After one weekend with my family...

I realize how completely out of place I now feel all the time.

We (all 20 of us students) are staying in various parts of Cato Manor- a very historic neighborhood in Durban, even in South Africa. The restoration of Cato Manor was one of Mandela's presidential priorities when he came to power in '94- please google or wiki it. Cato Manor today has 40,000 people living in it, which is bigger than Bemidji.

Our families are Zulu speaking, which attributes hugely to me feeling out of place. I'm the minority in many ways, which is an important experience I've never really had. I usually don't understand what people are saying to each other (or me), I don't understand cultural exchanges, I don't understand how to use the mop, and I broke the taxi door because I didn't understand how to shut it.

Furthermore, talking isn't super culturally encouraged, and the language barrier adds to it. My questions (when I do ask) are rarely answered clearly, or at all.

However, I'm learning.

My mama speaks broken English, and rapid Zulu. But I think she has a kind heart, and is getting used to my preference to do something rather than sit in the hot living room watching Zulu soap operas. The TV is ALWAYS on, and this is something common of all Zulu families. I wonder what it was like before TV. Even if we leave the house, the TV stays on, blaring WWE or "Rhythm City" or American movies like "What a Girl Wants". I find myself much more distracted by the TV than my Mama or Baba.

My baba (father) speaks much better English than mama, and likes to talk. Last night we bonded while watching Die Hard. He used to be a cop, and talked about how hard it was before Mandela, but how much easier it was after Mandela. It amazes me how Mandela managed to truly unite, and make life more equal and forgiven.

I've yet to meet my sister, but there is a little 8 year old boy whose father is a friend of my baba. This little boy has never met anyone from the US- and couldn't really comprehend that I couldn't drive here. I guess he's a little enamored, because he comes every day for supper and told my baba I am his 'oversees girlfriend'. Haha. I taught him Tic Tac Toe, and he won't stop asking to play now. My Tic Tac Toe skills are awesome now.

More later...

Peace.