If you recognize the title, you are undoubtedly aware of the children's series titled the same. As a young girl, I thought the name and concept ridiculous and internally judged my peers for reading such nonsense. How I wonder where my sense of humor was as a child? I also wonder if you’ve heard of another similarly named character, Madam Underwear?
Soon after arriving in my new home, I began to pick up that something was amiss, or rather, I was missing something apparently hilarious. My new home at one time was a British colony, and with that comes a slight variation in the English vocabulary—cookies versus biscuits, pants versus trousers, or napkin versus serviette. You see, my name is Neika (Knee-ka), and the British word for underwear is knickers, pronounced by my African friends (Knee-kas). Because of this unique situation, I have been the village's Captain Underpants, or as they genuinely hear, Madam Underwear. Now, this is unbelievably funny for my students and most of the shopkeepers I frequent, but it begs to warn those being called into cross-cultural ministry to inquire what your name will mean or sound like in your new home. Happy investigating!