Misplaced?

from Elliott

Often there are negative situations that seem huge when you first hear or experience them. If it persists though it can easily lose significance over time. Maybe it is 'out of sight/ out of mind' or finger pointing is just too easy.

But the youth unemployment problem has been catastrophic since before we arrived and the effects are everywhere. There has been a great deal of talk about the issue and sometimes that leads to the suggestion of solutions. Perhaps the solution is too complicated or will take too long to yield a successful outcome. Maybe the price of action is too high a price politically since you are bound to ruffle a few feathers if you even talk about solutions.

Given the long term ramifications of over 50% youth unemployment you would think it would be a page one headline. This time the headline got my attention; but not because of the content but because it was not even in the first section of the paper. This appeared in the business section as if the problem rests solely with the business sector. Unfortunately, the underlying issues are far more broad than that especially in the rural areas. 

AHHH...a Mate for those Orphaned Socks

from Elliott
Ever had that experience when you remove your socks from the dryer and begin to pair them and you end up with one without a mate? Then you wrestle with one of the greatest 'life questions' there is - what happened to that missing sock? Did it get sucked out of the dryer vent (but then you go outside to the exit of the dryer vent and you cannot find it) , did it dissolve into a pile of lent or did it just go to sock heaven? Of course, this really is a 'First World Problem' since we do not have a dryer here in South Africa. Perhaps it could be a local problem though if a local Weaver bird thought the sock would make a good nest liner if shredded and stole it from the line.

Regardless of the cause of the demise and the orphan-ing of your favorite sock, there is a solution. Or

at least I thought so while visiting a local shop. They advertised, 'Men's Single Socks' so I walked over to see if they had a replacement mate to a few that I had lost when I was in the US last. I was disappointed to find that there were two socks in each package. But I thought it said 'single' socks. Apparently, Single means 'Single pair' vs 'Multiple Pair'.

Hmmm...how disappointing!  I thought I had found the next 'Great Idea' from the marketing mastermind of the African continent.  

A Nice Day for A Dip!

from Elliott

I was visiting one of our church partners recently and I noticed this above ground pool. It was new so I knew something was up. I wasn't sure though whether it was for a new 'full immersion' baptism strategy, for a new swim team for their church school or just for lounging poolside by the Elders and Deacons. I decided that it was not for lounging since this promontory was often windy and cold. And I don't know any other swim teams in the area that the school could compete against.

I decided not to ask since baptism methodology can be a very sensitive issue and I just did not have the time for that discussion!

Where do I stop?

from Elliott
There used to be a stop sign (on the left side in SA) at this intersection in our town. But one day I was heading out to teach

and it was not there. I guessed it must have been run over the night before but it was nowhere to be found. The car ahead of me just drove right through without stopping. I doubt if it was the first time at the intersection; local folks don't seem to care too much for traffic rules and the absence of the sign was an excuse to move through without a stop.

Then about a week later I saw the sign again but not quite in the same location. In fact, it was about 25 feet before where it used to be a bit further away from the road hiding in the vegetation. I wasn't sure where I should stop now but I did notice the local folks were still just ignoring it.

Upon closer inspection I noticed that it was not planted back in the ground. Instead it was on top of the ground and leaning against the tree that it was tied to. At least it was up right and visible albeit in the wrong location.

At first I thought that a neighbor had put it upright but then I thought if they had taken the initiative to do that they probably would have done so immediately after it came down not waiting a week. Then I though that maybe they reported it and then after waiting a week and getting no response they gave up and did it themselves but nobody would think to give them a week to show up, they would just assume nothing was going to happen. I think the municipality did show up a week later but being ill equipped or unmotivated came up with the rather creative, albeit lazy, method.

Not sure whether to be impressed with the creativity or disgusted with the laziness?!?  It is still there a couple of weeks later so I guess that is the permanent solution.

How is My Driving?

from Elliott
Forgive me for laughing! Sure they drive well above the limit, stop in the middle of the driving lanes without warning, turn from no turn lanes not to mention driving intoxicated or high.

But to think that

I would question their 'King of the Road' status and beyond reproach attitude and run the risk of physical danger or threat is crazy. I don't think the taxi association that is promoting the feedback loop is doing so for the purpose of personal improvement! I wonder if they offer a 'witness protection program' type anonymity for those that provide feedback?

Recently, there was a major taxi strike in a large city near us. Among their demands were the intriguing thought that it was unfair to give out tickets during morning rush hour because they were busy! The best though was the criticism that traffic fines should be more affordable. On both counts they obviously don't think that the objective of the traffic fines was their behavior modification.

If they do not want to change their behavior then perhaps the request for feedback on the sticker is just a bit disingenuous!   

Some Things Just Don't Surprise Me Anymore

from Katherine
The other day Cason and I were driving and came to a robot (traffic light). Cason laughed because both the red (stop) and green (go) lights were shining at the same time. I shrugged my shoulders, checked for oncoming traffic and carried on.

I wonder if you live somewhere long enough things that should strike you as odd just don’t seem to faze you anymore.

I arrived at one of my schools this morning and the lady that runs it was not there. Instead, her adult daughter was filling in. The daughter had her pajama's and a robe on. I might like to do this on some days.

It was chilly last night so the goats were trying to warm up. They chose the black pavement on the busy main road that runs through our ministry area. They must have been more concerned about the temperature than their safety. Goats are clever about how to warm up but I wondered where their owner was.

A bit further down the road  I got stopped by a police man. They stand in the middle of the road,  wave you down and hope you stop,  I wonder what would happen if I did not stop - would he chase me on foot? He asked for my licence, checked my registration on the windscreen (windshield) and then asked where I was going. Do you think he needed a lift. 

A couple of years ago, we happened on an accident at night and a policemen motioned for us to slow down and asked us if we would take a woman that had been in the accident to the next town where she lived. It seemed like a strange request but not strange enough to ask any questions. Fortunately, he told us where because she did not seem to speak our language.

I have decided that it is best to like the funny (odd) things that make a place unique. It may be a bit odd but we call it home.

Is That 'Take Away' or Eat In?

from Elliott

When there are 11 official languages in your country I suspect that the job of a sign maker/ designer might be very difficult. How do you communicate in a way that most people would understand. Words matter but so do the order they are in and how they relate to one another.

We were visiting a game park with some American visitors when we saw this one. I could imagine the connection between the 'picnic area' and the 'takeaway' but not the  'toilet' and the 'takeaway'! It is best that you focus on making a leaving something at the toilet and not taking anything away.  

What is the Best End?

from Elliott
My son-in-laws like most South Africans like Biltong so I have had to learn a bit about this cultural phenomenon. I know it comes from many different kinds of meat - kudu, ostrich, bok, beef, etc and I know there are many different cuts of each animal.

I was not sure though what the 'best end' might mean. Knowing how sensitive people are about their biltong I did not ask the store owner for an explanation for fear I might offend.

Which is the best end of the kudu?

There is a Mystery in the Meat

from Elliott
We read a lot of labels in the market. In some cases, it is simply for education or to choose the best value and other times so we do not make a mistake. There has been a lot of conversation in the media about new government rules regarding the amount of water they put in chicken. Since much of it is sold by weight the amount of water makes a big difference in how much chicken is left in the pan once it is cooked. It can range from 6 - 25% so it is one more variable to consider when looking for the best value or just buying the proper amount for the recipe.

This one though is more concerning. 

Yes, there is a lot of water in this mince but I am more concerned that there is 10% of an unknown ingredient since the beef and water only add up to 90%. What is the rest? Certainly, the spices and preservatives don't add up to 10%

In an unfamiliar culture, that unknown could make a real difference in what you are consuming!

Concrete or Contrite?

from Elliott

Driving along the tarred road is always interesting. You never know what you may see. Sometimes it is interesting scenery, oftentimes goats or cows, always there are interesting people. Many things are self explanatory while others require a bit more thought.

On a recent drive we saw a large truck carrying concrete blocks and mortar mix - just what you need to make a block wall. That all made sense but the company name was a bit puzzling. "Conrite Walls" 

Sometimes the confusion is just a misspelling but with this one I was not sure if they meant 'Concrete' or 'Contrite'. Concrete would make sense for they were carrying block and mortar. 

But could it be Contrite? Maybe something was getting lost in translation. 

Contrite is an adjective which makes sense but it means caused by or showing sincere remorse or filled with a sense of guilt. And it gets more confusing. Contrite is from the Latin contritus meaning 'worn out, ground to pieces"   

How much would you pay for a wall that was 'worn out, ground to pieces and do you want a wall that is filled with a sense of guilt? Guilt over what - keeping people out?

Still puzzled!

A 'Patato'?

from Elliott
We have a wide variety of fruits and vegetables here. While many of them are things we are familiar with some are new to us. There have been times when we ask about something we are used to in the US only to have them look funny at us! Once we asked for pecans and after being told they did not know what we were talking about at a few stores we did find one person that said no but then showed us something called 'pecan nuts' and asked is this would work instead. It was indeed what we were looking for (imported from the US) but pronounced 'pee ka nuts' . They still did not have Karo syrup so no pie for us!

Sweet Potato is another one. They have something they call that but they are white on the inside and not very sweet. Sometimes though at a specialty shop they have what we understand to be sweet potatoes. And they are so strange to the local folks they have to label them with a sticker that says, ' Orange flesh sweet patato'.

They get confused with spelling of potato also but I don't think 'patato' is one of our versions. Sometimes we find two different spellings on a package for the same thing but that is because of the 11 official languages in South Africa but I do not think that 'patato' is a proper spelling in any of those languages.

An Explanation for Youth Unemployment

from Elliott
This sign at a shop in the mall raises the age old 'chicken or the egg - which came first'  question. Am I mature just because I am older than 35 or is it because I have gotten experience working for the last 15 years? If so where do I go to get that experience if everyone wants a 'mature' person?

And as a Westerner of course I see everything from an over regulated lawyer-focused anti discrimination perspective. Can you really say '35+ Mature' in employment. Obviously so here, this was pretty much in your face. Seems like employment law varies from country to country. I wonder if the rate of unemployment correlates to to anti discrimination laws?

And on a personal note if 35 is 'mature' what does that make 55? Decrepit? Well I certainly put the + in 35+!

A Pit Toilet Worthy of Your Status

from Elliott
The rural area often lacks much of the infrastructure that urban areas do. In South Africa, service delivery is the term used for when government provides basic services for the population. With an imbalance in resources under apartheid the democratic government has been working (to varying degrees of success) to bring the whole nation up to a certain minimum standard.

For the six years we have been in the rural areas one of the basic upgrades is to provide durable outhouses for those without proper sewage which is most of the people in the Eastern Cape where we are. You dig the pit and the government will supply a kit of metal corners and cement panels to construct a quite long lasting outhouse.

And that has been a welcome upgrade for most!

Now I see a sign that makes me wonder - has the standard been changed? What is a "VIP Toilet"?
I did not know we had VIP's in our midst but wonder what makes it suitable for a VIP? Will this make regular rank and file folks think they were cheated when they got the non- VIP Toilet?


In some cultures, the Pastor has a position of prominence. Here that would be the case but I am not so sure that is always the case in the US where celebrities and sports stars are more likely to be revered by the mass population. If they were the VIP's the VIP Toilet program envisioned that would make what I saw recently make sense.

This must be the VIP Toilet they were referring to. But with service delivery being not quite 100% here, it is not surprising that it seems just a bit askew!

A Tin Umbrella

from Elliott
It seems like it has been raining for months non stop; well not quite non stop but much more than normal. While the cows like the fresh, green grass it can make daily life a little more challenging for folks going about their regular activities.

Bizana, one of the market towns is always an interesting place. Lots of activity on the streets and in the shops especially near payday or social grant day. That is when you stock up on big food purchases or special purchases like clothing or home furnishings.

One of those items for the home is the frequent upgrading of the thatched roof on a rondavel, the round houses. Since many cook on fires inside the home it is good to have a vent for the smoke in the top of the roof and a tin cap at the peak to protect the thatch.

The folks in the picture have purchased the tin roof caps. I am not sure they waited for a rainy day to purchase them but they do come in handy when walking home in a heavy rain when you are without an umbrella. I am not sure how they see to walk down the street since roof caps do not have eye holes!  

Boxes with Holes?

from Elliott
Small business people are an amazing group here in South Africa!

But who would want to buy a box with holes in it? Especially considering that he got them as waste material from grocery stores. Waste boxes that he then cut holes in?

What you don't see is that he is sitting along the road in front of a market that sells live chickens. The boxes are sold to people buying live chickens for something to take the chicken home in. Oftentimes, we see people with a live chicken stuffed in a carry bag or even being held upside down by the feet - a built in handle!

When put in a box the top is closed and the chicken sticks their head out of the whole to breath or take in the view.

Wonder what PETA would think? I don't think we have a PETA branch in Africa!

New Definition of Joy

from Elliott
I often find popular culture appropriating religious themes and concepts for material gain. For example, many movies use a religious theme like redemption or grace but would certainly never confess to the origin of their 'creative' endeavours. That would ruin its marketability so they would think. It is particularly irritating when they steal the theme but 'pollute the message' to fit the merchandise or narrative.

This one got my attention - a marketing banner at a bar in Durban.

Joy and liquor?

I can imagine happiness but not joy.

Perhaps, I am not sure what 'Joy' actually is.

'Proudly South African'

from Elliott
There is a national marketing slogan that many products use to denote that they are not imported but produced locally. Oftentimes they are products unique to South Africa and something we should be proud of.

Sometimes, I wonder though there are many things that seem unique to South Africa that we should

not be proud of. One of those is this curious notion by students that if there is something you disagree with school administration then just destroy the facilities, even if you are complaining that the facilities are below standard. The latest is the idea that all Universities should be free. It actually started with the demands that increases in tuition should be less, then it was fees must be reduced and now it has morphed into fees must be eliminated altogether.

So the latest round of protest has included arson at many of the countries campuses. And the damage has been so extensive that some campuses are threatening to close for the rest of the year and drop the current term underway with no credit. Katherine got caught up in one on the way to pick Cason up at school. Students at the adjacent university had taken furniture from the dorms and piled it in the streets and set it on fire. Quite a mess and 'ooops' now there is no where to sleep tonight!

I wonder if the protesters thought that one through? Most likely there was not too much 'opportunity cost' analysis!  

What Could This Be?

from Elliott
It is a familiar package for a favourite biscuit (cookie) from the US. Do you recognise it?

It might look a little bit different because it is imported from Saudi Arabia not the US! Yes, it is the familiar Oreo from Nabisco. And much of the writing is Arabic but the front does have the word 'Oreo.'

It even has the 'Milk's Favourite Cookie' tagline on the package. I wonder if the cultural aspect of pairing with milk is the same in other countries or does that not translate? I will have to ask around!

They do seem a bit more dry and smaller than I remember back home. Perhaps,gluttony is cultural inappropriate there. Too bad!

Care For A Lick?

from Katherine

While reading to Grade 4 at Sirhasheni Primary School I could see a couple of cows coming closer and closer to the window. One finally got right up to the window and rubbed her nose on the window. Then she stopped and licked her nose and did it again and then again!

Finally the kids caught on that something was happening behind them and when they turned around she wandered off.  Sirhashini is just about 1 kilometre from the sea. When I looked more closely I could see where the salt in the sea air had coated the glass. Our cow visitor had discovered a salt lick! The photo is out of the window of Grade 4

Clever cow!

Concern Over Americans Visiting South Africa

from Elliott

After all the recent press about self identified gender and use of public bathrooms in the US, it appears that some public facilities here in South Africa are concerned that visiting Americans might need some instruction to avoid an international incident.

Or, is it just a polite warning that we still see things the 'old fashioned' way here in South Africa. The use of 'Ladies' and 'Gentlmans' (sic) is an attempt at elevating the conversation just a bit!

btw - 'ablutions' are bathrooms