Snapshots

*The goal of the snapshots section is to give you verbal pictures of my experiences in and perceptions of South Africa, which are limited and not representative of South Africa as a whole, just as my experiences in and perceptions of the US do not represent all of the US.
South Africa:
- Even though two Lutheran churches exist, based primarily on race differences, only one Lutheran Seminary exists where citizens of South Africa and other southern African countries attend
- The Lutheran church has different leagues for men, women, Sunday School, youth, young adults, and music, and members often wear their league uniform to church
- The structure of my Lutheran church has five layers
- An offering is taken specifically for communion costs
- On South Africa’s reality TV show, “Big Brother”, participants, from all over Africa, must speak in English
KwaZulu-Natal:
- Zulus use the same numbers as in English, which helps me find the scripture readings
- People often call the US, America
- People often react positively to hearing I’m from the US
My Community:
- Life here is similar to home: people wear Western clothes, have indoor plumbing and electricity, and, in my home, eat cereal, granola, and/or oatmeal for breakfast
- My community, Cool Air, was zoned for Indians prior to the end of the apartheid, so approximately one half of the population is Indian, most of the rest are Zulus, with a few other native tribes of South Africa, and a few coloreds (mixed race); I am the only Caucasian living in Cool Air
- Due to Cool Air’s mixed community, people often use English to communicate, most Indians speak English in their homes, and most people’s English is very good
- My sisters attend a school that primarily teaches in English
- My host family in Cool Air drives nicer cars than my family
- My host family irons their clothes everyday
- People more often throw wrappers on the ground
- People keep their houses very clean
- Children are nice to and friendly with me
- My host family knows no one in Cool Air who has the Internet capacity to send a file as large as this newsletter
Personal:
- I finished Desmond Tutu’s No Future Without Forgiveness
- I laughed and cried while watching “Blood Diamond”
- Most people who guess my age think I’m 16 or 17
- Almost daily, I run with my three younger host sisters and three young neighbors
- I created a schedule for myself at school so that teachers may sign up to have me teach in their class
- I eat curry fairly regularly
- A tapestry of Nelson Mandela hangs in my living room

Not a Cultural Misunderstanding, But My Own Misunderstanding...

I had mentally prepared myself for bathroom facilities in South Africa that were less comfortable than my usual facilities. Friends had shared with me how they washed with cold water from a basin while in Africa and, even though I knew not all bathrooms in Africa were the same, I had tried to prepare myself for facilities least like my own.

Upon arriving at my new home for a year, greeting the family members and sitting in their fancy living room for a bit, I asked the location of the bathroom. In South Africa, the toilet is in a separate room from the sink and shower. One of my new sisters pointed to the toilet and I paused for a moment as I noticed that their was no lid or seat on the overall modern looking toilet. After closing the door behind me, I could find no toilet paper. I took a deep breath and gave myself a pep talk: “You’ve been a camp counselor, and we, female counselors, pride ourselves when we may urinate without toilet paper while on off-sites. You can do it.” As I shook myself off, to the best of my undeveloped ability, I realized this set-up for using the toilet would take some getting used to.

Later that night, with my two eldest host sisters, who I call Zoo and Blue, I inquired if they used toilet paper. They looked at me strangely and said, “Yes.” I giggled, and shared my first experience with the toilet. Just like in the US, sometimes someone forgets or neglects to replace an empty toilet paper roll, especially with young children in the home. Slightly reassured by the last inquiry, I asked about the toilet seat. Zoo and Blue laughed and explained that their two younger sisters, Amalhe (7) and Pepiswa (9), broke the toilet seat and their dad had yet to replace it. I shared in their laughter, mostly laughing not at the cultural misunderstanding, but my own. Since then, I thankfully have taken advantage of toilet paper.