Xhosa, Electricity and FOOD

Remember Latita? How could you forget that beautiful smile?! Latita and her mama, Zookie, speak one of the several languages spoken here in Port Elizabeth: Xhosa. This language is so cool. The language boasts clicks and pops (made with the mouth) when certain sounds/letters are spoken, for example, the name "Xhosa" has a tongue-in-cheek click at the beginning of the word. Believe it or not, it is very hard to do... I have had several people try to teach it to me but I just cannot speak and click/pop simultaneously! I am trying, I really am.

So Xhosa is one of three languages taught/used at Herbert Hurd Primary School (HHPS). Isn't that awesome? Kids in grades 1-7 are taught English (all classroom instruction is in English), Afrikaans (similar to dutch), and Xhosa (a native language). Afrikaans is taught daily (mostly memorization in grade one) and another teacher comes into the classroom once a week on Wednesdays for 30 minutes for Xhosa instruction.

Today was Xhosa day! A couple of the kids in my class speak Xhosa at home-- they are 7 years old and bilingual-- soon to be trilingual! It is beautiful.

I sit in during the Xhosa lesson and learn right along with the kiddos-- it is quite fun! Today we learned how to ask someone's name and give someone our name. Here is what we learned:

ngubani igama la kho? 
What is your name? (Exact translation is: What is name of you?)

igama lan ngu Sarah.
My name is Sarah.  (Exact translation is: Name of mine is Sarah)

Some of the students seemed uncomfortable speaking the language out loud for the instructor and their peers to hear. A lot of them are being introduced to the language for the first time, not that they haven't heard it before. The instructor had the students ask one another the question and take turns answering. This seemed to lighten the mood for the kids. For grade ones they are doing well. They caught on faster than I!
One of my favorite things about living in South Africa is the diversity here! The languages and nationalities that are represented here make it an interesting place to be. You never know what language the person next to you at the check-out speaks, or what country your waiter calls home. It is really neat-- people being who they are in a place where everyone has their own thing. I love being surrounded by people speaking entirely different languages than myself. It reminds me of how egocentric I am as an English-only speaking American. I expect everyone to speak English, but why should they? Maybe I should speak Xhosa...


Last night we had a black out.

It was for 30 seconds, not a terribly huge deal, but let me tell you-- it was so dark on our side of PE. I was talking to my CT this morning and she told me that not too long ago all of PE had blackouts for hours at a time because of energy shortages. Between the World Cup (which apparently used up crazy amounts of power between the stadium, hotels, restaurants, etc.) and mismanagement in the energy realm (mismanagement in government?? Unheard of!), the people of PE, and it seems a lot of South Africa, had to go without power for 2-3 hours at a time on a daily basis. Garsha said that she remembers it lasting for a while. Can you imagine? PEOPLE! We have got to stop taking what we've got for granted! The Internet, the electricity and the food... OH the food....

So let me tell you, the food here is not like it is at home. There are a few things about the food back home that I miss: the flavors, the flavors, and.... the flavors. Most things aren't bad, they are just very different. A kind of different that I don't really appreciate. The food that I have experienced and seen is very much the same as is found back home (toasted cheese sandwiches, pizza, burgers, pitas, chicken schnitzel, "chips" (fries), Italian, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, hot dogs, etc.), however the flavors are just not at delightful. I never thought of myself as a food snob until I came out here!

There are a few McDonalds and KFCs in PE. Those are the only familiar chains. My roommates tell me that they are good but that the food tastes different. I suspected as much. I haven't had a chance to try them out for myself... the line at the closest KFC is always crazy long. It's right on the beach...

Here is a list of foods that I've seen at the Pick-n-Pay that you could find back home:

Planter's nuts
Pringles
Coke
Pepsi
Cadbury chocolate
Lindt chocolate
Twix bars
Kit Kats
Rolos
Cheerios (these are quite different!)
Corn Flakes
Special K
Nutella!!!!!
Heinz Ketchup
French's Mustard
Lipton Teas
Powerade
Glad products
Lays potato chips

Those are just some of the products/brands I can think of off the top of my head. There aren't a whole lot that I've seen. Everything else at the grocery store is pretty much the same just a different/local brand. Unfortunately for us, the local shop is pretty much on the beach which (we suspect) raises the prices a bit. It isn't too bad though... I spent R312 today on about two weeks worth of groceries-- which seems like a ton; however, this is equivalent to about $39.

I made roasted veggies in tortilla wraps with hot sauce for dinner tonight; it was very flavorful and tasty. Exactly what I needed. I am trying my hand at some cooking, Bronson. Maybe it will be perfected before I come home (HA!). As it is everywhere, it is far less money to eat in than it is to eat out. So we make it a point to eat in. :)


Those are just some of the things I have been thinking about and wanted to share with all of you. I wish I was less tired in the evening and could write more concisely so I could share more with you in fewer words! :) I am sure my skills will slowly improve as I continue to share my journey through writing.


See you in a while.

Sarah