Hello again,
More stories but first a correction. After writing about Afrikaans I asked more about it's history and found it isn't an African tribal language at all. Then, no, it is. Then it isn't. And so on and so forth. So I googlized it and found this:
Afrikaans originated from the 17th century Dutch language. The dialect became known as 'Cape Dutch'. Later, Afrikaans was sometimes also referred to as 'African Dutch' or 'Kitchen Dutch', although these terms were mainly pejorative. Afrikaans was considered a Dutch dialect until the late 19th century, when it began to be recognised as a distinct language, and it gained equal status with Dutch and English as an official language in South Africa in 1925.
So I think that makes more sense as to why we were hearing the Dutch influence. Some more stories I've remembered...
While waiting for a Peace Corps car to come pick us up from the doctor's, Anna and I noticed a man walking around the parking lot. Then we noticed as a car came in, he helped them park. If someone came out, he directed them out of the space. Anna and I wondered, do South Africans really need to be directed in and out of parking spaces? In a lot holding no more than 25 cars? As he helped another driver, someone attempted to back out without this fellow's assistance and did indeed run into the opposite curb, confirming our suspicion.
South Africans may be towards the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to parking but they are way at the top when it comes to dead traffic lights. In Tanzania, when a traffic light is out, chaos ensues and a traffic cop must rush to the seen. Heck, if when a traffic lights are working there usually a cop out directed traffic anyway. But here in South Africa we came to an intersection void of a single working bulb. But no traffic cop. Why? Because all drivers instinctively treated it as a four-way stop. First come, first serve. Amazing display of road-courteousy.
This display of knowing the traffic laws reminded me of a story I don't think I've told about Tanzania. While waiting in the Scandinavia bus station (one of the few companies with a station) we listened to the radio they had playing. It was an announcement for drivers to please familiarize themselves with the laws of he road to ease the duties of the police force. Because, apparently in Tanzania, knowing the traffic laws is not a prerequisite to getting a licence.
Yesterday, Anna had surgery and it went well. She overnighted in the hospital and should be discharged today. We thank again all those who supported us while we're here. We are staying throughout the middle of next week just to be sure everything is healing properly and then we fly back to Tanzania. Alex heads out to Zambia today and Caroline and Megan tomorrow so it'll be just us two. Until the next story,
Justin