Dear Niani, You are about to go on an adventure of a lifetime. As you prepare to go, stay calm. Everything is going to work out just fine. Everything is going to be new. You're going to have to test your boundaries all of the time. You should write as often as possible to keep track of your journey. When you're afraid, feel the fear and do it anyway. Trust me, you will regret anything you do not do; So try it all! Be open minded and don't judge people! It is a privilege to travel the world. You will know more about the world, be more aware, and have a broader range of experiences than many of your peers, and even friends/family at home. Your view of the world will change. You will be able to have the best conversations with people and learn so much. Inhale it all. Value the relationships gained. Always be grateful to have such an amazing opportunity, and stay as humble. Trust your journey and believe in yourself. You can do anything!
I love going out with my friends, or with Lucy and her friends, in Joburg. The loud music is what I love most. Braamfontein is a really lively area in town (Joburg CBD). There are really chill hang out spots, like The Bannister Hotel and Kitcheners. The DJ’s play really dope instrumentals. Lucy and her friends think they all sound the same, but I hear the differences in each one. My favorite place in Braam is Randlords. It is a rooftop club/lounge. It has an amazing view of Johannesburg and the vibe makes you want to stay there all night long. Melrose Arch is also a cool area. It’s an outlet mall and events are often hosted there. Me and Lucy went to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week there, and they hosted a Jazz Festival dedicated to Nelson Mandela on the anniversary of his death. Greenside, Pankhurst, and Parktown are all areas near town with hipster vibes. The newest restaurants and small shops are placed in these areas. They are fast growing and newly developed neighborhoods in Joburg. The Southern Sun is a beautiful hotel with a rooftop restaurant that has an awe-striking view of Sandton. Harem and Kong are popular clubs in Rosebank. They play awesome Nigerian music and mix it up with the newest American music.
Before The Turn Up With My Nigerian Beauties...
In Greenside With My Friend Lindi
An Event I Was Invited To
Nigerian music to me is the dance soundtrack of Africa. The vibrancy of the music will make you dance all night long. The boisterous beats can make a person shake their body for hours on end. Nigerian artists such as Wizkid will speak Pidgin or Yoruba (which are languages I don’t understand at all) and I will still dance my butt off. Except when I am around Nigerians, their dancing puts mine to shame. You can listen to Nigerian music at any time of day and it will instantaneously boost your mood. I cannot wait to expose my family back home to this marvelous music.
I refer to my family here in SA, as my host family, just to distinguish them from my natural family in my posts. In all actuality, they are one in the same. Anyone who is willing to take me into their home for a year, provide food and shelter, keep me safe, and treat me as their own, is definitely my family. It’s like God/The Universe just wanted me to meet them, and connect. My host family accepted the responsibility of raising me for a year, at an age that some would say is a pretty crucial year in life. I recognize how big of a commitment and sacrifice this is, and yet, they never make me feel like a burden. One of the things I appreciate most, is their determination to give me a full South African experience, to expose me to every facet of the culture and the environment possible. They have such pride and love for their country, and they want me to love it for everything that it is, and everything that it isn't; because the areas where it is lacking, are really just opportunities. I love my host family a lot, and I love this country. I know I will be really torn when I have to leave them. South Africa is my second home, and I am already thinking of when I’ll come back.
Holiday vacation is a big deal in South Africa. Most people take a month off of work. Tourist attractions close during what could be their busiest time of the year, or the time of the year that they could make the most money. The American in me wants to know why people wouldn’t want to work at a time where they could benefit financially, but the other side of me understands that people should be spending the holiday season with their families. Family is more important than a few extra bucks, but money has been the controlling factor in an American mindset forever. Things like this make me realize how much greater the quality of life is here.
My holiday was filled with the four F’s; friends, family, fun, and food. I went to an area of Soweto that I hadn't been to before, with Lucy and her friend Ngwana. We visited Ngwana’s 100 year old grandma to give her medicine and sweets. She was the friendliest lady I’ve ever met. She moved and spoke as if she wasn’t a day over 80 (and I know some pretty feisty 80 year-olds). After we visited Ngwana’s granny, we visited my liaison Mama Thoko in Jabulani, Soweto. Soweto is the most developed township I have ever been to. It brings in a lot of tourists so it has more funds than a normal township, such as Diepsloot or Alexandra. Soweto is such an interesting place to visit. I went three times over holiday.
I Feel So Welcomed Every Time I See This Sign
Lucy, Ngwana and I, went on a road trip to the Northwest Province. It was filled with the most beautiful scenery. South Africa is GORGEOUS! People laugh when I rave about it’s beauty and say “you haven’t even been to Cape Town yet”. (To those who have said that, I am a "Joburger" at heart (lol), not a Capetonian, but I am excited about going there.) After arriving in the Northwest Province, we went to the Sterkfontein Caves and I got to go on a tour throughout the caves. The caves were cold and wet. They had beautiful minerals and rock structures that we weren’t supposed to touch, but someone has to break the rules (that someone being me). I loved visiting the excavation site at the end of the tour. It reminded me of the Jurassic Park movies, and my little brother (who aspires to be a paleontologist). After the caves we went to Maropeng: The Cradle of Humankind; a museum that breaks down scientifically how humankind began on this continent. In the states, I feel like my science and history teachers have always tried to brush over that fact or teach me something totally different. At Maropeng, I felt there was a sense of pride with the information I gained.
I Used A Sun Dial To Tell Time
These Hats Were Cute
So Much Beauty In One Picture ;)
Maropeng
On the way back, beggars were handing out santa hats. Our windows were slightly cracked and a beggar pushed 3 hats into the car, even though Lucy said we didn’t need them. He told her that they were free and then insisted that she give him money. She gave him some and he wanted more. Lucy said no because he initially said that they were free. He asked for a hat back and Lucy gave him the hat. Finally, the red light changed and we left the fake free hat guy alone.
That night we ran into a SA ‘celeb’, Lalla Hirayama a presenter on Vuzu TV, at Woolworth’s in Sandton City. My friends and I often run into African celebtrities there. It’s a mall where people with ‘higher status’ go because it is such a nice mall in an affluent area. I have seen at least 5 and only this time did I take a picture with one, because Ngwana thought I should. Sorry guys, I know it would be a great picture, but I prefer pics of the normal people, not the westernized folk. On Christmas Eve, I got a pedicure and Ngwana went home to prepare for Christmas. South Africans don’t put up Christmas decorations like we do back home. I only saw one house with a string of lights on a tree. The malls and shopping centre’s were the only places fully decorated.
Lalla and Ngwana
Me and Lucy went to Ngwana’s house in Soweto for Christmas Lunch. We had amazing South African food and homemade ginger beer that was BOMB (I am obsessed with ginger beer). Lamb curry, chicken, tieng (which is like pap but has more of a sour taste), we had several different salads, and dessert. South Africans love custard. Custard with fruit, custard with ice cream, and custard over malva pudding (a syrup pastry). We had custard over mint brownies for dessert. After we ate, we went for a walk to walk off the calories that we had just inhaled with ease. During our walk we ran into one of Ngwana’s lifelong friends, we were invited into their home, where we ate AGAIN. This time we had pap, braaid beef, and greek salad. Sadly, we didn’t walk off our calories.
It Was Amazing
That's Why I Had Seconds...(Lamb Curry)
Custard, Fruit, Ice-cream, Chocolate
Meat And Pap
Kids (Kings and Queens) of Soweto
Late that evening I Facetimed with my family in Chicago and Texas. Seeing their faces made my Christmas complete and perfect.
My Dad And Brothers
My Cousin Amira
The day after Christmas Lucy went to China for a 10 day vacation and I went to Gary's family’s house. We went to Sun City, which is a casino, hotel, and water park. We passed Platinum Mines on the way there. It’s ironic how the miners live less than a mile away from the mines, in shanty towns. They live next to billions, but live a life in poverty. We passed the Hartbeesport Dam during our road trip to SC too. It’s beauty put me in awe for the remainder of the trip. Sun City has man made hiking trails throughout its grounds. We crossed waterfalls and lakes just to get around. There was a pool that had such a beautiful view of mountains I could’ve stayed in it until my entire body looked like a prune.
I made banana pudding for my family on NYE. I loved ‘turning up’ with them. We went to Carnival City which is a casino/entertainment centre. We went bowling and then I walked around the casino which was not as exciting as I had imagined. We also celebrated my host dad, Gary’s, birthday in Soweto. We ate a restaurant called Sakhumzi that I have been to once before. We went to Madiba’s house, and to the Hector Pietersen Museum, and then had refreshments because it was a HOT day (90 degrees F 32 degrees C). Before we went to Soweto, we went to church. Gary’s family attends a New Apostolic Church. The culture of the church fascinated me. We would pray three times in a row and said ‘Amen’ in unison after each prayer. It had a vibe similar to a catholic church. After the service everyone greeted the pastor. He was friendly and curious about everyone’s life. We had a full conversation, and I was close to the end of the line. There had to be at least 50 people at church that day and I was like the 45th person in line, but he still took time to engage fully.
I had an amazing holiday break in SA. Now I am suffering from a summer cold but I’m not complaining because I could be in "Chi-Beria". ;)
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 CBDgoogle.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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Johannesburg