Hello world! Life has been crazy lately. First there was the 10-day trip to the Eastern Cape, and then a brief, frantic 4-5 day period finishing a research paper, and then another Sunday-to-Sunday stayaway in Tambo village, a poor township in between Manenburg and Guguletu. I'm finally back from all of that amazing, glorious stuff--and return to a massive allergie reaction AND events almost every day! Yikes!
It's really odd to think that two weeks from today I will be boarding a South Africa Airways flight that will start me off to Pennsylvania. The first of the study abroad students left yesterday, and is likely in the air as I type this entry. Her name is Charlotte and she's been one of the few people I have really connected with here in South Africa. Due to my own introverted nature and, well, general principles of disagreement, I have not managed to form especially strong friendships here in good ol' SA, which isn't something I really regret. Rather, it makes me rethink how people come into and out of each others lives. A friend told me once that some friends are just for a season, and others just go with you wherever you are. I seem to make far more seasonal friends, I suppose. However, Facebook makes even defining seasonal friends vs. long-term friends difficult, since you can really find out about and keep in touch with anyone. There's almost a (true? false?) sense of intimacy inherent in the networking site. Hmmm.
However, I'll definitely miss her over the next few weeks, as she's someone I've come to associate with South Africa. Her departure has caused me to focus more on reconnecting with people Stateside meself--by the way, if anyone wants me to give them a call, they need to please message me with their phone number, because I can't access Geneva's intranet from over here. Thanks! I'll have the time, so I might as well.
Let's see, what else do I have to do...oh yes! Figure out the whole mess with the local hospital and insurance, because I still haven't been reimbursed from when I got sick in February. This whole ordeal has grown me, I'll admit, but at the same time, I seriously am going to work my hardest to just NOT get sick. Eish!
Lisa's 21st birthday party was yesterday. 21st birthday parties are big deals in South Africa--akin to an American Sweet Sixteen or even a graduation party. The drinking age is 18, so that doesn't really come into play. Instead, there is this big party with family and friends invited over, and the Guest of Honor requests various people to make speeches. Then the G.O.H. is given a key, often part of a ceremonial plaque when that can be afforded; this key symbolizes their independence from their family. They can come and go from the house whenever they like, without needing anyone's permission. Also, according to my friend Abbie "it means the parents are telling them to get out. They can leave now." That doesn't mean people do leave their parents house, but it's a nice thought.
I think I would like to do that for my 21st birthday. Then again, I've never known Americans to be big fans of making speeches or any of that stuff, and I've never successfully managed to get people over to my place for a party. Ever. *sighs* C'mon, the 21st has got to be special enough for that! :-p I'll figure something out. I've already figured out that the food theme will be Mexican and Tex-Mex, because those are two items I cannot get here in South Africa. I've actually taken to popping into "Mexican" joints just for amusement's sake--they commonly serve veggie burgers, chips, curry! *laughs* I've even seen an advert for a lentil burrito! Now THAT is fusion cuisine! It makes sense, because Mexico is so far away, but I still miss it.
Okay, the difference between a South Africa braai and an American barbeque:
Braais traditionally should use wood for the fire, although charcoal is common nowadays. There is a concept known as a "bring-a-braai" where everyone brings a good amount of a certain kind of meat and it's all cooked up and thrown together so everyone can try some of everyone else's. One of the central aspects of a braai is boerwors, that wonderfully rich, flavorful, fatty sausage that is IMPOSSIBLE to get in the United States. Other meats include chops, ribs, steak, and chicken; local fish such as snoek or hake can also be braaied. Side dishes include the typical green and potato salads, but also pap, the pasty maize dish, with "smoor", a savory tomato-onion topping that is really delicious. Sosaties or kebabs, can also be a part of a braai. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions may also be wrapped in foil and stuck among the hot ashes or coals and cooked. Another thing I've discovered about braais is that they never, ever start on time. Seriously. This is the reason one brings a snack along or hope someone else thought to bring crisps or something, because when people say "the braai is at 5:30 pm" what they really mean is that "we're going to start heating up the charcoal for the fire at 5:30 pm. The actual meat may not be done until 7 or 7:30 pm." Braais take place in a very relaxed atmosphere, and can happen, rain or shine--even having the braaimaster(usually a guy, and only one guy) outside cooking the meat in the cold, and then bringing it in to tbe enjoyed with the rest of the dishes.
Now, some of these customs are similar to the US barbeque. However, in the US typical meats include hotdogs, hamburgers, and bratwurst. In South Africa, hotdogs are "viennas" and it never occurs to anyone to stick them on the braai--the braai is for real meat. Hamburger patties are a Western idea as well. In addition, in the US there is a distinct lack of mealie pap in any form, which is quite distressing to me, as this is a really delicious dish that needs to enjoy a wider following (unless you're allergie to corn). I guess there's also the idea of abundance in a braai--you should always have more than enough to feed everyone, and latecomers, and surprise guests, and still have leftovers in the fridge. Perhaps it's part of the ubuntu concept sneaking over.
In the end, I suppose my preference for braais over barbeques is for personal reasons: I like boerwors and "real meat" better than hamburgers and viennas; I really like pap and smoor; and I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of a braai. *shrugs*
Anyway, I need to get to other stuff now. Posts about the E. Cape Trip and Guguletu will be forthcoming. Until then:
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." -2 Corinthians 13:14
Byes!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment