Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Sala Kahle South Africa

**These are some final thoughts from South Africa which I wrote around late July and was unable to post until now due to lack of internet and due to some post YAGM travel through Zambia and Malawi on my way home. Sorry for the delay. Cheers - J

Well its official; its my last day at the Kwaz, I only have a few remaining days left in South Africa, and less than a month until I am home in Minnesota (give or take a bit for African time, but then again who is really counting). And, as all good things come to an end, I have to ask the question “what does this year mean for [me] as an individual, the MUD3 group, the ELCA, etc.” Now, I think it is always a bit of a dangerous question to ask “what does this all mean,” both in terms of my experience, the impending return to the States, for the overall group, the church etc., but I will see what I can come up with.

The quick and short summary of the ramblings about to be hashed out in the next few pages, is that I will never fully understand nor be able to put to words what this past year has all meant for me as a person and for my role in the global society. I also think that to try and figure out what this year has meant for me prior to letting the dust from the year settle is premature and shortsighted. If I were pressed to sum it up, and I would honestly love to leave it as such, I would say something like: I thought therefore I was, I listened therefore I learned, I met many people therefore I was challenged, I lived humbly and simply therefore I accompanied my brothers and sisters. But I reckon that to put it so simply makes sense only for me and I will try to be a bit more specific.

I once read that travel is the laziest form of learning. Just go somewhere you've never been, tend to your basic needs and lessons will be learned, if only about your basic needs. In part this has been true. This year has been about life changing experiences, furthering my worldview and global perspective, being spontaneous, making a plan, and just rolling with it. As a result I have never learned so much after doing so little. For a year I simply lived, focused solely on those around me being fully present in the moment, and did not worry about anything outside of my immediate realm.

Much is said while preparing for a time spent abroad regarding such a trip as a life changing experience. In many ways it is and it has been. However, I think there is a heavy misconception as to what this actually entails. Going into this year I had very few expectations and goals but what I really wanted to focus on was growing spiritually and discerning what I want to do “next” in my life and I was going to do this simply by traveling to the other side of the world. By making such a trek, I would sort out and focus on who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. This made sense to me.

To some degree I think I have accomplished these few goals. Looking back on the year, it is clear that in many regards of my life I have grown and developed especially when it comes to spiritual, global, and political aspects. For the first time in my life I have really been forced to, and enjoyed, forming my own viewpoints based on my time abroad, from both this year and in years/experiences prior. At this point I don’t have a clear blueprint of what I want to do next but I have a few ideas and I am very sure of what I do not want to do next.

What I did not expect was to fall in love with Africa and its most marginalized individuals. My heart has been touched and changed forever. I now see the people I used to walk past and not associate with. Relationships with people in my community have really formed me into a new individual. My viewpoints and global picture has been rocked and changed once again. Spiritually, politically, socially and globally I have a new lease on life.

Spiritually, the first half of the year was characterized by a heightened awareness of where I was at and in general the awareness of how little faith I had and how little my “faith” came into my daily life. In comparison to the first half of the year, the second half was characterized by trying to actively live out my faith and tending to my spiritual health. I became acutely aware of aspects in which my faith was lacking and how well I could say the right things to spark conversations around topics of faith that I really did not care about or did not know where my own beliefs were. Essentially I had become very good at playing the faith game, saying the right things, challenging others with my ramblings and all the while I was actively ignoring my own dormant faith. I was really challenged to find a way to grow spiritually this year and I think I will continue to grow as the result of this year.

Globally and socially, the entire year was a learning experience and opportunity to serve in an environment that caters to becoming more globally aware of issues related to race, poverty, religion, health care, disease, and globalization. I can tell that issues or the way people talk about certain things bothers me when before SA I more than likely wouldn’t even notice. The only way to really try to understand what is going on around you is to live and spend time in my community, eat what my neighbors eat, shop where they shop, travel how they travel, and wait for time to happen as they wait for time to happen. I have crossed barriers and layers of misunderstanding, hurt, and guilt that cloud many cross-cultural relationships in an effort to form truly lasting relationships. This experience has taught me many things about my role and what I represent in the global world, my goal now is to make sure I maintain this awareness so that being globally formed and globally informed doesn’t become a catchy phrase but really becomes something that I can hold on to as a characteristic and part of who I am as a person.

Politically. I used to see myself as a rather conservative right leaning American but lately after reading what I write in my spare time and listening to those around me I think I have had a shift in my views. As my mate A. Steele recently wrote:

My fellow liberal…Well, if I didn’t know better after reading your [latest piece of writing], I’d say you were an anti-war, peace and love activist who commonly puffs on the good pipe while expressing his liberal loins all over the place. I do have to say I am very proud of you for taking such a bold stance…I totally agree with what you are saying, and I think this year has really helped us put things into perspective. Continue thinking outside the box, your box, and all of the boxes we’ve been forced into throughout our two decades of American society.

That being said I am not joining any political party in the near future but I have really had the opportunity to challenge my viewpoints outside of the polluted American society in a global realm that often sees things from a new perspective than “our” own. It is very safe to say that I have many problems with the American viewpoint that we are the biggest and the best so we can do what we want. I am tired of our country being the forerunning in causing international issues and trying to fix everything.

In many ways I was challenged throughout the year and there were many frustrations amongst the successes. There were times when I felt that I wasn’t helping any one in my community or church. There were times when I felt like my purpose for being here wasn’t being fulfilled. I often struggled with questions regarding what my role in the church and community was. Yet, talking over these struggles and questions with friends both in the community and surrounding the community I began to see that I really was impacting those around me, as they were having an impact on me. Working under the accompaniment model it really became clear to me that God IS already here and I was just joining in his mission through grace. I stopped focusing on doing and focused on being. We are Human beings not human doings. The real key to success and growth is through relationships with ones neighbors and without my neighbors and friends I wouldn’t have made it through the year.

Looking back at experiences, both positive and negative, over the past year, one thing that is for certain is that the life I will be leaving behind at the Kwaz will be very different from what I will be encountering upon my return home. I will be going from a life that runs on a day to day basis to one that is much more practical in the western way of looking at things. I will go from seeing poverty in my backyard to experiencing seemingly overwhelming wealth around every corner. I will go from working with a high degree of self motivation focusing on relationships, projects, and learning from my fellow brothers and sisters in my community to having to search for a whole new motivation in life and on a daily basis. I will go from being someone special in my community and in the culture in which I served to being nobody special back home. And the one that scares me the most, I will go from serving with people who have a great world perspective to being surrounded by people, whom in many cases, do not care much about those outside their own little immediate circle of friends and family. There is no longer the exotic unexplored aspect of travel and international volunteer work that people once romanticized about. Many of my friends have been out of the country and through facebook, blogs, skype, etc. there will be nothing exotic and mysterious about my coming home. I will be arriving to mostly the same situation I left. These days with all our western electronics people are experiencing compassion burnout. They no longer have the true capacity to hear about poverty, HIV/AIDS, my experiences in rural SA, etc. since all of these things are beamed into their homes daily through the news and the web.

I think the worst part about coming home after spending an extended period of time in a different part of the world is the reverse culture shock. In many regards I have fully adapted to the rural South African way of life and I am not looking forward to living life in any different way. This feeling is based on the simple things such as teatime and braais but also on the basis of how one views time, productivity, relationships, friendships, etc. Rural African living has slowed me down. I now wait for time to happen rather than fill my time with time wasters. I am perfectly ok with just waiting around reading a book for a day or watching the world go by as I wait for someone to pick me up “just now.” I am also fully engaged in living simply and humbly. I wear a maximum of 2, maybe 3, shirts in a week and live off of a monthly budget that I would plow through in less than a week back home.

In this regard it is going to be hard to return to the western world. I have a strong distaste for western materialism at this point, but to truly survive and not drive away friends and family with rantings about wasting materials and money I will some how need to adjust back to the wasteful way of the west so as to not become critical of and alienate myself from those and others around me. It will be hard to not become judgmental of family and friends for doing exactly the same things that I used to do one year ago. Seemingly, out of necessity, it will only be a matter of time before I fall back into old habits to some degree, as I have with every other time I go abroad. The question is do I really have to and if I do how will I not become angry and frustrated with myself for once again becoming hypocritical? And is there a way to freely move back and forth between cultures and learned ways of life without challenging people in a way that is seemingly attacking the culture I come from?

One thing that has changed for certain, and hopefully for good is how I identify both with others and myself. I have found it to be a part of American culture to link ones identity with what they do or with what they produce for society. As such, my identity used to be based on my accomplishments, how I spent my time, what I participated in, etc. But recently I have come to the realization that I can only do things through Christ who strengthens me. Therefore, I do not derive my identity from what I have done; rather I derive my identity through Christ, his grace, and my relationship with him. This year has not been about physically producing anything. If you were to ask me what I did in terms of what did I produce or what did I do for work I would be pretty hard-pressed to give you an answer that would satisfy the western drive of productivity and production. I actually did not do much or work that often. Rather I spent time with my community and focused on developing relationships with people. As I had mentioned in an earlier writing this year: I am not hear to start something, solve the world’s problems, or really do anything. I am simply here to join in the work God is already doing.

In that regard, the most important part of trying to access what this year has meant for me is actually not to really look at what it has meant for me in any regard, but rather to look at what kind of return God is going to get on his investment in me throughout this past year. The question is not what does this year mean but rather what has God given me to share as a result of this experience and what has he entrusted to me. Throughout this year I have been given the chance to live in a foreign culture among friends who think and act differently. As a result I have changed. I am not the same person I was when I left. I have been molded for a purpose. Though at this point that purpose is still in question I believe that “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (luke 12:48) and therefore I have a duty to make a plan to use the sights, sounds, impressions, etc. that I have experienced this year and which I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

One thing that I hope I leave behind, and that I hope the whole YAGM group leaves behind is a good name for both Americans, “missionaries,” young travelers, and globally formed and transformed individuals. For “a good name is more desirable than riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (Proverbs 22:1). The crazy thing about this year is that it is all much bigger than one individual, a group, or even the group that follows. The mission field is like a race. God has called and given us the opportunity to run a leg of the race and through his grace, in running our leg, we join the ranks of a long and illustrious line of people through which God has called to carry the baton of helping the poor and marginalized of the world. For some the race will be a yearlong and then they will have run their leg. The question is whether or not I will run short year long leg before passing the baton or whether this will be a lifelong call to continue in the great privilege of joining Christ in his ongoing missions and work in the world.

It is always hard to bring proper emotional, spiritual, social, and physical closure after being gone for such a long time. My friends here have become as dear and close to me as many long lasting friendships back home. How does one end a year like this? How does one say goodbye? These are all things that I have been trying to figure out in anticipation of a great year coming to an end in the next week. Lately, between leaving college life and now living in South Africa for a year, it seems as though my life has been characterized by meetings strangers, having those strangers become friends, those friends become as close as family, and then having those who are like family fade back to being strangers. And frankly, I’m not really ready to accept the inevitable that going to be leaving behind a great deal of friends and memories.

This year has been full of blessings, joys, struggles, friends, and ups and downs. I don’t quite know how to put into words my thankfulness for the wonderful opportunity and experience this past year has been. I have truly fallen in love with South Africa, KZN, my community and the spirit of Ubuntu that radiates through every interaction. I don’t know how to say goodbye and thank you to the people who have become my family and friends. One thing that is for certain though and that is there's this soul crushing realization that my life will never be this elegantly simple, free, and joyous again...until I return…and I will return.

The bottom line is that I really don’t know what this year is going to mean for me in terms of my life after YAGM and beyond. Hopefully it means that I have experienced a great blessing so that I can be a blessing to others (Gen. 22:17-18). But I don’t know what is going to happen and in that sense it’s still fundamentally an enigma and a mystery that is not readily available to put to words and solve. There are just too many x-factors. I threw myself into the chaos of the world and now I am returning with a life changing set of experiences and stories. I lost myself and re-found myself. In the mean time while I am sorting everything out, I think I will strive to wander, to learn, to explore, to need less and give more, to develop spiritually, to spread the love, to laugh often, to connect with like-minded souls, to taste different cultures and bask in new experiences while trying new things and drinking in the sweet nectar en route until the day I finally find the solution to the big question of “what does this all mean.”

Thank you South Africa you have truly changed me and my heart will forever remain in Africa.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Things I will miss (in no particular order)

Taxi adventures

Waiting for taxis

Waiting for taxis to fill

Waiting for taxis to leave

My favorite SA farmer and his lovely wife

My YAGM family

My South African family

Rondavels

Google and Sherry

The Drakensberg Mountains

Morning chapel

YAGM retreats

Braais on the farm

Braais in general

Wors

Five roses

11:00 tea break

Rump steaks

Dragon Peaks, the adventure crew, the Château De Rus, and the many random nights

Estcourt

Loskop

My kids at the Kwethu Cottages

The never ending Kwethu drama

My flat at the Kwaz

Putu

SA rainstorms…particularly those that made my kitchen flood

Seeing little Afrikaner boys walking barefoot everywhere

Sharks Rugby…BEAST…Sharkies for life

Pirates Vs. Chiefs soccer matches

Running out of petrol multiple times in the Kwethu Kombi

Smell of the Kwaz wafer bakery

4hr+ long church services and not understanding one word the whole time

Midweek adventures

Going to the butcher and having them know exactly what im going to purchase

Biltong

SA sunsets over the Berg

Snow capped Berg peaks

Understanding only 30% of the conversations going on around me

Estcourt

Amandelenkosi (local shebeen)

Playing snooker (shooting pool) at the aforementioned establishment

Having lots of free time and quiet nights

Seeing the Milky Way on clear nights

My porch at the kwaz

Bromance 2010-2011

PK

Smelly Kwaz water

Dodgy Kwaz shath (half bath half shower)

Estcourt taxi rank

SA accent

SA slang

R9 Hansa quarts

Dodgy unreliable often down Kwaz internet

Poaching high speed internet off friends

Zulu Gogos singing and dancing

SA house music all taxi music in general (def. Not going to miss trad. Afrikaner music)

Hearing vuvuzelas in the distance after a big soccer game

DJ Mufti

Post world cup buzz…long after the world cup was over

Not having to worry about anything that was going on back home

Getting chased by ostrich on my bike (true story)

Going for a run through the Emphangeni community and having kids run along side me

Having the pastor tell me he will pick me up just now only to not show up until a weeks time had passed

KZN

SA in general

and many many more things....

10 Suggestons for Helping your YAGM Return Home

Written by Andrea Roske-Metcalfe, the Mexico Country Coordinator
Borrowed From A. Steele's Blog: http://andrewsteelesa.blogspot.com

1. Don’t ask the question, “So how was it?” Your YAGM cannot function in one-word answers right now, especially ones intended to sum up their entire year’s experience, and being asked to do so may cause them to start laughing or crying uncontrollably. Ask more specific questions, like “Who was your closest friend?” or “What did you do in your free time?” or “What was the food like?” or “Tell me about your typical day.”

2. If you wish to spend time with your YAGM, let them take the lead on where to go and what to do. Recognize that seemingly mundane rituals, like grocery shopping or going to the movies, may be extremely difficult for someone who has just spent a year living without a wide array of material goods. One former YAGM, for example, faced with the daunting task of choosing a tube of toothpaste from the 70-odd kinds available, simply threw up in the middle of the drugstore.

3. Expect some feelings of jealousy and resentment, especially if your YAGM lived with a host family. Relationships that form during periods of uncertainty and vulnerability (the first few months in a foreign country, for example) form quickly and deeply. The fact that your YAGM talks non-stop about their friends and family from their country of service doesn’t mean that they don’t love you, too. It simply means that they’re mourning the loss (at least in part) of the deep, meaningful, important relationships that helped them to survive and to thrive during this last year. In this regard, treat them as you would anyone else mourning a loss.

4. You may be horrified by the way your YAGM dresses; both because their clothes are old and raggedy and because they insist on wearing the same outfit three days in a row. Upon encountering their closet at home, returning YAGMs tend to experience two different emotions: (1) jubilation at the fact that they can stop rotating the same 2 pairs of jeans and 4 shirts, and (2) dismay at the amount of clothing they own, and yet clearly lived without for an entire year. Some YAGMs may deal with this by giving away entire car loads of clothing and other items to people in need. Do not “save them from themselves” by offering to drive the items to the donation center, only to hide them away in your garage. Let your YAGM do what they need to do. Once they realize, after the fact, that you do indeed need more than 2 pairs of jeans and 4 shirts to function in professional American society, offer to take them shopping. Start with the Goodwill and the Salvation Army; your YAGM may never be able to handle Macys again.

5. Asking to see photos of your YAGM’s year in service is highly recommended, providing you have an entire day off from work. Multiply the number of photos you take during a week’s vacation, multiply that by 52, and you understand the predicament. If you have an entire day, fine. If not, take a cue from number 1 above, and ask to see specific things, like photos of your YAGM’s host family, or photos from holiday celebrations. Better yet, set up a number of “photo dates,” and delve into a different section each time. Given the high percentage of people whose eyes glaze over after the first page of someone else’s photos, and the frustration that can cause for someone bursting with stories to tell, this would be an incredible gift.

6. At least half the things that come out of your YAGM’s mouth for the first few months will begin with, “In Mexico/Slovakia/South Africa/etc…” This will undoubtedly begin to annoy the crap out of you after the first few weeks. Actually saying so, however, will prove far less effective than listening and asking interested questions. Besides, you can bet that someone else will let slip exactly what you’re thinking, letting you off the hook.

7. That said, speak up when you need to! Returning YAGMs commonly assume that almost nothing has changed in your lives since they left. (This happens, in part, because you let them, figuring that their experiences are so much more exciting than yours, and therefore not sharing your own.) Be assertive enough to create the space to share what has happened in your life during the last year.

8. Recognize that living in a very simple environment with very few material belongings changes people. Don’t take it personally if your YAGM seems horrified by certain aspects of the way you live – that you shower every day, for example, or that you buy a new radio instead of duct-taping the broken one back together. Recognize that there probably are certain things you could or should change (you don’t really need to leave the water running while you brush your teeth, do you?), but also that adjusting to what may now feel incredibly extravagant will simply take awhile. Most YAGMs make permanent changes toward a simpler lifestyle. Recognize this as a good thing.

9. Perhaps you had hopes, dreams, and aspirations for your YAGM that were interrupted by their year of service. If so, you may as well throw them out the window. A large percentage of returning YAGMs make significant changes to their long-term goals and plans. Some of them have spent a year doing something they never thought they’d enjoy, only to find themselves drawn to it as a career. Others have spent a year doing exactly what they envisioned doing for the rest of their lives, only to find that they hate it. Regardless of the direction your YAGM takes when they return…rejoice! This year hasn’t changed who they are; it has simply made them better at discerning God’s call on their lives. (Note: Some YAGMs spend their year of service teaching English, some are involved in human rights advocacy, others work with the elderly or disabled, and at least one spent his year teaching British youth to shoot with bows and arrows. The results of this phenomenon, therefore, can vary widely.)

10. Go easy on yourself, and go easy on your YAGM. Understand that reverse culture shock is not an exact science, and manifests itself differently in each person. Expect good days and bad days. Don’t be afraid to ask for help (including of the pharmaceutical variety) if necessary. Pray. Laugh. Cry. This too shall pass, and in the end, you’ll both be the richer for it.

Favorite South African expressions and Sayings: Lingo for the Linguist

n AllAn Indian expression adopted by most South Africans, meaning “and everything.”“He took my TV ‘n all”, “Things are sometimes better off simple, you don’t always need that ‘n All, ‘n All, ‘n All”

Ag, Nee Man! [ach, neer man]Oh, No Man!

AmpedKeen, full of energy, looking forward to.“I’m amped for the concert this weekend!”

Babbelas [bub-buh-luss]A Hangover (Derived from a Zulu word).

Baggies [bag-ees]What Americans refer to as Swimming Trunks, this refers mainly to surf shorts males wear.

Ballie [Ba-li]Assumed as “Old Man”, also used a term for father as in, “I went to visit my ballie the other day”.

Bakkie [buck-ee]A Pick Up Truck

Biltong [bill-tong]Raw meat, salted, spiced and dried – Similar to Beef Jerky but much better. Bilton is commonly made from Cow, but Kudu, Ostrich, Elephant or any other type of meat will generally do.

BiscuitOtherwise known as a Cookie.

Boerewors (wors) [boor-uh-vors]Thick South African, “Farmer’s Sausage”. It has a distinct flavour and is encased in intestine. Also referred to as “Wors” and used in Wors Rolls, which are like hotdogs with boerewors instead of everyday sausage.

Boet [like book, with a t]Afrikaans word for “Brother” (See Also Bru).“Hey Boet”

Braai [br-eye]Similar to a BBQ, but takes longer resulting in beverage consulting and shooting the breeze.

Bru [Brew]Bro (See Also Boet).“Hey My Bru!”

CampGay“Man, those shorts look so Camp”

CheckTo Look“Hey, come check this!”

ChinaTerm of affection for Good Friend“Hey China!”

ChopIdiot (See Also Doos, Plank).“You’re such a chop you know that”

Chuffed To be happy or pleased with (See Also Stoked).“I’m quite chuffed with the results from last week’s exam!”

DodgeIf something is Dodge, it is suspect, derived from the word “Dodgy”“Hey bru, that last pie looks a bit dodge”.

DoffStupid.“What were you thinking, are You doff ?”

DoosIdiot (See Also Chop, Plank).“Doos!”

Dop [dawp]Alcoholic Drink or To drink.“Buy me a dop” or “I’m going to the bar to dop”

Dos [dors]To sleep or nap.“I’m buggered, I’m gonna go dos”

Eish [aysh]A Zulu word used to express shock, wonder, sympathy and on occasion “sigh”.Peter : “My car was stolen yesterday…” John : “Eish! Sorry Man”Hendrik : “I got an A+ on my exam!” Owen : “Eish! Well Done” (Really!)

Hectic Meant in the usual Chaotic sense, but can also mean to have a chaotic good time.This word can even be used to express sympathy.“Traffic was hectic today”“That party was hectic bru, man you missed out!”“Hey, I heard you didn’t pass your drivers test, that’s hectic bru, I’m sorry to hear it.”

HeyUsed for emphasis in South African slang.“What you up to, hey?”

Howzit Greeting for “Hello” can also be a combination of both “Hello” and “How’s it going?”, commonly used in the sentence“Howzit My China!” or “Howzit My Bru!”

Is it? [izzit]Commonly used in the sentence “Is it hey?” Translated into “Really?”

JaAfrikaans for “Yes”

Jislaaik [yis-like]An Afrikaans expression of outrage or surprise.“Jislaaik, did you see how that taxi just cut me off!”

Just Now In the “near” future (See Also Now Now).No promise of exactly when, a much longer time period is involved than with Now Now.

KlapTo hit or smack (See Also Bliksem, Donner).A.A.K – Attitude Adjustment Klap.

LankA lot or extremely.“This lecture is lank boring.”

Larny Posh or expensive. Can relate to anything from houses, cars and clothes to any other possessions.“That’s a larny house hey”

Lekker [lekk-irr with a rolling r]The Afrikaans word for “Nice”, has more zing to it don’t you think? Nowadays it can also be said to mean Great, Good, Cool or Tasty. Often heard used in a sentence such as “Lekker soos a Krakker” which answers the commonly asked “How are you doing?” question in a most hearty manner.

MealieWhat Americans refer to as Corn on the Cob.

MiffedAnother term for the commonly used phrase “Pissed Off”.“Wow, what did you say to her?! She looks pretty miffed.”

Mission Used to describe when someone is not taking advice from anyone else or if someone is very determined.Can also be used to describe undertaking a task which is a lot of effort. (See Also Schlep).“I tried to talk him out of it, but he is on his own mission.”“She is on a mission to find out what happened last night.”“Taking out the garbage is always such a mission.”

MozzieA Mozquito.

Now-NowIn a bit (See Also Just Now).Quicker than just now, still no guarantee of exactly when.

OkeGuy or Bloke, “He’s a good oke”, (See Also Ous).On a MissionVisible determination to complete a task. Cannot be persuaded.“I tried to stop him from doing it, but he was on a mission.”

One Time More of an Indian term, used to describe something being done quickly and easily.“Don’t worry, I’ll wash it for you one time!”

Pitch UpTo arrive (See Also Rocked Up).“I pitched up wearing my new jacket”

PlankAn Idiot (See Also Chop, Doos).“I felt like such a plank hey!”

Rock Up To arrive somewhere. (See Also Pitch Up).“I rocked up at the mall around 9am”

Robot What Americans refer to as a Traffic Light.

Sarmie A Sandwich.

ShameThis word is often used to express sympathy in a cute manner.“Ag Shame Bru”, “Look at that cute little kitten, ag shame man!”

ShotThank You.“Shot hey!”

Slap Chips [sl-up chips]Fat french fries, usually soft and oily. Slap is Afrikaans for “limp”, which is how French fries are generally made here. Except for at McDonalds, where they only serve anorexic chips.

SlopsA type of sandal, you can’t go to the beach without ‘em!

SortedTaken care ofHennie : “Did you do the dishes?”Hendrik : “Ja, it’s sorted!”

TakkiesWhat Americans refer to as Sneakers.

TuneTo backchat or insult someone in an effort to cause trouble.“Hey Man, Don’t Tune Me Grief!”

Voetsek [foot-sak]Afrikaans for “Bugger off!” or “Get Lost” / “Go Away”.

Vol Kak [fol kak]The Afrikaans way to say “Full of Sh!t”“Jy is vol kak my bru!”

Yonks Ages. "Hey China I haven't heard form you in yonks."