Let's Break Stereotypes

I am beginning to think that the best way to combat stereotypes, is by laughing at them. Stereotypes will always exist, so I try not to be so offended by them. I have seen so many flaws, and so much harm, in stereotypes, that laughter has become my best medicine.

The term “packed like Mexicans”, which is commonly used in the States, could easily be turned into “packed like Africans”.

African people will put 30 people on a 16 seater taxi, and they will stand on a bucky (small pick up truck) to make sure everyone fits. I don’t know if I should view this as foolish or kind. People have died because of the way they arrange themselves in vehicles, but it also allows everyone to get from point A to point B without making several trips, which saves petrol money. Necessity makes you do things that may not be viewed as safe, smart, or ideal...but sometimes there is no viable alternative. I'm learning not to judge.

One of the American stereotypes that is considered offensive, is that black people LOVE chicken. I am going to venture to say that this is generally quite true! I think it is inherited from our ancestors. Black people here love chicken, and I do too. Again, it makes me laugh to think that people use this as an insult; are Italians offended if we say they love pasta? 

I have yet to see an Asian woman doing nails in South Africa. I only had my nails done by a black person once in the States. I guess it really depends on where you are in the world with this one! 

Pedro is not going to be your gardner here; he will be Thabo,  the black South African that travels from a township everyday just to serve you. Your busboy won’t be Juan, he will be Remember (Black South Africans have a thing about naming their children odd English names that translate into really pretty African names). Maybe the stereotype I should believe is that people just love to stereotype other cultures...it must make them feel better about themselves.

Africa is not a nature reserve; Africa HAS nature reserves. I am not afraid that a lion will come in my backyard at night, or that a giraffe will be eating the leaves off of the palm trees when I leave for school in the morning. Americans have a certain perspective of ‘Africa’ that is not realistic. Africa is a continent and it is HUGE; bigger than any small minded American could possibly imagine. 

My favorite stereotype: Ebola in Africa!

People in the States often ask my mother "aren’t you worried about Niani?”. I’m sure she is more concerned about the well being of herself and my family in America, because it is not even in the country I am living in. Ebola is nearly 4,000 miles (6,437.376 Kilometers) away from where I live in South Africa. Yet there have been cases roughly 700 miles (about 1,126 km) from my family in Chicago. So no, my mom is not concerned about me catching Ebola. To my family and friends in the States, be careful because Ebola has reached much closer to you, than to me. (LBVS)

Africa is the world’s most mineral rich continent. Like for real, its soil has diamonds and gold underneath it. So no, Africa is not just the poor black children with flies around them like we see in commercials in the States. I’ve never seen so many Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches, in my life. BMWs, Range Rovers, and Mercedes Benz are the NORM in cities in South Africa. These cars are mostly owned by prominent black people here.

Yes, Africa also has some of the poorest people, of any continent on Earth, but as I stated in a previous blog post, our idea of what that looks like is somewhat skewed. Americans find it hard to imagine, but many people are content with their lives in villages. Westernized standards are not what everyone dreams of. 

African people are rich in many other ways. Money is not everything. They are rich in ancestry and tradition. The closest most Americans get to seeing what that means, is in the Lion King; it shows that aspect of Africa, but I never really noticed it until now. They had a traditional ceremony when Simba was born, and Mufasa explains to Simba that the kings before him will always be there to guide him. This is not a belief that is instilled in black children in America. I’m grateful that I have a family that does as much as they can to teach me, my siblings, and cousins about the African traditions that they know about; it has given me an advantage in the world. I believe that African mothers are the most loving mothers on the planet. They might not have many material things to offer their children, but they show them an abundance of love and I am sure their children are fully aware of their mothers' love and care. I come from that type of love, and it is so eye opening for me to see where that comes from ancestrally. 

Less stereotypes...more love!

google.co.za

Read More

The Journey Of The Doritos Bag

 

December 20th marked my 100th day in South Africa,  and it was one of my best days yet. Lucy and I met up with a friend, Busisiwe (aka Busi), from the Teddy Bear Clinic, in Johannesburg’s CBD (aka ‘town’). Busi brought a bag of Doritos to snack on as we went on an adventure, but we never ate them, the bag just traveled with us. Town is beautiful from afar...from the highway you can see the Nelson Mandela Bridge and the Telecom Tower, and it looks lovely. In a small section of town there’s Maboneng, aka Arts on Main (a really artsy part of town with restaurants, art galleries). It is a really chill area that has a lot of security (so it is populated by all races, not just black people). In South Africa areas with more security tend to be more diverse ethnically, and socioeconomically. Once you are inside town, and outside Maboneng, its image becomes blurred. There are beautiful old buildings with flawless architecture, but they are being destroyed because the people that live in them never do any maintenance or work on refurbishing them, so the buildings fall apart. As you walk through town, you go through an array of smells. You smell fish and chips, meat and corn cooking on small grills, all mixed with the smell of hardship and human feces.

The Well Traveled Doritos Bag

Busisiwe Means Blessing (which she is!) 

Town is very congested. It is filled with black people from all countries in Africa; there is the occasional Indian man selling a ‘gold’ watch or ‘designer’ bag, and you might run into a white person but the only one we saw was on drugs. My host mom, Lucy, stuck out like a sore thumb (she’s a very fair skinned Hispanic woman). She was a high focal point in the crowd.

We went into a mall to meet up with Busi and it was PACKED. It took us at least 10 minutes to get up each escalator. We assumed that everyone was Christmas shopping, but I didn’t see a lot of bags. Malls are also used as a quicker passage to get from one street to another because they are very large and cover several blocks. When we left the mall to grab some Chickin Licken we saw a guy in handcuffs surrounded by people. Busi told us that he stole a grocery bag from a lady and that he was getting punished. She said he would likely be beaten to death by the community. Lucy stated that if he had stole something else it would’ve been his fault, but the fact that he stole food means that it is the communities fault. I believe that is true in some cases, but if everyone in the community is struggling for food, it becomes less black and white. Fighting for survival, and struggling to meet the most basic needs, can make a person do desperate things; the thought is quite heartbreaking. 

Joburg CBD google.co.za

What I really appreciate about town is that everyone there is hustling. You can buy anything in town for the ‘low’. Lucy and I got the cutest wooden earrings for 15 Rand (about $1.50). People in Town have perfected the art of hustling: from Take 5’s (flavored ice) to ‘Converse’, they sell it all. I admire their consistent grind. 

Me: Can I take your picture?
(that's a Take 5 it cost R2)

We walked for about 30 minutes with our Chicken Licken and the Doritos bag until we finally reached the MTN (phone company that bought the lot) Taxi Bank, which is a really large place where most taxis gather. The banks usually smell really bad because people live in and around them. There are several different types of taxis: Quantum, Super 16, ikharakhara, and ikhumbi, are most commonly known. The differences I see are some have white with a yellow line across them, which I think are owned by one company, and others are just like normal vans but in many different colors. I have seen pink, yellow, red, and blue taxis. As we waited for the right taxi, the taxi ‘coordinator’ (a guy who has 2 phones and knows when each taxi will arrive and which one is going where) talked to Lucy in Zulu. At first he said “Sawubona, Unjani?” (hello, how are you?) she replied “good, you?” He jokingly continued to speak in Zulu, and then Busi translated for us. He asked where she was from and was very fascinated by her because of her whitish skin. Busi said people will refer to Lucy as Umulungu because of her skin and me as Americanah, once they find out where I’m from. Once we got into the taxi, we noticed it had a really decked out stereo system, but didn’t have a back window. This was actually nice because it was a 90 degree day (32 degrees celsius) and we were in a full taxi (16 people), traveling 45 minutes to a township called Kathlehong in Mailula. The taxi driver played really lively music that I jammed to during the entire ride.

Lucy And Her Take 5

 We passed people holding live chickens, people selling live goats and sheep, and women getting their hair braided on the side of the street. When we got to the township we visited a couple of Busi’s friends. I have only seen outhouses at camp grounds in America, but in the township they were behind, or in front of, almost every home. We walked about a mile and half (2.4 km) on the red dirt roads with no street signs until we got to Busi’s friend's house, where we sat and finally ate our Chicken Licken. The cutest kids ran around chasing each other and speaking Zulu. I could only communicate with one, because the others were just starting to learn English. When I first got there, the kids were eating pap. I haven’t had it in such a long time I kind of wanted to ask for some but I ate my chicken and chips (fries) instead. The Doritos bag looked like it was suffering in the heat. The bag that was once perfectly straight was crinkled and sweating. There was a baby (couldn’t have been more than a year old) drinking water out of a normal cup like a grown man. I feel like at that age if it wasn’t a bottle or sippy cup I would not have been able to function, but he handled it like a champ, and I was highly impressed. 

Coolest Kids In Kathlehong

Busi's friend was braiding her friend's hair right outside of her house, so we sat with them and had an enlightening conversation. Busi and her friend were discussing how they are frustrated because they both went to University and neither of them can find jobs. Busi’s friend said that she went to school to work in public relations but now she needs a PR license, which she doesn’t have money for right now. So she wants to find a job (even if she is overly qualified for it) just to afford to get her license, with hopes that she will find a job in PR. I find this to be really sad and unfortunate, because I see it weighing on their hope. There are no corporate jobs in a township, so they would have to travel at least 45 minutes into town, to work. A lot of jobs wouldn’t be worth the trip because of the low pay and the transportation costs. They both were volunteers at The Teddy Bear Clinic and they think that NGOs (Non governmental organizations or nonprofits) are dying in SA because of the lack of funds/funding from the government. I think that NGOs should be a bigger priority to the government, as they serve the communities directly. We also discussed the lack of dreamers in townships. Busi said that people in townships can’t dream big, by force. I understand what she means, because most townships are far from the cities and some people don’t have the money for petrol or taxi fare. It makes it hard to see yourself living in a way, or achieving anything more than what exists in the township. Her friend said that everyone has a dream, and Busi thinks their dreams are limited because they live in a township. Busi feels their situation limits their potential. Lucy added that it is generally easier to be negative during a dark moment in life. It is harder to try to be positive when all you’ve known is the negative. You become comfortable with that lifestyle. 

When we left, we walked through a big field with a red dirt plain that is most likely used to play soccer. People were constantly trying to get Lucy’s attention. They would yell out things like “I love you” and “you make the world brighter," in Zulu. People even asked if they could walk with us. One guy shouted “yellow bone”, referring to me. Most of the older people were really fascinated by Lucy, but little kids would run from her. They are not around white people while they are little, so they were more afraid. They go to school and go home in 100% black communities. 

I Feel Like The Sky Here Is Bigger 

I loved how chill Kathlehong was…there wasn’t a lot of noise, I felt safe, and it made me feel even more grateful for my journey in the motherland. 

Read More

Developing Countries are Cool Too!

One of the first things I noticed upon my arrival was the very advanced architecture. It is beautiful. I must admit, I do miss the skyscrapers in downtown Chi, but I also appreciate the more modern buildings here. There are also older buildings with more of a European style. When I lived in Pretoria, I would go hang out with friends in an area called Church Square. Pretoria is the capitol of South Africa and has a lot of government buildings, including the well known Union Buildings. They are architecturally designed with European influence. In Johannesburg, buildings look very futuristic. I had never seen anything like them until I came here. In America, we have had skyscrapers since the 1880's (the first one being built in Chicago). With that being said, we don’t have the more modern architecture that I have come to admire. In the older parts of Joburg, like the CBD, the exterior of most of the buildings aren’t a pretty sight, but the inside of some of the buildings are beautiful and have a great view of the city. People move into those buildings for a great price and then renovate them.  

Cool Architecture in Jozi
(Apartments made of Ship Crates/Parts)

Church Square, Pretoria

Caught Birds in Action

This country is filled with possibility and opportunity. I feel like back home there is such a limited opportunity for growth because everyone is trying to get to live the American Dream. I was talking with a friend whose mother is from Mozambique and she said her family in Moz lives in a village and that when they come here, after two days they want to go back to their village. My friend said that she doesn’t understand why they don’t like the more developed world but that her brother told her that some like their simple lives and don’t need to live a life that the world expects them to. I feel like I had such an American mindset that bigger is better and I am grateful that my mindset has changed. I never would have thought that people that lived in villages could enjoy that lifestyle. I remember writing an assignment in school about the benefits of colonization (there are none, no matter what you may think). I wrote things like ‘countries developed faster’ and ‘it was safer’. As I reflect on my naive answers, I realize that a lot of my peers think that way, and I wonder how, if ever, their mindset will change. I had to leave ‘Merica to figure it out, but not all of my peers will have that opportunity or have an open mind about it. In SA, there’s so much room for growth, that this country will look like a different world once it is fully developed. I feel like because not everyone is trying to get to the "top", because some are content with their lives of simplicity, there is more room for those who want the more westernized lifestyle. I have met some South Africans,of  my age group, who highly value the traditions they were raised to know and want to live their lives as their parents did. I know some that value their traditions but want to take a different route than their parents. I feel like the mix of my peers will make this country even greater. The strain between keeping the traditions vs developing the country further, sometimes hinders the chance to take advantage of opportunities, though. 
My host dad works in the banking industry but is also establishing his own business. His current job knows that he wants to start his own business and they support him. I feel like with the support of new ideas SA will grow rapidly. I also feel like the colonization in this country causes a hindrance too. This country is RICH! It is FILLED with so many natural resources, but the native people here don’t even get to see that wealth because the owners of the mines (who happen to be descendants of the people who once colonized this country and nearly all countries in Africa), are a controlling minority. The majority of black people live in townships which have shanty sections, and they work their butts off just to live in a house with running water. I am not saying every black person in SA is poor, I have seen and met many successful black people here, but that doesn’t negate the facts/statistics. Shanty towns do not define Africa as a continent or South Africa as a country, but are a reality for some. 
I love South Africa so much. It has its fair share of social issues, but so does the US. I think there needs to be a greater motivation for education in this country. The current President of this country, Jacob Zuma, did not receive any formal schooling. To some, that is culturally acceptable, and to others it is not at all. Back home, it is rare to see a 20 year old in a high school freshman class. Here, you can have one graduating class of all ages. South Africa is filled with foreigners. A lot of the foreigners come for school or working opportunities. I have a friend from Tanzania who finished high school there at age 16 but had to come to SA to repeat high school so that it could be globally recognized. This country is on fire and not 
even water can burn it out.

Snapchat: Be_Wanderlust

Read More

Religion

I went to a Baha’i gathering with my host mom, and a friend from Italy. None of us are of the Baha’i faith, but we were fascinated by it. The Baha’i believe that we, as humans, are not just physical creatures, but are spiritual creatures as well. It is a world religion that believes in the unity of all people and religions. One of the main questions of the Baha’i faith is “how can you contribute to the unity?”. They also believe that all of the different religions come from one God. They don’t really have "church”, but other activities like prayer gatherings, studying the principles in Baha’i writings, classes for youth/children, and events where they give to the community. The people of the Baha’i faith have a common vision globally and you can find these activities all over the world. The gathering was really chill. We sat around and shared poems, readings from religious writings, and a song; all of this lasted about 30 minutes. The group of people there were so diverse, and after we shared, we talked for another hour and half just about life and things. The Americans (including me and my host mom) were planning Thanksgiving dinner. Some of my friends and family back home were so shocked when I told them Halloween, Thanksgiving, Veterans Day and several other holidays were not celebrated here. I am so excited to spend the holidays in this beautiful, warm, and rainy South African weather. 

google.co.za

Read More

School is Cool

I recently started some introductory time at my new school. Due to the timing of my arrival in South Africa, and my change of host families and locations, I was enrolled during the annual exam period. Things are a bit hectic, and rather intense, because everyone is studying and fiercely focused on exams. I am able to participate in exams in a strictly preparatory fashion. I am getting a chance to see what exams will be like for me next year. The new school term starts in January and runs through November. The school I attend is an International school, that operates on the Cambridge system. There are several levels (or categories) of courses that students can take. There are foundational (developmental/high school prep) courses, O-levels (standard high school classes), and A-levels (similar to American Advanced Placement, but more closely structured to a college format and curriculum). I will be taking A-levels. Performing to the required standard here, will mean that I will be finished with high school when I return to the States. Since the school year is completely off cycle from American schools, I will have a whole semester before I can begin college, when I get home. I will be spending that time starting my own non-profit organization (so stay tuned). I have learned a lot more about what it is to give back, and be dedicated to helping my fellow man, since I have been in SA. I know that committing myself to giving to others, as much as has been given to me, is an essential part of my duty in life; but I digress. 
In most South African schools, students wear uniforms. At my school, the Foundational and O-Level students have to wear uniforms.  As an A-Level student, I won’t have to. I was initially very excited about this. Sadly, this is South Africa and not America, and the students here dress quite nicely for school. I would prefer to wear sweats to school, because I think I am more focused on my studies when I am comfortable, and not worrying about impressing anyone with how well I dress. This, however, would not be acceptable in a South African school. So I will be dressing nicely each day.
My school has a pet peacock, named Gerald! I was shocked to walk in one morning, and find him in the foyer just hanging out. He walks around like he owns the place! This school is very different than the first school I attended in SA. It is a private school, but has no religious ties. The first school I went to was a public/government school. Nearly all the students were from the local area, and they were, almost exclusively, black (I was one of only a few coloured students). There was church, run by the students, each day during lunch. I found it interesting how there is no separation between church and state in SA. 

Gerald the Peacock!

My new school is very culturally diverse. I’m not the only expatriate in the school; in fact, international students are quite common. 
I am eager to see what school will be like, once the new term begins. So far, I am enamored with the beauty of the campus, the uniqueness of the environment, and the idea of being a "senior"!! I am going to have to work extremely hard to adjust to a completely different curriculum and teaching style than what I am used to. The classes I will be taking are going to be very rigorous. I am prepared for the challenge!
Meanwhile, much of South Africa is now preparing to go on holiday. Schools, and many businesses, close for anywhere from a month, to two months. People here work very hard, and they take their holiday VERY seriously. Although I will be studying, in preparation for the next term, I do plan to enjoy many aspects of my South African holiday! 

Read More

More Random Observations, Experiences and Thoughts (because things don't always fit neatly into a category)

I love listening to the radio here. They play a mix of American and South African "house" music. The hosts have the nicest South African accents. They always use a very soft "a" sound, for example, grass is "grawss"; and can’t is "cawn't." A fellow exchange student described their accents perfectly, “gentle and poetic." The hosts were recently talking about how Americans think of Africa as a country and not a continent, and that we think this continent only consist of the "Big 5" and poor/malnourished black children. I think for most Americans, that is quite true. Often times, I get messages saying "How's Africa?"...well, I always think, "I don't know how the other 53 countries are (6 of them being islands), but South Africa is great!" It’s funny how some people here see America as one big city. I told one of my teachers where I was from and he asked, “Chicago, is that in Nebraska?” It is common for people here to assume that all of America is Hollywood, and that I should be like Nicki Minaj and know Beyonce personally.  I laugh at the stereotypes that I find to not be true, on both sides. Before I came to SA, I was told that people here are so friendly and warm; and yes, most of them are, but when I first arrived, that was not my experience. You can easily walk down the street for 20 minutes or stand next to someone in line for an hour, and they won’t say a word to you. I was told by a teacher that South Africans view America as a place where the majority of the people are not personable and are all about their money. At the same time, they won’t speak to anyone they pass or stand by for an extended period of time. My coworker said that in townships people are much friendlier, and that because I’m always walking around in a city, I don’t get that experience often. Another coworker at The Teddy Bear Clinic told me that a lot of people here have trust issues because of the high theft rate, and that by speaking to someone on the street they will assume that you want something from them. Townships have a bad reputation in some ways, and a good reputation in others. I am learning that it is mostly a matter of perspective and familiarity. I’ve heard from people that live in them, that they can be very nice. Our domestic lives in a township, and the black women I work with at TTBC also live in them. From my impression, they are like ghettos. Most people that don’t live in townships are paranoid about the idea of going to most of them. Soweto is a township, but I love Soweto and can’t wait to go back. It has a great vibe and sense of community. (S/N: Having a domestic (housekeeper) is very common here, and although I initially struggled with the term, feeling it is degrading, it is completely politically correct to use that term here. I was told they would find words like "maid" or "cleaning lady" to be insulting)

I generally ride to work using Uber cars. This is a very common form of transportation here. My Uber drivers always ask me if I want "air con," which to me is a ridiculous question, because even when it's cool outside, the African sun kills. Central air conditioning is not something you see here very much, other than in cars. Homes generally don't have it, even in very wealthy communities. This is largely due to the mild climate and energy conservation. Homes and schools are designed to be self-cooling, and offer great cross-ventilation.

My driver said I am going to get married here. He said there are a lot of Americans here but most are white, and "it's nice to see you come back home." Men here can be very flirtatious, so I tend to take things they say "with a grain of salt,"'but that actually made me feel good, because this truly feels like home. He told me that, "People that live in this area, live a western life. People in Soweto and Thembisa live real South African lives." He said, "South Africa will be your home." 
He was shocked that I was 16 and said that I "ran away from home." After I explained my journey a bit, he said, "You opened the doors for all your brothers and cousins." I really hope that's true, because this experience is changing my life. I want to see the ones I love experience this place too

In South Africa, before you ask for anything from a bank teller, security guard, receptionist, or store clerk, etc., you must first greet them by saying "Hi, how are you?" If you don't, they will put you in your place. Being the American that I am, initially, I would always ask them for what I wanted without greeting them properly, which was like treating them as an answering machine and not a person. You would think that almost two months later, I would have completely broken my bad habits...but I haven’t. I am getting much better though. One day at the mall, I went up to a security guard and greeted him properly, with a "hi, how are you?" He replied "Sharp," which always sounds like "shop" to me, so I asked again "how are you?" and he said, "sharp". I know that "sharp" has several meanings here; some being, "I'm good, cool, or goodbye," but in that moment, that knowledge completely escaped me, and I had to quickly remember that I was in South Africa. It's funny how one can slip back in to your own world of habits and norms, and lose sight of where you are in that moment. I hope that I can bring all the good things I am learning from South African culture, back to the States, and maybe impress this culture into our cultural norms.

In SA, I live somewhere with palm trees right outside of my bedroom window. It is honestly like a dream world, after spending my whole life in the extreme cold and then hot/humid Chi-town weather, coming to this warm and dry place. I cannot wait for this Christmas; maybe Santa will come in on his flying Surfboard instead. 

My Snapchat: Be_Wanderlust

Sandton has started decorating!

I had the opportunity to visit University of the Witwatersrand with Jade. I went into work really early, so I could leave an hour early, to go see Jade's campus before she had classes. She has already finished her honours, and now she is just taking extra classes. She will start her Master's program next year. 

My visit at Wits!

Here they refer to a gas station as a "garage.” 
Taxes are included in the advertised prices here. They call it VAT (value added tax).
My ears have finally adjusted to the constant changes in altitude when I'm in the car.

Hilly Jozi

Pretoria is hilly too

I hate bargaining with the merchants here. They charge like $20 for things that would cost much more in the States. Most people negotiate with them, because in their eyes, R200($20) seems unreasonable. They live such modest lives. I feel like I'm stealing from them.

I asked my driver why a lot of Uber drivers don't get out and open the door for us (because I pay them a lot, so I expect them to), and he said it's because when they get out to open the door for us, people will jump in and steal the car. 

There are no computers in the police stations here (My dad is a cop, and there are computers everywhere at his job, so this is very strange to me). 

I went to the gym with Lucy. She has a trainer, so we had a VERY INTENSE workout. I haven’t seen sweat on my forehead in a while, and I almost fainted at the sight of it. When people tell me have told me that they did a workout, and it almost made them vomit, I would I think they were just being dramatic. Readers, let me tell you from experience, you CAN workout to the point of throwing up. The next day I was so sore I could barely move my arms. 

RIP Senzo 

Read More

Random Thoughts about Culture!

Some of my MANY random observations and thoughts:

A lot people in SA drive hatchbacks. Lucy and Gary both drive them. Brand names like BMW, Range Rover, and Mercedes Benz are very common here. It’s very rare that you will see a Nissan or Ford. 

Okay…I have to admit that I am going through a food withdrawal. Pizza here is not the same as the Giordano’s, deep dish spinach, Chicago original that I’m used to.

To me, this is flatbread, but they call it pizza.

I love hearing the different names for Johannesburg. It is referred to as Joburg, Jozi, eGoli, or the City of Gold. 

The Absolutely Captivating Jacaranda Trees

The summer season is approaching soon and I’m getting a glimpse of the Johannesburg thunderstorms, which are quite frightening. Each storm is like something you’d see on National Geographic. One word: EPIC! I prefer the moderate temperature and sunny days in SA, over the Midwestern weather extremes in Chicago; but I am adjusting to the afternoon storms that happen religiously each summer day here.

I still haven’t adjusted to seeing people drive on the other side of the road. We went to the drive thru at Chicken Licken and it was fascinating seeing my host mom drive on the other side to pick up the food. 

When I lived in Pretoria, occasionally my friends and I would have to take a taxi to school. Taxi’s here are vans that carry 12-15 passengers. When you get into the taxi, you pass your money forward and the person sitting closest to the taxi driver counts the money and passes back everyones change. Taxi drivers can be reckless drivers and their taxis can be in ridiculous conditions. People ride them because they are very inexpensive. A one way ride cost R12 ($1.20) and you can either get dropped off really close to your destination, or right in front depending on the driver. There are different hand signals that you put out when you want to catch a taxi, and they change depending on what neighborhood or city you’re in. Where I live, your index finger pointing up means that you want to go to the Jo’burg CBD (Central Business District). When you point down it means you want to go somewhere local. I’ve steered away from riding taxis; in part, because I don’t speak the local language that most of the drivers use, and secondly, I don't, nor do I think y’all, really want to see my journey end in a taxi accident? 

In my complex the water went out twice last week. The second time it lasted for 5 hours. Each time was without notice. This time we got a notice that on this coming Tuesday, October 28th , we won’t have water from 7am until 5pm. This will be the case for about 5 neighborhoods in Jozi. It’s true that you don’t know what you have until it's gone, and a water outage is an extreme rarity in the States. Being the hygiene freak that I am, I was shocked. It’s crazy how the universe works, because the first day we experienced this, I couldn’t cowash my hair, like I normally do everyday. I just dampened it with my face towel and put my normal "juices and berries" in it (http://jadelilly.com hair butter and Jane Carter Collection’s Curl Defining Cream). My hair was flawless that day.

Fro-Shizzle

I created a Tumblr page to share my experience with more of the world!  All of my posts will be on Blogger and Tumblr, for your convenience! 

Read More

Culture

I had an amazing weekend. I slept over my friend Tumi’s house, while my host parents were away on business. Tumi and Kwena are the children of a family friend, Carrie. Tumi is 16 and Kwena is 20. My host family and I first went to their house a couple of weeks ago for dinner. We all connected very quickly, and decided that Gary and Lucy's business trip would be a great time for me to spend some more time with them. 

Me to Tumi: "Let's take a picture in the middle of the street"

Their entire family are vegetarians, so I had very nice vegetarian meals for much of the weekend. The first night, though, we ordered Chinese; so I got to cheat on my vegetarian filled weekend by having beef and broccoli. Another night we had corn and salad for dinner. I didn’t think I would get full on such a healthy and seemingly light meal, but I did! The last night I stayed, we had veggie sandwiches. I had cucumber, tomato, lettuce, avocado, cheddar cheese, and onions, on a ciabatta roll with olive oil and black pepper. It was the best sandwich ever. I can’t wait until we go grocery shopping, so that I can have it again. 

My veggie sandwich 

After that, Ivana (Kwena’s girlfriend) made Nutella milkshakes. It was absolutely the best milkshake I’ve ever had (I've placed the recipe at the end of this post for your enjoyment).

Over the weekend I did lots of new and interesting things. Tumi, her friend Dylan, and I, went on a walk. Tumi likes to eat things she finds in her neighborhood; leaves off of bushes and fruit off of trees. She said she eats them all the time and that they were all edible, so I gave them a shot. I figured she’s a vegetarian, and she lives here, so she knows all about the right things in nature to eat in this area. I tried two different types of leaves, Mulberries, another type of berry, and we were going to have wild figs, but they weren’t ripe yet. The mulberries were quite nice; the less rich in color they looked, the sweeter they were, and the more purple they were, the more bitter/sour they tasted.

The unknown berry that I tasted

I also did a workout with Kwena and Ivana. We power walked around the block, did pushups, sit ups, jumping jacks, and planks.  I am still sore from that workout. Lucy and I are suppose to start a squat challenge but we keep “forgetting” about it. I want to start doing planks every morning but I just keep “forgetting” about it (Clearly we will "remember" when we get serious about it).

Before we started our power walk 

Tumi and Philippe (Carrie’s boyfriend) went to see a healer one day while I was there. I asked Tumi about how her sessions go. She said she was going to get her mind and body ready for her exams that she will be taking soon. She said the healer sent positive spirits her way. Kwena told me that when he went, the healer healed his back pain. Tumi also told the healer about some bad spirits that were going around Ivana’s house, and the healer gave Tumi 2 incense and a piece of rose quartz to give to Ivana. She instructed her to light the incense around her house and to put the rose quartz under her bed. I think that the idea of a healer is really fascinating, and I hope that I can go to a session while I’m here. 

On Saturday, Ivana and I walked 3.3 km to an outlet mall because we wanted to get out of the house. Carrie is in the States, and Philippe was at a market selling his artwork (he’s a French artist). In South Africa, you can’t start learning to drive until you’re 17, and then you can get your license at 18. I was surprised when I learned this, because in the states you can start learning at 15, and get your license at 16. I got some fantastic deals at the mall. We went to this store called Cotton On and I got the most comfortable pair of sweatpants. I have an obsession with sweatpants (they’re just so comfy) and I couldn’t bring many to SA, because they would have taken up too much space in my luggage. 

All in all, it was a really fun weekend, hanging out with other teenagers, and being exposed to other aspects of the environment here in SA! 

Here’s the recipe to the world's greatest milkshake:
Ingredients:
1/3 Cup of Nutella
1 cup of milk/skim milk
3 big scoops of vanilla ice cream/3 big scoops of low fat vanilla frozen yogurt

Directions:
Prep time 5 minutes
Add all ingredients in blender and blend 
Serve immediately (makes 2 10 ounce milkshakes)

Source:The Little Kitchen 

Bon Appetite! 

Read More

Lion Park Extravaganza!

Petting Lion Cubs

Anyone who knows me, knows that since I made the decision to study in South Africa, that I have dreamed of laying with the lions! Well, I went to the lion park with my host family! I actually got to interact with the lion cubs; and honestly, it is kind of intimidating at first. I was a little hesitant. You see, The Lion King (one of my favorite movies), set me up for fall. I wanted the lions to be like Simba, but their presence is more like Scar’s. After petting the lion cubs, we saw meerkats in their zoo-like habitat, and then they leave it and go to the lion park (nothing like and American zoo...the animals actually have freedom and the openness of their natural habitat)! We also saw ostriches. Yo, they are NOT an attractive site to see (but they taste good). Then we self-drove through the lion park section. We passed zebras, a giraffe, wildabeast, and spring-bok, before we got to the separate lion section. We went through four separate lion sections. I learned that lions really are VERY lazy. They get up for a second, and then go back to laying down. I got to see some of the prides eating (that's when I discovered why they kept the other animals separate from the lions). I was within a couple feet of each pride we saw. One lion walked right across the front of the car. Although there were HUGE warning signs that said “Keep windows closed at all times,” we kept ours open at all times. I felt very up-close and personal with the lions. 


Take a look at my Youtube channel for footage from my lion filled adventure. 

Read More

Culture In South Africa

I love riding in the car with my host parents. When I get in the car with my host mom, we listen to either pop or Spanish music; in the car with my host dad, he's playing Earth,Wind, & Fire, Bob Marley, or Hip Hop. We are always enjoying some kind of music. 

My Host Dad Gary and I

My Host Mom Lucy and I

My host dad plays Action Cricket and five-a-side soccer. When my host mom and I attend his action cricket games, we act like its baseball (because we are American and don't know anything about cricket). It’s entertaining for us, because we make up what we think is happening through the entire game. After the games, we all have some laughs about it. My host dad and I joke about how American football is real football to me, and soccer is real football to him. I was a cheerleader for American football for 9 years. My little brother has played full contact football since he was 5 (he's now 10), and my dad coaches my little brother's team. American football has been a part of my life forever, and I LOVE that sport. My host dad's argument is, "Football is something played with your feet, not a game where you occasionally kick the ball". It is interesting how culture impacts even the sports we like. 

One of the things I have noticed here, is that I get a ton of compliments on my hair. This is funny because I have always seen my natural hair as nappy (I’m happily nappy); but people here see it as beautiful curls. Hair texture can so often be such a big deal in black/african American culture. The difference here in how hair textures are judged/viewed, is fascinating. People here are also quite amused by my American "accent" (I don't think I have an accent at all).

Car Selfie

I have finally accepted the fact that I am considered "coloured" (of mixed race) in this country, although I am "black" in the U.S. The people here think I am confused about my race when I tell them I am "just black"; so I decided just to accept what they see me as. South Africans are also fascinated by the fact that I don’t know where in Africa my ancestors came from. I try to explain to them that my ancestors didn’t come to America of their own free will, but it is actually a really difficult topic to explain. I assumed everyone in the world knew, and cared about, the history/experiences/plight of black people in America. Now I am finding that people have their own cultures, experiences and histories to be concerned with.

I am currently doing volunteer work at "The Teddy Bear Clinic" for abused children. The Teddy Bear Clinic (TTBC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring abused children are protected and rehabilitated (ttbc.org.za.). I learned about this organization, and the opportunity to volunteer, from Peggy-Sue Khumalo, former "Miss South Africa" ('96), who now works with my host dad in the banking industry. This experience is eye an opening one, because even though I have heard of cases of abused children, I’ve never had to deal with it directly. Roughly 6 million cases of child abuse are reported ANNUALLY in the US. It is very hard to find estimates of child abuse statistics in South Africa, but I am learning that at least 95% of the child abuse cases are sexual in nature. Sexual violence is a HUGE issue in SA. I am humbled and honored to be able to help some of the children affected by this awful state of affairs. This only strengthens my desire to change the world, one life, one step, and one day at a time.

The Teddy Bear Clinic

Read More

Food!

My host mother, Lucy, is hispanic (which means I have the luxury of eating tacos and guacamole regularly). One day, my host dad, Gary's, cousin Jade came over and Lucy made black beans. While we were fixing our plates, Jade said, “I’ve never had black beans!" I was standing next to her astonished that she had never had them, because they are so common in the States. Lucy then explained to me that you cannot find black beans in South Africa, and that she had brought them here from the U.S.

Malva Pudding (google.co.za)

My host dad insisted that I try Malva Pudding, which is a native South African dessert, and  I LOVE IT SO MUCH. It's like a cake, soaked in syrup (it tastes like maple syrup to me, minus the high fructose corn syrup), with custard on top. Yo, it is SO good. I’ve also had Milk Tart, which is one of me and my host dad's favorite desserts. It looks like a pie, but is light and fluffy like a mousse. 

Prawns are served here instead of shrimp. Shrimp and prawns are often thought to be the same thing, but they are actually different in slight ways. The shrimp I am used to having in the States, are whole shrimp and have more of a fishy flavor. Here, prawns are served split in half, and have a less overpowering taste. 

Prawns and Chips

Biltong is SA’s version of beef jerky. It is better than the processed madness that we have back home. It is REAL dried meat, with proper seasoning. I never thought I would like it, but it is very good. 

I can't say enough about the freshness and quality of the food here. I am truly in love!

Read More

Food in South Africa

I noticed while grocery shopping that the cereal aisle only has healthy cereal. You won’t find Captain Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, or Lucky Charms in a South African grocery store. They do have a "Cocoa Puffs" type of cereal, but it's made of oatmeal and is not unhealthy for you. 

I have been to several different American fast food places here (KFC, McDonalds and Burger King); none of them are the same as they are in America. I prefer South African fast food restaurants like Chicken Licken and Nando’s; they are similar to KFC, but have better quality chicken and other foods. We ate Nando’s the other day, and I had salad and Portuguese dinner rolls. Something like that would never come with meals at fast food restaurants in the States.

My Friends Irene and Guellor at Chicken Licken

I went to a family friend's house over the weekend, who happens to be a vegetarian,and ate a full vegetarian Moroccan meal and didn’t notice that we had no meat with dinner until I left. The food she made was AMAZING, a complete palate of flavor. Lucy made the same dish for dinner tonight but she added chicken and it was just as good. 

Lucy's remake of the Moroccan dish plus chicken 

I’ve also had ostrich meat that Lucy showed me how to prepare. It was very good, I could completely stop eating beef and just eat ostrich meat. Seriously, it is so flavorful and EASY to prepare. It is quick to prepare and it has a perfect taste. Who knew that a bird's meat could look and taste so similar to a cow's? We ate the ostrich with salad and rice.

Ostrich Meat

Milk here only last up to 5 days...I am used to milk lasting for at least a week and a half. I find it to be the weirdest thing that many products here expire the very next day from when it is purchased. I like the fact that there are less preservatives; if I continue to eat like this, my body won’t be so preserved when I die. Food here is not like a McDonalds hamburger in America, it won’t stay the same for years on end. 

It was so good!

Gary and I ate a triple chocolate dessert with layers of chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, white chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache. We got it at my favorite grocery store, Woolworths. Can you tell which side my host dad Gary ate?

Read More