5 Things I Learned my First Two Weeks in South Africa

I’ll admit: as excited as I was to visit South Africa, I didn’t do a lot of research to prepare myself for the things I might encounter in this amazing country. This means I have been both pleasantly surprised and mildly confused in the two weeks I’ve been here. To help you avoid the latter, here are five things I’ve learned about South Africa so far. 

1. Slang

Americans don’t consume a lot of South African media, so the slang can cause a bit of culture shock. The most common South African terms I’ve heard so far are:

-Cool drink (pronounced almost as one word with an emphasis on “cool;” COOLdrink) refers to soda, juice, water, etc. In other words, anything that Americans might call a “soft drink.”

-Braii (pronounced brye): barbeque “but better,” according to our coordinator. Braii can refer to the style of cooking, the meat, the grill used to cook it, or to a gathering where people cook it. Unlike American barbeques (or cook-outs), braiis often start late at night and carry on through the early morning.

-Lekker (Americans would hear it as lack-uh): means cool or great, e.g. “Cocoa Wah Wah is lekker!”

2. Taxis

What Americans call taxis, South Africans refer to as a cab. A taxi in South Africa is a van, often stuffed with 20 or more people, which drives around town picking up and dropping off customers. It’s a common mode of transportation, but it’s not recommended: these taxis are often associated with gangs and other illicit activities. 

3. Restaurants

South African restaurants are essentially the same as in the US, but there are two main differences I’ve had to remember. First, the standard tip is 10%. Second, when you ask for water, it will be brought to you in a bottle and you will be charged for it. You will also need to specify whether you would like sparkling water or still water.

4. Penguins

There are penguins in South Africa! Boulders Beach is the perfect place to watch the penguins swim and play in the water.

5. Incredible diversity

South Africa is certainly one of the most diverse places I have ever visited. The country has 11 officially languages, many of which I had never heard spoken before. The ethnic diversity is also quite amazing and I love learning how all of these groups came to be.