South Africa
Your Stories From Abroad
South Africa
The Minibus Driver Is Always Right (And Other Important Transportation Lessons)
I was surrounded by pushy men, their mouths overtaken by yellowed teeth and gold caps. Glistening Nikes peeped out from underneath their frayed trousers as they sat on the hoods ... read more
by Aswini Anburajan
02 Aug 2002
South Africa
Christoph, Fishing Companion And Unrepentant Racist
An earth-colored pick-up truck was waiting for me outside. My four friends and I were about to embark upon a five-day camping adventure through the Transkei—the famed mountainous region ... read more
by Andrew Freeburger
15 Jun 2006
South Africa
Alan The Afrikaner (Who May Not Be the Racist Pig I Took Him For)
The rounded patio stuck like a tongue out over the bush, its shaded interior licking the blazing heat of an African afternoon. When we arrived, the thickness of the heat ... read more
by Sarah Menkedick
19 Apr 2007
South Africa
The New Cape Town Feels Ready To Explode
The bar is packed to the seams. Alison takes a beer from the bartender and we move toward the back. To our left, there are 16-year-old girls, drunk and rebellious ... read more
by Ariana Karamallis
12 Jun 2007
Tips
South Africa
Preparing for the stoplight apocalypse
If you are being given driving directions in South Africa, and the man has just said, "Go over the robots and then turn left," you should not panic at the ... read more
by Christina Taylor
18 Mar 2009
South Africa
"Just now" does not mean now
If someone from South Africa tells you he or she will do something "just now" don't think it means right away. It is a response that basically means "in ... read more
by Megan Greve
13 Jul 2009
South Africa
Izzit? I'm not really sure.
Of the many challenging decoding situations I encountered while trying to comprehend South Africa's unique twist on what I thought was my mother tongue, the ubiquitous phrase "izzit" proved ... read more
by Janelle Little
02 Aug 2009
Blog Posts
South Africa
Elbow Taps
September 8th, 2009 This post comes to you from the town of Mtubatuba, in the Hlabisa district (pronounced clu-bisa, in one of those mystifying linguistic puzzles that happen when people try to spell a language that uses clicks) of Kwazulu-Natal. This is “Zululand” according to my guidebook, and it is ... read more
by Leona Rosenblum
01 Dec 2009
South Africa
Smothered on Top of the Hill
September 1, 2009 What happens when you throw thousands of Afrikaaners into a dusty wasteland in the middle of nowhere full of thorn bushes with four stages and more than a hundred musical acts? Oppikoppi! (translation: on top of the hill) Perhaps the closest I will ever come to Woodstock ... read more
by Leona Rosenblum
01 Dec 2009
South Africa
August 17, 2009
Don’t worry, I did in fact return from Swaziland. It just took me a while to recover/try and avoid catching the flu going around the office before I actually managed to write about it, and then I kept forgetting to post it. As an intern, I don’t get the usual ... read more
by Leona Rosenblum
01 Dec 2009
South Africa
July 21st, 2009
So now that you have some sort of sense of my whereabouts, onto a description of work. I’m working at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the Regional HIV/AIDS Program (RHAP). Within Pretoria alone, there are several U.S. government (USG for those in the know) offices that ... read more
by Leona Rosenblum
20 Nov 2009
South Africa
White Walking Can Get Hectic
July 20, 2009 Now that I’ve been here almost two weeks without writing anything at all, I’ve set you all up to expect a literary masterpiece of a blog. Or I’ve set myself up to expect it, which is probably worse because it just means that I continue to refuse ... read more
by Leona Rosenblum
20 Nov 2009
South Africa
Photos
Hi, There has been a request for photos. I shall put up a couple, hopefully it will work. This is the view of Table Mountain from my window. read more
by Leah Forsberg
14 Aug 2009
South Africa
The Rugby Game
Last Saturday I went to the South Africa versus Australia rugby game. It was so amazing. We were able to get tickets in the standing section. The energy in the stadium was incredible. South Africa is ranked number one in the world right now for rugby followed closely by Australia and New ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
14 Aug 2009
South Africa
21st
I have just recently learned about a South African tradition. It is a tradition that I wish we had in America. Not simply because it has to do with turning 21 and that will be my next birthday, but because I think it is very meaningful. I am going to propose that maybe ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
14 Aug 2009
South Africa
Day 5- June 12, 2009
Today was AWESOME and blew the crappiness of the last two days out of the water. We saw caves, we saw bones, we saw animals, and best of all, we didn't have RAIN! We got up ser early, and hung around waiting until we realized our guide, Dr. Berger, was at ... read more
by Bailey McBride
04 Aug 2009
South Africa
Day 3- June 10, 2009
8:00 am Rough night, couldn't sleep because I was afraid I had the time difference wrong. Not feeling very well, either. 9:30 am Just found out central heat does not exist anywhere in South Africa. Great. 10:15 am Saw a Honda CR-V, light green, just like mom's. The cars here ... read more
by Bailey McBride
03 Aug 2009
South Africa
Day 1/ Day 2- Because I Don't Know What Day It Is
This trip has already been such a blur. We are so SO SO far from Arkansas (and even farther from Oklahoma!). The plane ride over was very interesting- I sat by myself, away from the group, next to a woman from the Congo who works at a Chimp Sanctuary. Her plane ... read more
by Bailey McBride
03 Aug 2009
South Africa
"We live and Breath Racism here....." Weezy, Jo-burg
Over the past week or so I have found myself discussing race and race issues with different people. It started with the maid, Lena. Her and I discussed her life growing up under apartheid. She told me that when she was younger she would play with the white farmer’s children. Her mother, worked ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
02 Aug 2009
South Africa
The beginning of school :(
School has officially started. So far my classes seem good and interesting. I am taking Physics, Psychology of religion, a sociology class called individual and society, and a history classes titled gender and history. The way the university runs is a little different than what I am ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
28 Jul 2009
South Africa
Tour of the coast
On Sonday all of the International students that are studying at UCT for the semester took a tour of the coast and of Cape Town. It was absolutely beautiful. We saw the 12 apostle mountains, the penguins at Boulder Beach, and we went to the Cape of Good ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
23 Jul 2009
South Africa
Random Observations
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by Leah Forsberg
19 Jul 2009
South Africa
Moving In!
Friday I finally saw the University. Upper Campus is up on the hill going to Table Mountain. It is absolutely beautiful. I am certain that I shall be very inspired to study there. ;) We learned more about what school will be like and about some of our volunteer opportunities. We have about ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
19 Jul 2009
South Africa
My first Days
I love Cape Town. It is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. The plane rides were very long and the food not so good. Some UCT students who work for the program I am in met me and five other students at the airport. ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
18 Jul 2009
South Africa
Just an Ordinary Day in South Africa: Bloukrans Bridge Bungee
Dave’s not getting up. When Kuba and Alex burst through the door of his room, he’s hiding his head underneath the cheap blanket of a Plettenberg Bay backpackers’ lodge, trying to keep rays of morning sunlight from invading his eyes and worsening his hangover. “Dave, get up. We’re ... read more
by Andrew Zaleski
17 Jul 2009
South Africa
Getting Ready
I am trying this blog thing out so that I can work out all of the kinks before I leave. I am slowly getting my life organized and getting ready to go. My to do list is getting a little shorter every day, at least I think so!!! This trip ... read more
by Leah Forsberg
02 Jul 2009
South Africa
Four-to-One Odds? Really? Give us Some Credit
“We have to get back in time for this game.” Kuba’s tripping more than Zach Galifianakis hopped up on Rohypnol atop the roof of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. (Wednesday nights are half-price movie nights in Cape Town. From Observatory, you hop onto the metro rail heading downtown ... read more
