South Africa Arrival

Chris says I'll be happy when I leave in two weeks, because of the difficulty of living here. That's a bold statement for a man in my position, although he may not realize it. So far SA (South Africa) reminds me of many third world countries I've visited, although on it's way to progress. It reminds me of South Korea 10 years ago; perhaps not quite that well. Is SA on it's way up economically, or on it's way down?

Jacob Zuma might get elected; Chris says he's corrupt, with Stalinist leanings. If he get's elected and starts nationalizing industries, it's all over for SA economy.

Brain drain is a big problem here. Everyone who has a degree, scientists & engineers especially, has left or is already planning to leave.

They can't even keep the power on all the time anymore. They have roving blackouts for a few hours a day. Any engineer that's any good has left.

"SA is like a great white shark: beautiful, but also very dangerous."
"South Africa is a third world country with first world cities."

SA'ers use the word "robot" (pronounced RO-bit) for traffic lights. Odd.

Why do South African's drink so much? Because if you get kidnapped & tortured on the way home, it hurts a lot less if you're drunk. That's a joke. I think.

The CBD (central business district) is so dangerous that you can't go there at night, and there's no point of going there during the day. It's not really a business district anymore; all of the businesses have moved out, and the office buildings are lived in by Nigerian squatters, and controlled by Nigerian drug lords who control various blocks and occasionally have turf wars.

"South Africa is the only hope for Africa. It's the key to improving Africa, but it's on the ropes itself. South Africa might fail, and then there would be no hope for Africa."

The HIV rate among white SAers is 5%; among the black population it's about 40%; among colored it's about 20%. Is it really 40% among the black people that are driving cars around us on the highway? No, it's probably much lower among the economic class that can drive cars; Maybe 10%.

Howsit? Sharp Sharp, bru. (translation: How are you? Doing fine.)

Street signs are in Afrikaaner & English. Local people speak Zulu here in Johannesburg (other languages in other areas in SA), and also speak English, and maybe a little Afrikans.

People walking along the highway.

"The Whiteboy Shebeen; A restaurant & bar". Shebeen means speakeasy, although it's really more of a restaurant than a bar. Are there only white people that go there? No, mixed, mostly black people; It's owned by a white guy, though. In america it would be considered racists. Here, it's a joke, a pun.

My friends don't have a SA bank account. They're rip-offs: they charge you money to put money in, they charge you money to take money out. So they don't have a local SA bank account. They keep their cash in the freezer, under the broccoli. Shhh. Don't tell anyone.

Kun-JAN-ee means hello/goodbye
EE-a-bong-a means thank-you

I got the cigarettes you asked for from Duty Free. "Mmm, delicious," says Susan.

What was the biggest shock for you when you moved here, Susan? "It's not that different. People talk a little funny, and the money has funny colors. I still get homesick, but for funny things, like salsa, and watching football at not 3 o'clock in the morning."

The power went out at 8:25pm, for the third time today. We're eating dinner by candlelight. Very romantic. Welcome to Africa.

We went to Brady's, the local pub near Chris's place. We met three of Chris's friends there, three bru, Afrikanners (white south african's descended from Dutch settlers in the 1800's). They talked fast and with an Afrikanner accent. I understood about half of what they said.