The unique traditions of South Africans.
Two oceans, apartheid, crime, amazing nature and great wine — what is known about South Africa, is intriguing and frightening at the same time. The country is on the edge of the African continent combines with the legacy of the Dutch, British mentality, African traditions, 11 official languages and even more ethnic groups.
They walk down the street barefoot
To go to the Mall without shoes common thing here. Thanks to the climate on the streets and in public places, always relatively clean, move mainly on the machines, so the need to wear shoes there. I especially love to walk barefoot children — the parents lead them in the shops, and restaurants.
They call traffic lights “robots”
This name remains from the time when the traffic lights only appeared on the streets called “robotic police officer”. Since then, their so-called robot, and the name became official and used in the writing road signs.
The new friends they will know what school they have learned
City, school name, and year tells South Africans about each other more than it seems from the outside. First, so you can find out the range of human interests: there are schools with emphasis on sport, famous in the literary circles of companies or religious. Secondly, find out the social rank of man is the one who went to private school for boys, as a rule, very different in nature from the ordinary boys from the district schools. Third, year to friends and acquaintances as-that so turns out that after 15 minutes of conversation warty make sure you find out what brother so-and-so is friends with my sister. South Africa — a big village.
They speak in riddles
Being a former British colony, South Africa retained the characteristic of the English mentality and the manner of communication — they adopted even the Boers and the indigenous Africans. This means the emergence of a layer of code words and sentences, knowledge which can take a couple of years. For example, “we will somehow need to dine together,” says soon after they met, doesn’t mean anything — it’s just an expression of courtesy. “I’ll try to drop” means waiting for a visit one should not — people have already decided that’s not going anywhere. “I’m about to be” — visit need to wait for about an hour, and “perhaps you should consider this option” — not a delicate tip, and a persistent reference to action: there are no other options.
They get up before dawn and go to bed at ten PM
Working day in South Africa starts at eight in the morning, and stand made not later than six. Those stale to seven, are considered to be lazy. In the summer the sun rises at 5:30, winter 7:30, so the day starts early, but ends appropriately: ten in the evening on the streets of any soul, and only in bars full of life. Once drawn into such a regime, to get out of it becomes difficult — in fact, it is perfectly suited to life.
They don’t like the city
South Africa — country gardens and warm climate, so residents do their best to get their own house in the suburbs. The city has historically used only for business and trade, and lives in city apartments, a minority of the population. A day on the streets of hundreds of people and in the evening quite deserted. This is a typical situation in all Metropolitan areas of the country. Only in the last decade, the centers of Cape town and Johannesburg has received a new life: developers buying historic buildings for a pittance and turn them into modern apartments and art centers.
They eat raw meat
Biltong is a national delicacy in South Africa. A strip of raw dried meat, which is dried in the open air, pre-zamarinovat in vinegar. Biltong is most often made from beef, but there are varieties of meat, ostrich, elephant, antelope and Buffalo. It is the national dish of the Afrikaners, which appeared during their journeys across the continent on the eve of colonization. Now biltong is sold in every supermarket and leads the list of the best Souvenirs of any meat eater will be happy.
They love to talk about wild animals
If nothing to talk about, talk about animals — one of the postulates of communication with the South Africans. Each local resident some funny, scary or amazing story about meeting with wild animals. Whether it’s a ferocious Behemoth, flash case with a lion or a horror story about the leopard and the unlucky Maltese — exciting storytelling guaranteed. Wild animals in this country love and appreciate almost more than people. They dedicate a career, holidays, and at least the discussion over dinner.
They make plans for the year ahead
Life in South Africa is quite measured, to be clear my schedule for the year ahead. Residents planning weddings, holidays, big parties and things around the house much in advance. Even invitations to dinner are sent in a few weeks. On the one hand, it is really convenient for others, and on the other — inevitably turns into a problem if somewhere I want to go at the last moment: the best hotels and house rentals are booked six months in advance, and the restaurant does not get sooner than a month.
They are obsessed with Rugby
Another relic of the colonial past is Rugby. It is the national sport, and taking it very seriously. Children are named after famous players and team captains, and during the season every Saturday going to watch the game. Match 1995, during the world Cup even wrote a book and made a film: it was the first big game since the end of apartheid (an official policy of racial separation society, held in South Africa until 1961. — Approx. ed.). The championship was held in South Africa, and the local team “Antelope” was able to win — it was a historic moment for a new, reformed country, and Nelson Mandela as its leader.
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