How are you my friends? Everything is just fine here! Great actually! I have experienced lots of things every day and I’m constantly enjoying it! I’m already a pro at travelling by taxi. Last week a taxi doorman was talking to me in Zulu the whole time. I was just nodding until all passengers were laughing very loudly. The girl next to me explained that this guy and the taxi driver were arguing about who was going to marry me. Eventually, I was only allowed to get out if I told them so in Zulu. It was almost dark outside when I finally was permitted to leave.
Lots of great things have happened in these days, but also some stupid ones. I was mad because I tried these lovely bangles from ‘Woolworths’ that didn’t fit. After some pushing and shoving it worked, but then they wouldn’t come off!!!! I was so embarrassed until I saw this African girl similarly struggling with a ring. After lots of Vaseline and hard pulling we both were able to remove the stuck items. Woolworths is quite a modern department store, but despite this you have to wait at the cash desks for a long time! Regardless of the store! I’ll give you an example: a customer pays with R100 and the cashier doesn’t have any change. What happens then? Well, the 3 other cashiers come over think about a solution for this problem. Then, after let’s say 10 minutes, they decide that they can maybe exchange some money which finally resolves the ‘situation’. Well that’s how it goes in every store. I think I’m already used to it and sometimes I don’t even notice it anymore.
What I immediately saw in South Africa is the huge amount of white cars. I think that 80 to 90% of the cars are white. Biza told me that that’s because white is a cheap colour and it’s easy and cheap to repair. It’s also a pleasant colour for the summer. Today I saw a red Ferrari racing though the streets. I can’t stand these expensive cars, they drivers must be either macho or Barbie dolls. I just can’t believe how you can drive by all these poor people in a car that everybody knows has cost you more money than they could ever dream off.
Last week there was another young child brought to Bobbi Bear with another tragic story. There was this girl (I think around the age of 3) found on the road. This girl had a muscle wasting disease and therefore needed a lot of care, something her mother couldn’t give her. The only solution she could think of was laying down on the street so she would be hit by a car. Thank god they found her and isn’t injured, so to say. Stories like these are very common here. Sometimes I feel pretty naive and a bit blind when I experience stuff like that. My eyes are now opening up and I’m getting more grateful every day for everything and everybody that I have! I won’t be saying out loud that I hate the fact that I forgot my straightener, anymore.
Last night I went to Cool Runnings with Puck, Brienne and Guusje. Biza dropped us off and came back later with Sia, Vukani (Veetje) and Oegloegloe. Oegloegloe isn’t his real name ofcourse, but his real name, including a click-letter is impossible for me to remember, so that’s why I gave him his new beautiful name, ‘Oegloegloe’. These guys are also working for Umthombo. Cool Runnings is some sort of bar with 2 halls. In the back hall there is a drumming circle session every Thursday. They’re playing jembe’s drumsi there, which are led by two guys playing huge bass drums. There’s no explanation, ‘you just gotta close your eyes and feel the rhythm’. I did quite well actually and my neighbour referred to me as her ‘Soulsister’ cause I’m black inside’. After an invitation I showed my African dance moves in the middle of the circle and my night couldn’t get any better! I’ll try to upload some of the pictures on Facebook tonight! Just as I thought the night was going great I got a wake-up call, Oegloegloe took me outside for a bit to meet some of the street children from Umthombo. One of the boys was sitting outside reading a car magazine and I asked him which car he would like to have in the future. A white Chevrolet. I asked why he wasn’t sleeping at Umthombo. He started to laugh. He needed money. He earned money by watching a car (a white Lexus) from a Cool Running’s customer. He sat next to the car until the man left and he earned R2 (€0,20). Five minutes later we left the place by taxi. R60, how cheap...
My internship is great. I’m busy pulling this online marketing plan off and I am busy approaching potential sponsors. Thank you so much to the people who already donated to OneVoice South Africa, so sweet! I take an hour each day just to read stories about South Africa online, weblogs for example. I also read information about the justice system, the government, the education system and poverty. I am learning very much and I am getting more fascinated about this country every day. As I said before, I am becoming a taxi traveller professional. Yesterday I was picked up by my future husband again on my way back home and it was pretty busy. I was sitting next to the door and a woman a.k.a. Big Mamma came in. There was no place to stand because of these tip-up seats everywhere, so there was only one solution; she had to sit on my lap. Nobody was surprised, not even when my head turned purple. When I got out and walked home I thought about the situation again and shook my head with a huge smile on my face. Fantastic!
I hear some stories from my lovely hometown which concern me. It’s very sad to be so far away at these moments. I think about you every day and I miss you all! I truly hope that you will feel better soon and I wish you all the best!
I think another great weekend is waiting for me. The last one with Puck and Brienne though, which is really really sad! I don’t wanna think about that yet though.. I will talk to y’all real soon and thank you so much for your time and attention!
Much love, kisses and hugs!
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