I’ve lived in South Africa for long enough to know that tourists have some pretty hilarious misconceptions when it comes to this country. While South Africa is certainly unique, there are a few things South Africans want foreigners to know about their country: 1) We don’t live in safari tents or grass huts. And we […]
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It was Heritage Day here in South Africa, during which the many cultures showcase and celebrate their rich and diverse heritage. Or they just have a lekker braai and get super blootered, which I guess is about as South African as it gets. I’m not here to judge. But it’s also a day off work, […]
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I’ve lived in South Africa for three years now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that while I love it here, I’ll never fully understand this place. Without further ado, here are 24 weird things about South Africa. 1. Bunny chows. There are no bunnies involved. Like, at all. Included- zero bunnies. 2. […]
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Dear South Africans- many of you have had enough with the crime, corruption, and lack of opportunities you face every day. Nobody can fault you for wanting to leave. I’ve had several friends already pull the trigger, several more who are in the middle of planning their escape, and several who desperately want to leave, […]
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If you’ve lived in South Africa for any length of time, you’ll know that the South African Traffic Police have a less than stellar reputation. It’s not that they’re ALL corrupt, it’s just that the many thousand dishonest ones give the two or three honest officers a bad name. I’ve written about them before, but […]
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You might be reading this because you Googled something like “what does tick bite fever feel like,” or “how bad is tick bite fever,” or “how do I set my internet search history to automatically clear itself when I die.” I can help you with everything except that last one. I have a friend on […]
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Have you ever had one of those days where you wake up and think there’s SOMETHING you should be doing, but you can’t put your finger on it? Feed the pets, maybe. Pay that bill you keep forgetting to pay. Throw out the plants you’ve slowly tortured to death. Water the kids. Write a new […]
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Six years ago a major development was announced in South Africa. Billed as a game changer, it was meant to alter the urban footprint of Johannesburg, Africa’s richest city, forever. The Modderfontein New City project was launched amid much fanfare, expectation and media hype. Zendai, a Chinese developer, bought a 1600-hectare site north-east of Johannesburg […]
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If you live in South Africa, you’re very familiar with the term “load shedding.” If you’re not from South Africa, you probably have no idea what load shedding is. In a nutshell, load shedding occurs when Eskom, the government monopoly that provides the country with consistently intermittent power, decides to cut off electricity to various […]
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South Africa isn’t known for being, well, tame. All kinds of insanity (most of it entertaining, some of it simply terrifying) crashes into coddled North Americans like me on a daily basis. But even after two and a half years here, I’ve never felt like I’m in real danger. This is mostly because I take […]
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