailesh “Fried-Momo” Ghimire.
Every few months one of these silly little memes circulates around the re.net, and this time I’ve been tagged by Shailesh. The rules are: list 7 things about yourself, then tag 7 people. Pretty straightforward. Here we go:
- Shailesh may be the first Nepalese mortgage broker I’ve ever come across, but I’m probably the first triple-citizen real estate broker he’s ever met. Through a confluence of differing citizenship laws, timing, and restless parents, I and my two younger siblings inherited American, Canadian, and Dutch citizenships — and we have the passports to prove it.
- I speak only about 50 words of Dutch, and 45 of them are rude.
- I know two African languages well enough to say the following tongue-twister:
Setswana (spoken in southern Africa) — “Go goga ga gago ga go gontle.”
Translation: “Your smoking is not beautiful.”Hausa (spoken in northern Nigeria and environs) — “Ba ta taba tabata ba, ko ta taba taba taba, ko ba ta taba taba taba ba.”
Translation: She has never said for sure whether she’s ever touched a cigarette.”Both eminently useful phrases at United Nations cocktail parties where the conversation centers around carcinogenic habits.
- I spent part of Christmas morning 1995 flying over Mosi-oa-Tunya in a microlight.
- Said waterfall being near the confluence of four countries — Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia — I spent the rest of Christmas morning 1995 navigating 5 international border crossings: Botswana to Zimbabwe to Zambia back to Zimbabwe back to Botswana and then over to Namibia. Why? Because then I could write about it 12 years later.
- I have no idea if I like fried mo-mo’s. I do, however, like kosai and magwinya — neither of which are blessed with Wikipedia entries. The latter are lovingly referred to in English as “Fat cakes” and that pretty much describes them: kind of like donuts, only they have more sugar and are even more greasy.
- For reasons that only people who have ever lived within 200 miles of here will understand, I have never had the courage to try this (no doubt wholesome and delicious) food.
I believe I need to tag 7 people. I’ll build up to it over the next few days, but for now I’ll tag Arn Cenedella, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Menlo Park.
No tag for this post. Possibly related posts
2 responses so far ↓
1 Shailesh Ghimire // Jan 25, 2008 at 7:45 am
Kevin,
You are certainly the first triple citizen real estate agent. I know several triple citizenship folks, but none in the real estate business.
I guess you’ll have to try the fried momo’s - they’re actually good. The more popular version is steamed, so you could go that route as well.
As far as the nickname… not sure about that one. I hope it doesn’t stick
Thanks for being such a good sport. I’ve learned a lot about you and that’s a good thing!
2 Jay Thompson // Jan 25, 2008 at 9:24 am
Mmmmmm Fat Cakes…. sounds like my kind of food!
Next time we’re face to face Kevin, I have to hear you say “Ba ta taba tabata ba, ko ta taba taba taba, ko ba ta taba taba taba ba.” !!
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