Thoughts about giving thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Definitely one of my favorite holidays so when you're in a country that does not celebrate, it's tough to get in the mood. But, I'm dreaming of wild rice stuffing and Tina's famous turkey-cooked-in-a-bag. Most of all, I'll miss sitting around the table with friends and family and sharing about what we are thankful for. Thanks everyone for being such great friends even from miles and miles away. I am so blessed.

Pray for Zimbabwe

My colleague Danielle grew up in Zimbabwe. She still has two sisters who live there. This is a country we don't hear much of (It borders South Africa in the north) but it is in dire need of God's help. The government is corrupt taking people's land because they can and devaluing everything and anything. Inflation is over 6000% so essentially, the minute you are fortunate to get some money, it is already worthless. There is no food available in stores. It also takes a week to receive an SMS sent from South Africa! Danielle's sister received notice that their land would be taken away. They went to the governor to plead but was told that it is a local issue and that they must speak to the local authorities. Basically, it's a game of not wanting to take responsibility and just passing on the problem to someone else...

A lightning storm

I saw the most amazing lightning storm tonight driving home from work. I could tell it was going to start raining but did not expect the lightning. You saw strikes come down one after another, and they seemed so close. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.

Speaking of driving, I think I pretty much have down the rules of the road here in South Africa. The first weekend I was here, my colleagues gave me a list of tips for driving in Gauteng. Here are some of them: Avoid the local taxis (think the van from Little Miss Sunshine)- they rule the road swerving in and out of traffic and driving on the shoulder as if it's another lane. Make sure you have enough room in front of you and the next car in case you need make a get away, but don't leave too much room otherwise every small car you can think of will try and fit in. And lastly, leave a little tiny crack in your window so if someone decides to come up and spark your window ("smash and grab"), it won't shatter through. My experience so far? Well, traffic is terrible here in Joburg. And it's magnified due to the bad drivers. The road signs are confusing and if you head the wrong way down the highway, it's tough to figure out exactly which exit is safe to get off on. Thank God for GPS! This is all to say that driving on the other side of the road isn't so difficult compared to the other stuff you need to keep in mind. I DO tend to drive left so have to keep reminding myself to stay right. I've been known to take out some of the bushes on the left side of the road. Oops!

Settling in...

I moved into my furnished one bedroom shortly after arriving to Joburg and was warned it is quite small. Having lived in a studio for 5 years, I wasn't too worried. Well, it's not too small although my air shipment arrives soon and I'm not sure if all my stuff will fit. But, it is quiet and I do feel safe which is the most important thing. It's a gated complex located in the northern suburb of Sandton. I learned the other day that Sandton is known as the "mink and manure belt". Why? Mink is for all the rich people who live here. And manure, well, I have gotten different reports...I'll have to get back to you. Or, does anyone have any ideas?

Here is a picture of one of my neighbors taken from my kitchen window. There are about 3 nests and I wake up to chirpping every morning. In the back, I look down to a swimming pool. It seemed nice until I witnessed a stream of water draining into it this past weekend. I think I'm going to pass on actually getting in!

The Blue Jacaranda

Did you know? Joburg is apparently the largest man-made forest. It is springtime here which brings the bloom of all the Jacaranda trees. A pretty sight, creating a sea of purpleness across the city, especially in Pretoria. They are actually not native and considered invasive species in South Africa since they take all the water away from the native vegetation. So, I've been told they want to get rid of all of them. Shame!

(My plan was to take my own photo of the trees, but it's hard to do so when you're driving. Also, I've been told not to put the windows down when driving as it is unsafe. This picture is borrowed from the web taken along the streets of Pretoria.)

"Mzansi" Africa

Some of you have asked, "Where exactly is South Africa?" So, here comes a short geography lesson. The Republic of South Africa (also known as the "Rainbow Nation" is the country at the southern most tip of the continent of Africa. The country is split up into 9 provinces while surrounding 2 other countries- Lesotho and Swaziland. Johannesburg (otherwise known as Joburg) is in the Gauteng Province. SA has 11 official languages including English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Tswana, and Xhosa. My coworker Mmonimang taught me how to say "south" in Zulu. She said to me, "Welcome to 'Mzansi' Africa".

Two weeks later...

I am finally back online and have much to share. First, I just want to let you all know that I have safely arrived in Joburg, moved into my apartment, am just about adjusted to this time zone (PST + 10 hours), started driving on the other side of the road, and am just about settled. Although I must admit that it still feels like I'm on a business trip.
Here is a photo journal of my first weekend:

I literally stepped off the plane and headed for the bush with my new coworkers for a weekend of relaxation. This was an incentive trip planned for them to celebrate last year's performance. What a way to start off my time in SA.

We often only hear about the beautiful African sunsets. I was able to witness 2 of them. The description is beyond words.
Did you know? During summers in the highveld (where Joburg is located), you get late afternoon showers. Here is a picture of the rain taken from the bush (lowveld) during sunset.

It's not everyday that you have to slow down while driving to avoid hitting animals such as Springbok, Zebra, Waterbuck, Kudu, Impala, Eland, Wildebeest, and Hartebeest. Too bad I didn't get pictures of them but seeing them with the sunset as a backdrop was truly an unforgettable sight. However, I DID get pictures of these guys- a 4 month old tiger and a female cheetah just after her run demonstrating her speed of over 80 km/hr.

I also went Quad biking for the first time- through the bush. Thrilling! Very dusty, but thrilling. And lastly, I once again experienced South Africa's national pastime- a braai which means barbeque. The lamb chops were great, and I rarely eat lamb! Also had the boerewors- "farmer sausage" or spicy sausage- which is always good as well.