A Day in the Life, Part 1

I'm so BORING sometimes!


I know, I know; you're probably laughing by now. Me? Boring? I seriously had a hard time typing that with a straight face.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm taking a break from writing about myself. Not that that's a bad thing, but one can't spend all of their time looking in the mirror.

I often get asked some variation of the question, "What's life in America like?" But how in the world do you answer a question like that? Is there a conceivable way to quickly summarize a culture? I think not. I usually end up asking people to inquire about something specific, because specific questions are much easier to answer.

In the same vein, I imagine that some of you might have the same question about South Africa. The rest of the world doesn't get to hear/see much about Africa, except for the more dramatic parts (poverty, wild animals, horrible wars, HIV, etc.). So, I'm hoping that the next few posts will help to enlighten you somewhat about life in South Africa.

DISCLAIMER: The observations/comments in the next few posts are made from the perspective of someone who's just moved here. Since I've only been here for about three months, there's obviously no way I can possibly explain the inner psyche of a society, and any gerneralizations I may make are strictly superficial. I still have a lot to learn about the nation's history and people's attitudes in respect to certain issues. This is only meant as a casual, sort of beginner's guide to highlight differences between South African and US daily life. If you're interested, please feel free to comment/email for further discussion. And as always, thanks for reading.

So, part one: Language

As I mentioned in a previous post, there are 11 official languages in this country (do a Wikipedia search for South Africa if you don't believe me, but you should also do the search because at the moment I don't care enough to look up how to spell each language correctly, and if you haven't noticed, that's important to me). THANKFULLY, English is the one language that everybody speaks; while you will probably see a few different translations (on street signs or application forms, for instance), English seems to be the standard for businesses and government institutions.

Which is nice of course, but there are a couple hiccups that an American in transition, like myself, would face, mainly in spelling and vocabulary. For the most part, English vocabulary here matches that of real, British English. So here's a list of everyday terms/phrases/idioms/ along with their SA (South African) equivalents ( this is also what's called a list of lexical differences [who needs the Discovery Channel? Learn with me!]):

USA terms => SA terms

gas = petrol
elevator= lift
traffic light = robot (though this can also refer to actual robots)
the letter "z" = the letter "z;" but it's pronounced "zed." Apparently, this is the way students are taught to pronounce this letter, which if you think about it makes sense--this way the chance of getting it confused with "c," "e," or any other similar-sounding letter is greatly reduced.
barbecue = braai (This refers to the activity of barbecuing/cooking out. In this case, the word "barbecue" refers to a seasoning, sauce, or flavor.)
ketchup= tomato sauce
napkin = servillet (pronounced ser-vee-yet; not unlike Spanish or other Romantic languages. In this case, the word "napkin" refers to a baby's diaper, so if you're at a restaurant you'd better be sure you're asking for the right thing.)
doughnuts = fat cakes (Definitely makes me want to eat less of these!)
water (anyone in PA knows it's pronounced "wooder") = waTer (with a hard "t")
light bulbs = globes
bag (such as those used for packaging food items, like potatoes) = pocket (although a pants pocket is still called a pocket)
crazy (as in, "Things are crazy right now!" or, "That's crazy!") = hectic (not much of a difference, I know, but you when you're the only one saying "crazy," you notice it)
How are you?/What's up? = How'z it?
beef jerky = biltong
spicy sausage = boerewors
truck = van
pickup truck = bakkie
trunk (of a car) = boot
hood (of a car) = bonnet
call (as a verb) = phone ("I'll phone you later.")
pharmacist = chemist
French fries = chips (also refers to potato chips). Now you understand "fish and chips."
marijuana/weed/pot = dagga
apartment = flat
water heater = geyser
Really? = Is it?
jelly (such as grape) = jam (In this case, jelly refers to Jell-O or other gelatin desserts.)
minivan = kombi
high school diploma/senior year = "matric," short for matriculation certificate.
corn = miele/maize
cough medicine = muti
soon/later/in a while = now now
floppy disk = stiffy
flashlight = torch
cookies = biscuits
cupcake = cookie
soda = cool/cold drink
glove compartment = cubby hole
yuck = sies (sounds like "sis")
sneakers = takkies



Then there are the differnces in spelling, which, from my perspective as a former newspaper editor, are slightly irritating, but are slowly becoming second nature:

license = licence
realize = realise
specialize = specialise

Also, there are slight differences in the way words are emphasized; when I'm listening to talk radio, I'll often have to repeat the word quietly to myself to figure out what it was: STRAtegize will become straTEgise, and so on.


I'll add more examples of "funny" words as I come across them. Look for future updates in this series!


Listen: Louis Armstrong - "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"

A Flame, Rekindled

I got a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose I should start at the beginning.

My dad used to work for EasyBiz, the official distributor and supporter of QuickBooks software in South Africa. (He actually mentored the current head of the Customer Support Department.) The support staff there regularly refers customers who are using older versions of QuickBooks to my dad, so he's constantly in contact with the office. So it only makes sense that he contact the office and at least set up an interview for me.

Of course, with my very limited work experience, I'd never actually been on a "real" interview before. I mean, sure, we had mock interviews in high school, in which I excelled, but this here was the real thing. So I polished up my basically-empty resumé, wrote a glittering cover letter, and told myself to relax. Didn't work of course, as I was more nervous than Amy Winehouse without her crackpipe, but on I went.

The interview itself went pretty well. I was extremely nervous for the first few minutes, and when that happens I usually get pretty quiet, which isn't necessarily helpful when someone's asking you questions. But somehow I managed to settle down and open up a bit, and after about 20 minutes or so, was asking some questions of my own.

I took a short tour of the department in which I would be working, Customer Support (via phone, email, and the occasional office visit), and found my would-be coworkers to be very laid back. By the end of the meeting, I felt confident about the job. Apparently, my interviewer felt confident about me, because the next day he called me in to meet his boss. You'd think I would have been even more nervous this time around, right? I suprised even myself with how relaxed I was in that meeting. I was saying all the right things, smoothly and effortlessly, making eye contact, and appearing very confident. THANK GOD because to be honest I had done no real interview prep or anything, so I knew that I wasn't just "winging it;" I had help.

Of course, peppered throughout the meeting were the obligatory "if-we-hire-you" clauses, but afterwards I was told it was an unoffical yes (pending some paperwork).

I GOT A JOB! A REAL job with a steady paycheck! And benefits! And regular hours! Me!

Now, from the outside, it may not seem like a big deal; people get jobs all the time. But for someone like me, who only a few months ago could only dream at the possibility of such things, it's amazing. It's a sort of confirmation that I did the right thing in moving. I'm realizing that those things which I used to dream about, and later started to give up on, can and even WILL happend. It makes me feel like I'm worth something. It's the first time in a long time where I've felt as if I was appreciated on an intellectual level. I mean, not to brag, but I'm pretty smart; in the last few years, I haven't had the chance to display that properly. Now, using my own computer skills, and the things I'll learn in the next few weeks, I'll be able to instruct and assist others. "Contributing to society" won't just be a phrase or some far-off hope anymore.

Then there's that new "grown-up" feeling. I'm sure everybody has days when they wish they could just be a lazy bum and do nothing all day, but I can tell you from experience that it gets old, really fast. You start getting fat, and you start getting stupid. Seriously. (When episodes of Maury mean more to you than the news, it's time for a change.) It'll be nice having a routine: get up, get dressed, go to work, go to the gym (I'm not lying, being a bum makes you fatttt!), go home. It'll be nice to stop feeling so far behind everybody else. It'll be nice, at the end of the day, to feel as if I've accomplished something.

And OH YEAH, a really nice thing about working? MONEY. On a regular basis. A real, dependable income (with the opportunity for raises. Raises! Who'da thunk it?!). Going into MY OWN bank account. No more signing checks over to someone else, no more using someone else's debit card, no more keeping my cash in an envelope buried in the bottom of a suitcase so no one finds it. And just think of the freedom that financial independence allows. No more saying "hm, I'd love to do x, but I might not have money next week for y, " etc. etc. I can budget now! I can save! I can plan; I can DO THINGS. No more "forced" dependence on others.

YAY!!!!!

For the time being, my dad will have to drive me back and forth to work each day,which will work for now, but can only mean one thing in the near future.....I'LL BE DRIVING. MY OWN CAR. We're already looking into a few different options, but I'm looking for something like this:





VW Polo Hatch 1.6 (sort of a mini-Golf, [not sold in the US] and GREAT on gas)


Just think, though! Me! Driving! I've wanted to drive since before I could even reach the pedals. I used to dream of the day I turned 16; I imagined myself camped outside the DMV at 12.01 am on my birthday haha. Obviously, that didn't happen, and I've since had to rely on rides from friends, or public transportation. Which is cool, but there's something special in being able to decide for yourself when and where you want to go, without having to depend on someone else or follow their schedule. Not to mention being in control haha--if I'm hot or if I'm cold, there'll be no one to argue with over the a/c (can i GET witness?!) OR the radio.

All that to say, I hope you people who already have these things really appreciate what you have. Driving, having your own money, or working may seem a matter of course to some, but these things truly are blessings. As unfortunate as my situation may have been, there are still others who have it far worse than I did/do. We should all be grateful everyday for the blessings we see.

YAY!!!!! (Sorry, can't help it.)

(All this has me thinking though...what if I were to work for a few years, and then go back to school? Establish myself financially and build up my credit?That way, I'd be able to finance some of my education myself, and have the least possible debt once I graduate. Nothing concrete, though. Just a thought I'm having. Any thoughts/suggestions?)

---

In other news, I got a BlackBerry! No surprise, really--ever since owning a Treo, I've fallen in love with smartphones, if for no other feature than being able to back up your contacts to your computer (has anyone else ever broken their phone and lost allll their numbers? Yikes!). It's awesome too--instant access to my email (which means I'll reply pretty quickly), GPS, Internet, and my favorite feature, BlackBerry (BB) Messenger, which provides free instant messaging from BB-to-BB, worldwide. If you have one, let's exchange PINs! If not, email me for my number.

I've figured out way to send regular text messages as well--most phones allow you to text an email address, in additon to regular numbers, and since all my email addresses are linked to my phone as well, I can read and reply to your text. This is the perfect way to get around international SMS costs--it's free for me, and it'll cost you the same as any other text. So if you'd like, text me at yk4k@yahoo.com. Just keep in mind the 6 hour (or 7 hour, once you turn the clocks back) time difference (from the east coast) please lol.

A special shout out to my all my readers, and a warm welcome to the freshman class: the Fabulous Lady Tee, and the hilarious Tanynetta! Spread the word!


And my dad says "hi" in his own version of an American accent.



Listen: "We Break the Dawn" - Michelle Williams

You'll Always Be A Part of Me

I'm feeling a bit homesick this weekend, so I thought I'd share some pics of people I miss!

Cousins, Chickens, Dignitaries, Apples, and Zucchinis

In the past few weeks, I've come to the conclusion that my family is very fertile.

I spent about 3 weeks in Swaziland (which explains the decline in communication--I was busy every day and didn't have a lot of computer time), where I was born, where my mother was laid to rest and where her family resides. These are the people I really remember from our various vacations here so long ago. I have five aunts and uncles, and a grand total of 26 cousins! I'll save you the trouble of trying to pronounce all of their names and just include a pic:




For most of my time in Swaziland, I stayed with one of my uncles and his family, which includes my aunt and three cousins. I remember this group most of all, because the kids are around my age--Vuma and I, for instance, are only 4 months apart in age. There are pictures of us as babies together, then a little bit older, sharing our toy car collections. It's funny, because even today we have a lot in common. Including making faces:




But we can be handsome too (here with my camera-shy aunt)




Then there are the two girls, Nozazi:





And Tebe, who was only a little tiny thing when I last saw her:



It's great to have cousins around my age, and we all have things in common, including music (they fight over my iPod), fashion, tv, even academic interests.

My uncle works at a bank, but also runs a farm, where he raises chicken and cattle. After "processing," the meat is sent to local distribution centers and supermarkets etc. When I was first told about it, I thought, "Oh, ok, a small chicken farm." To my surprise they have almost 17,000 chickens! The first day I went to the farm, the chickens were just wee little things:

(And that's just a fraction of them)



Did you know it only takes about 5 weeks for a chicken to mature? I went back a week and a half later and these things doubled in size:




Though I have no intention of being around for the slaugthering process, I must say it's interesting to see the chain of events and everything that's involved in getting the products to the stores.


Along with family, there were friends of the family that I visited with as well. One of my mom's closest friends, my "Auntie" Constance, is now the Deputy Prime Minister of Swaziland (something close to the US Speaker of the House). I surprised her one day after church by greeting her and introducing myself--she was so shocked to see me, it was precious. I then met with her at her office, which was a little bit intimidating because of her position; but then she invited us for dinner at her house, where she cooked everything, and it was there that she felt more like the Auntie Constance that I remember. This is the woman, who, along with her sister, is solely responsible for my love affair with BMWs. When we last visited Constance, her car was in the shop, so she was using her sister's BMW 3-series. I fell in love with that car over the course of that week. But of course, the day before we left, Constance got her car back and gave the BMW back to her sister...I wasn't sad about leaving them behind, but the car? I cried and cried and cried lol. Here's a pic of me and the Deputy Prime Minister (!):





My cousin Nozazi's university is in Jo'burg, so I rode back here with her and her parents. The past few days have included visiting more clients and continuing to get set up. Tuesday was nice for me, as one of our clients is a television advertising company, which I might be able to get an internship with. It was exciting to meet people in my field of interest, and even more fortunate that through my dad, I already have a strong contact with them.

Then we were looking for a place to have dinner, when we came across this shopping center, which, besides having a great little Italian restaurant, Zucchini, that will probably become one of my new favorites (Sette Luna comes to mind--Hey, Gabby!), had an Apple Computer store (another brand that I'm passionate about). That got me excited, as my love affair with Apple started in 2005 at Ithaca, and has grown stronger and more fervent ever since, even though I haven't yet been able to actually get a Mac. But at this store they had last year's model on sale at a great price. The great thing about Apple is that they make solid computers/electronics, and they also update their models every year or so, meaning that last year's model (which is still an excellent, fast product) comes wayyyyyyyy down in price. I took advantage of those price drops when I bought my iPod for 38% off the regular price. All in all, a very nice day for me indeed.

I was also able to talk to some friends for a few hours online with my webcam...after a few minutes we were laughing and joking like I'd never left.

This weekend I'm going to do some bed shopping, as the one I'm currently sleeping on hates me and likes to hurt my back; then mailing some college apps in between clients.

So, I'm staying busy, and hoping you are all well!








Listen: "Black and Gold" - Sam Sparro

Blogging From the Future!

...well, six hours into the future, but the future nonetheless--beat that!


After 40 total hours in transit, I'm finally in South Africa!

The flight itself was calm and quiet. A little bit of turbulence here and there, but honestly, the ride to JFK in the car was bumpier. (Good job, Devery.) I was so tired that I slept through takeoff...I can imagine what I looked like when the flight attendants walked by...an unkempt, drooling hot mess. And with all the comments about airline food that I've heard over the years, I must say this time around the food was actually very good; though I may be biased since I love love LOVE Indian food.

I landed, picked up my bags, and expected to see just my father waiting for me; instead there was an entire party there, consisting of my sister Faith, her husband, son, daughter, and nephew, my sister Jackie, and my brother Vusi and his wife and daughter. It's a good thing they recognized me right away, because let me tell you, I would have not known to look for that many people!

The last seven days have been quite interesting. First of all, it's quite a task to get used to a sleeping in a time zone that's six hours ahead of what you're used to...let's just say thank God for Tylenol PM. Then of course there's the weather...a week ago I was literally melting away, and now I'm pulling out the sweaters, scarves, and gloves. It doesn't seem to get terribly cold here; I'd say it's equivalent to Autumn in the US.

Then of course I have to get used to thinking in South African Rands and not dollars; Celsius instead of Fahrenheit, and a bunch of metric measurements that I previously thought of as, well, useless. I have conversations with people and then realize that I have to translate all of these things to terms they'll easily understand. And speaking of tranaslating....

This country has 11 official languages. Yes, eleven. Seriously. Everyone I've met so far does speak English, but it's funny when people walk up to me, expecting me to be able to speak Zulu (which makes sense, since I look like a native), and I have to say, "No, no; English, please; I'm from overseas." i should soon be able to start picking upon Zulu pretty easily though. In the meantime I'm learning new words for things--traffic lights here are called "robots," for instance.

It's a bit scary to see people driving on the (wrong) left side of the road. I'll be sitting there in the passenger seat (on the [wrong] left side of the car) , just looking out the window, and turn my eyes back to the road suddenly, and think "OMG that car is going to HIT us! OMGOMGOMGOM...oh wait, never mind." Once you get past that, though, the traffic laws are basically the same.

It is interesting to be here, though, since the political climate is growing and adapting almost everyday. This is a relatively young democracy, so it's a privilege to be here while it's taking shape.

Upcoming events include: getting identity papers sorted out, opening a bank account, getting a driver's license (after taking multiple courses to ensure my adjustment to left-side driving), finding my way around, adjusting to cooking on a Celsius scale, and starting work.

This week, started off with a bang. The 16th of June is Youth Day in South Africa, commemorating the same day in 1976 when high school students in the township of Soweto protested for better education, and memorializes those who lost their lives in the struggle against apartheid and inferior education. Similar to the American holiday of Memorial Day, rallies and celebrations are held across the country, and families and friends visit the nations parks and game preserves and have braiis (barbecues--see? I'm already sounding like an African). So my father and I met up with my sister, brother-in-law, niece, and two nephews (who are 17 and 18, respectively--kinda weird having nephews only a few years younger than yourself) at the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve. It was a beautiful, relaxed day of food, fun, family, and national history. Later on in the afternoon, after eating and playing a few games, we decided to take the scenic two-hour drive through the park, which was beautiful (pictures at the end of this entry). There weren't many animals out and about during the day, since there were so many people around, but I did get to see some baboons, zebras, and gazelles. As it got darker, and people started leaving, the gazelles drifted towards the road. Naturally, I and my nephew took pictures, but between the flashes of the cameras and the car headlights, I think we angered one buck (male gazelle). We were driving along later on, maybe about 15 minutes, when I happened to glance out the window, saw a flash of fur, heard my nephew scream in the backseat, and felt an impact on the rear of the car--the same buck had apparently hunted us down, and hit us! We were told it was mating season for the gazelles, at which point they become extremely territorial. Thankfully no one was hurt except for the car, but still--yikes!

The rest of the week was spent riding around town with my father to his various QuickBooks clients and helping them sort out their problems. Apparently his regular customers have heard all about me, so it was fun to actually be there in person--a face and an American accent to match the stories. WE even sampled some of the local cuisine, which is surprisingly diverse. But of course, there's still McDonald's, which, ironic as it might be, actually makes me feel a little bit more at home.

So what did we learn today, Yati?

You can travel halfway around the world, but eventually, a deer will still hit your car, and eating McDonald's will still land you in the bathroom all afternoon.

Picture time!




The view from my window on the plane:

My father and brother-in-law:

Sunset/Scenery at Suikerbosrand!







The beast that hit us:

The Damage:

Busy Busy BUSY!

So of course, my life has to explode these next few weeks, right? Let me explain...

The next four weeks will be increasingly busy. First off, this coming week is my last week at work (thank GOD), during which I'll be making a trip to the high school. The subsequent weekend, I have two going away parties; one for my friends and I, and our mutual acquaintance, booze, and another one at church, with my sister, and, thankfully, a day to recover in between events. Then it's Memorial Day, which, hopefully I will be spending in NYC with my long lost best friend, George, presumably until that Wednesday.

Then I'm back here, shopping for a delicious suit/rehearsing for my stepbrother's wedding on Saturday, where I will be tickling the ivories and singing during cocktail hour (and doing whatever it takes to keep the Crown Royal coming). So we're staying up there until Sunday afternoon, to return home and get ready for a three-night church revival, for which I will be providing the music, ending on Tuesday.

Wednesday, I travel to Boston to see my sister graduate on Thursday morning at 7 AM (Why does Harvard hate people?), do lunch with her, then hop on the bus bound for Rochester, NY, to see my aunt. I'll be returning to Easton on Saturday, have my last Sunday at church, then try as hard as I can to reduce my life to two suitcases, though it might have to be three, because I'd rather pay the $150 extra baggage charge than have to ship a 50 pound piece of luggage 10,000 miles, and pay some ridiculously expensive amount.

WHOO! Just thinking about all these things is tiring.


Anyway...today I think I finally accepted that spring is here. See, I'm a huge fan of Fall and Winter, and I'm more of an indoors-y type in general, and I feel that I perspire a touch more than the average perosn, so for me, going outside in the warmth is a big deal. Today I met a friend and his community action group for breakfast downtown, and this was the perfect morning. I walked there, and it was delightfully cool and sunny--appropriately enough, I put my iPod in shuffle mode, and what should come on but DC's "Happy Face." The breakfast was held at this darling little café (learn to use your keyboard, people) that I'd been meaning to visit for the longest time but never had the chance. The meeting was very informal; we ate outside! And I met the mayor--how random! All in all, a very nice way to spend a Saturday morning.

So, I'm off to enjoy the last few moments of peace and quiet before the craziness begins!




Listen: "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?" - Louis Jordan (via Tom And Jerry - Episode "Solid Serenade")

Getting Ready...

So I'm starting to prepare for the Adventure of my life. I've started investigating the processes involved in getting a driver's license and other identification and a car once I'm there, setting up bank accounts, researching travel routes for various trips, looking at job opportunities, finding nice--SAFE--places to live, and, obviously, exploring my SHOPPING options haha. Hey, whatever makes me feel more at home, right?

The hardest part right now is telling people about my plans. So far, everyone has been very supportive and excited for me, but of course, it's hard to see me go. It's hard to say goodbye to the people who've been my family for so many years. But I can't help but be grateful for each and every person I've encountered these last ten years, because, even though there are a few I could have lived without, I've learned something from each of them. In their own way, they've made me a stronger person, a person who knows who he is, and who he never wants to be. Without some of these people I literally would not have survived. It's crazy to think about how much time has past and how many things we've been through. And even though it's hard to say "see you later," I've realized that, with good people in your corner, you can do anything, no matter where you are.


So the next month is all about real preparation: organizing my things and beginning to pack, shopping for things it'd be easier to purchase here, settling up things here, possibly buying a laptop, or at the very least, a webcam; making a mini-tour of Easton to all the familiar spots that make this place home, visitng George in NYC (could that be any more perfect?), and spending quality time with quality people. There's going to be a farewell party at church on Memorial Day Weekend, which I have to plan; along with a Yati night--dressing up, finding a divine restaurant to have a big dinner and drinks with all my friends, and of course, dancing. I'll throw in a couple more open-mic gig at Porter's, and will definitely try to see Post Junction at least twice. Maybe even pay a visit to the Rock...we'll see. So much to do!

To close out the post, some random "ruminations," as Jonathan would say:

• Wesley Snipes sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion...wow!
• Apparently, to purchase songs on iTunes, your credit card has to have a billing address in one of 21 countries..one of which is not South Africa (yet, hopefully), so I'll definitely be looking for alternatives...tips, anyone? Hopefullyyyy myP2P options work there.
• How in the world am I going to get used to having summer in December, January and February??? A warm Christmas? So wrong...
• Not being paid in six weeks is not a fun experience; I wouldn't recommend it.
  
• Ear aches (or whatever is going on with my left ear) suck.
• Forget whatever blunders Jimmy Carter made in the Middle East---that Cheshire-cat-faced man is still alive?!
• HAPPY 21ST, GREG!!!!!!!
• And finally...

I want more cantaloupe.


Listen: "Chainsaw" (in all its various remixes) - Daniel Merriweather