South Africa for Dummies: A Guide for the Rest of Us!

I only have 35 more days left in this beautiful country, and as we said goodbye to some sweet roommates yesterday, I was thinking about how I am absolutely not ready to come home yet!  It got me thinking about all the amazing things I have learned and how much I have learned to appreciate the totally different culture.  I have been keeping a running list of all the words that differ from 'Merican phrases, and here's what I have so far:

CLOTHING:

tennis shoes / sneakers = techies (technical trainers)

swim suit = costume

SCHOOL NECESSITIES:

students = learners

whiteout = Tippex

eraser = rubber

schedule = timetable

agenda = diary

grading = marking
matric = senior
matriculation = graduation

my timetable... crazy!

FOOD:

chicken sandwich = chicken burger

beef jerky = biltong

popsicle = ice lolly

chips = crisps

french fries = chips

candy = sweets

cookout / barbeque = braai

biltong- it's so delicious!

OUT AND ABOUT:
pharmacist = chemist

line = queue

traffic light = robot

HANDY PHRASES:

Shooting a bunny = farting
I’m on my way = See you now

I’ll be see you within the hour = See you just now

I’ll see you eventually = See you now now
Howzit? = How are you doing?

When speaking, South Africans sometimes drop the article “the”.  For example, you would say, “He is in hospital” or "I go to University".

Pretty fun stuff!  Next up: Surfing in J-Bay!

Love,

Katharine / Miss Martin