- Is it possible to get sick from breathing too much dust and dirt? What about long-term exposure? You can't walk near a road for more than a couple minutes without inhaling at least one dusty cloud. My hair changed from clean and smooth to chunky and sticky from standing outside for 5 minutes.
- Why does it seem like every older lady walks with the same hobbling limp? Is it related to the way they sweep the ground or retrieve water--bent at the hips at a perfect 90 degree angle?
- When did the local language start using English words? Numbers, months, and certain words are spoken in English. Today I overheard a conversation about someone's education that was 95% Shangaan with "graduate" and "registration" thrown in.
- How long will it take to eliminate racism (or get close to eliminating racism) in this country compared to the U.S.? We desegregated schools and workplaces, made voting a positive right, and other measures beginning in the 1950s and 1960s. This was followed by decades of institutional racism (housing market, school funding, etc.), affirmative action, race riots and many other events and processes that leave us wherever it is we are today. South Africa only ended apartheid in 1994. The majority of the population here lived as de jure second class citizens for most of their lives. It seems that amazing progress has been made, but when will South Africa become more equal?
- How long will it take to fully develop this country (already the most developed in sub-Saharan Africa)? In some ways it seems so close but in other ways it seems that it will never come.
- When will Nando's bring peri peri chicken to Seattle? Or do I have to visit DC to get it?
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Some thoughts
These are some of the things I find myself pondering while I stay in South Africa.
5 Responses to “Some thoughts”
You've probably seen the movie "Tsotsi." In the movie they use a pastiche language that is (I assume) part Afrikaans, English, and probably every other indigenous language in South Africa.
The same thing happens in Spanish, too. For example, in Mexico if you want to hitch a ride from a friend, you can say "dame un 'ride', por favor."
I haven't seen Tsotsi but I should.
Sometimes strangers start speaking Afrikaans to me before I tell them I speak English. The other day some little girls heard me order chips from a vendor and I heard one say to the other, "English." I don't know if she meant I was speaking English or if she thought I was an Englishman.
In Jordan, people often asked me if I was English/from England. I never figured out if they were asking if I spoke English or if they actually thought I was from the United Kingdom.
I had Nando's for dinner on Thurs. Its like 5 mins from my house!!!
Nice! Was it good? I actually haven't had Nando's though I've had that style chicken from many other restaurants. I think it's actually Mozambican style, though I'm not sure about that.
Leave a reply