Ten things YOU need to know about South Africa!
In my first week in Cape Town, I noticed that there were certain things that I found to be quite interesting. We took a class in International Journalism and Public Relations at USC before coming to South Africa, and we got to learn a great deal about the culture, environment, and history of this great nation. But—there are some things that I have learned so far that I thought I should pass along to you all. Who knows if you will get the great opportunity to visit Cape Town and South Africa? —but here are ten things that I thought that you would need to know or be interested in:
1) FANTASTIC Barbecue:
I think that it may be something to do with the fact that I have been on Jenny Craig for seven months—but I can really taste food here! I have to say that South Africans really know their way around a barbecue. It’s amazing—the spices and the different techniques that they are using are just absolutely amazing! When I had my ostrich, it was soooo good! I am going to try the warthog one of these days as well. I dunno about the snake…
2) Beautiful Landscape and Sites:
I have to say that Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever seen. The mountains are amazing—we got to see Table Mountain the other day and it was just fantastic! But what is amazing about Cape Town is that everywhere you look—there is something new and interesting to see! There are many different activities to do—sailing, fishing, riding a helicopter—you can do it all! There are many different landmarks that you just have to see—and luckily I have two months to do it all! 🙂
3) Nails, Spas, and Everything that you thought you left behind:
Since I have been done throwing, one of the things that I was able to do is get acrylic nails (love them, but I wouldn’t be able to throw the shot with them on!) Ouch!! But what is really great about the Waterfront is the fact that they have many spas and places to get your nails done! Since I am working in a profession where image is everything—it is important to look your best. 🙂 So basically—there are many things here in Cape Town that you would be able to find in Los Angeles.
4) Be aware of surroundings:
Like every big city, you have to make sure that you know where you are going and be prepared for anything. South Africa does have an extremely high level of crime in their country—this was a primary concern among all of the students. But, if you form a buddy system and don’t do anything that you wouldn’t do in the US or any big city there (ex. Los Angeles)—then you are good. So in other words, I would say that it would be an extremely bad idea if you were walking alone in Cape Town at 1 am. Not the smartest thing that you can do.
5) People can spot us as Americans VERY quickly:
We seem to think that we can blend into the crowd wherever we go. But in Cape Town, they can spot us very quickly. It was amazing how the store workers and restaurant personnel could tell—they wouldn’t ask us if we were American—it was more like “Okay, we clearly know where you guys are from, but what part?” Some totally get us as Californians (they say it’s because the way we talk and that we sound like everyone on TV). Interesting!
6) First impressions matter:
This is something that I noticed very quickly while I have been in South Africa. People do look at you and make a judgment about you before you can say a word. It can be because of the way that you dress, act, or just because of the person that you are. But what is important is to communicate and be friendly. Some of this may be due to the fact that we are tourists, and that we are Americans. Or it can be because of other factors—I am not quite sure. All of the people that I have met in South Africa so far have been very helpful and nice to us.
7) Converting Rand to the Dollar:
Since coming to Cape Town, I feel like my math has surprising gotten better! That is because I have to mentally calculate how much a rand is compared to the US Dollar. It’s about 6.5 rand to the dollar, so if something costs about 100 rand, then it’s close to 16 US dollars. Pretty neat on our end! J I am looking around for potential gifts to bring back with me—and I have a few ideas. 🙂
8) Getting around safely:
When traveling in South Africa and in Cape Town, you want to make sure that you tell people where you are going and that they have your phone number. Another key thing to remember is the fact that you want to have all of the important numbers plugged into your phone so you can get to it if you need to. This includes embassies, emergency numbers, security, etc. What people have to do is they either have to buy a SIM card, or a phone with a SIM card already in it. Phones in South Africa range from as low as 200 rand to over a couple thousand rand. It all depends on what you want. For minutes, you buy packages based on rand (30, 60, 90, and 180). Minutes are expensive, but you never know when you may need them! 🙂
9) Wait a minute! I thought we left the US!:
When my family and I went to Australia, we were shocked to see that McDonald’s, Oprah, and KFC were all there. I got the same reaction when I came to South Africa—we have Subway, some American products, and a Nike store. WOW! The Waterfront Mall looks like something right out of Los Angeles. But, you do see a difference when you get outside of the waterfront and into the city— and especially in the townships.
10) Different Eating Habits:
South Africans seem to like their meat. I am interested in seeing how other people eat in different countries, and it seems that South Africans are pretty healthy. If you watch what you eat and are aware of your portions—then it is all good! Now enjoy yourself and have fun!
Karen Freberg 🙂
0 Comments