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A boy standing next to a bus.

O dia em que saí de casa para a cidade The day I left home for the city

Written by Lesley Koyi, Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Brian Wambi

Translated by Priscilla Freitas de Oliveira

Read by Alfredo Ferreira

Language Portuguese

Level Level 3

Narrate full story

Reading speed

Autoplay story


A bus stop busy with people and overloaded with buses.

A parada de ônibus na minha aldeia estava cheio de pessoas e os ônibus lotados. E no chão ainda havia mais coisas para carregar. Os cobradores estavam gritando o nome dos lugares aonde seus ônibus estavam indo.

The small bus stop in my village was busy with people and overloaded buses. On the ground were even more things to load. Touts were shouting the names where their buses were going.


People carrying various items walking to a bus.

“Cidade! Cidade! Indo para oeste!” ouvi um cobrador gritar. Era o ônibus que precisava pegar.

“City! City! Going west!” I heard a tout shouting. That was the bus I needed to catch.


People trying to get on a packed bus.

O ônibus para a cidade estava quase lotado, mas mais pessoas estavam se empurrando para embarcar. Alguns colocaram suas bagagens no compartimento externo do ônibus. Outros colocaram nos compartimentos de dentro.

The city bus was almost full, but more people were still pushing to get on. Some packed their luggage under the bus. Others put theirs on the racks inside.


Passengers looking for somewhere to sit in a crowded bus.

Novos passageiros entregaram suas passagens enquanto procuravam um lugar para se sentar no ônibus cheio. Mulheres com crianças pequenas se acomodaram confortavelmente para a longa viagem.

New passengers clutched their tickets as they looked for somewhere to sit in the crowded bus. Women with young children made them comfortable for the long journey.


A boy sitting next to a man and a woman on bus.

Me espremi perto de uma janela. A pessoa sentada ao meu lado estava segurando firmemente uma sacola plástica verde. Ele calçava chinelos velhos, um casaco batido, e parecia nervoso.

I squeezed in next to a window. The person sitting next to me was holding tightly to a green plastic bag. He wore old sandals, a worn out coat, and he looked nervous.


A boy looking out of a bus window.

Olhei para fora do ônibus e percebi que estava deixando minha aldeia, o lugar onde havia crescido. Estava indo para a cidade grande.

I looked outside the bus and realised that I was leaving my village, the place where I had grown up. I was going to the big city.


A crowded bus with people standing in the aisle selling items.

Todas as bagagens já estavam acomodadas e os passageiros estava todos sentados. Vendedores ambulantes ainda estavam tentando entrar no ônibus para vender suas mercadorias para os passageiros. Todos gritavam o nome das coisas que estavam disponíveis para venda. As palavras soavam engraçadas para mim.

The loading was completed and all passengers were seated. Hawkers still pushed their way into the bus to sell their goods to the passengers. Everyone was shouting the names of what was available for sale. The words sounded funny to me.


Passengers sitting on a bus eating and drinking.

Alguns passageiros compravam bebidas, outros compravam lanches e começavam a mastigar. Aqueles que como eu não tinham dinheiro, só assistiam.

A few passengers bought drinks, others bought small snacks and began to chew. Those who did not have any money, like me, just watched.


A bus driver telling some people to get off the bus.

Essas atividades eram interrompidas pelo barulho do ônibus – um sinal que estávamos prontos para partir. Os cobradores gritavam para os vendedores ambulantes sairem.

These activities were interrupted by the hooting of the bus, a sign that we were ready to leave. The tout yelled at the hawkers to get out.


People carrying food making their way out of the bus.

Os vendedores ambulantes se empurravam para descer do ônibus. Alguns davam o troco para os passageiros. Outros tentavam vender mais coisas de última hora.

Hawkers pushed each other to make their way out of the bus. Some gave back change to the travellers. Others made last minute attempts to sell more items.


A boy staring out of a bus window.

Quando o ônibus deixou a parada, olhei fixo para fora da janela. Imaginei se algum dia voltaria para minha aldeia novamente.

As the bus left the bus stop, I stared out of the window. I wondered if I would ever go back to my village again.


A boy sleeping on a bus next to a man wiping his forehead with a tissue.

Com o progresso da viagem, o ônibus ficou muito quente. Fechei meus olhos na esperança de dormir.

As the journey progressed, the inside of the bus got very hot. I closed my eyes hoping to sleep.


A boy thinking about his family.

Mas minha mente voltou para casa. Será que a minha mãe ficará segura? Será que meus coelhos darão dinheiro? Será que meu irmão lembrará de regar minhas mudas de árvores?

But my mind drifted back home. Will my mother be safe? Will my rabbits fetch any money? Will my brother remember to water my tree seedlings?


A boy, a man and a woman sleeping on a bus.

No caminho, memorizei o nome do lugar onde meu tio morava na cidade grande. Ainda estava murmurando quando adormeci.

On the way, I memorised the name of the place where my uncle lived in the big city. I was still mumbling it when I fell asleep.


A boy sitting on an empty bus and a bus conductor talking to him and pointing.

Nove horas depois, me acordei com uma pancada forte chamando por passageiros para voltarem a minha aldeia. Agarrei minha bolsa e saltei para fora do ônibus.

Nine hours later, I woke up with loud banging and calling for passengers going back to my village. I grabbed my small bag and jumped out of the bus.


A boy standing next to a bus.

O ônibus que retornava estava enchendo rapidamente. Em breve voltaria para o leste. O mais importante para mim agora era começar a procurar pela casa do meu tio.

The return bus was filling up quickly. Soon it would make its way back east. The most important thing for me now, was to start looking for my uncle’s house.


Written by: Lesley Koyi, Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Brian Wambi
Translated by: Priscilla Freitas de Oliveira
Read by: Alfredo Ferreira
Language: Portuguese
Level: Level 3
Source: The day I left home for the city from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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