1. Traditional church singing in both South Africa and Swaziland involves a lead singer who sings a different part than the rest of the group. This beautiful music never gets old.
2. Though English is widely spoken, not all of the words are exactly the same as American English. For example, a traffic light is called a robot, and a tank top is known as a vest. They even pronounce the letter “z” as “zet!” Every day I have to ask for at least one explanation of something said.
3. Biltong is one of the most popular snacks in South Africa. Similar to jerky, this dried meat is not as tough and can purchased in grocery stores or small biltong shops.
4. South Africa has multiple official languages. Children learn both English and Afrikaans in school, and some speak one or both at home. The most common language in the townships is Xhosa with the “x” pronounced with the click of the tongue. These are only 3 of the over 10 languages common to this country!
5. Surfing is an extremely popular sport in South Africa. We even visited Jeffrey’s Bay where the official Billabong surf competition takes place as well as where every popular surfing company has a shop.
6. South African drivers drive on the left side of the road with their steering wheels on the right side of the car. It can be a bit confusing when crossing the street which way to look first!
7. Any time my team or I tell someone we are from the United States, the most common question we are asked is “Do you know any famous people?” Apparently, the U.S. is known for its number of celebrities, and every American is personal friends with at least one if not more.
8. At the center of the coast of South Africa, the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. Standing in the water here would allow you to be in two oceans at once!
9. When we were told we were going to take a taxi somewhere, our friends were quite concerned. Taxis here are privately owned vans which operate similar to buses, but are not really apart of any company. Cabs are what you want to take to get to where you want to go.
10. All South Africans love a good braai, and they will be quick to inform you that it is not the same as a bbq. A braai involves cooking meat over a wood fire grill and a long evening of socialization.
11. Coming from Swaziland, we noticed that South Africa has essentially the exact same souvenirs. Fortunately for us, we were told buy them in Swazi instead. The prices in SA can be nearly four times the amount!
