19. Randomness

Here's some random things I've learned about this week.

See if you can figure out what is what for the first 2. (scroll down for answers)

1. MONKEYS' WEDDING  is the expression used for...

a)  a commotion on the road

b)  a sun shower

c)  a reunion between old friends

2. KANGAROO  PETROL  is

a) when gasoline prices take a sudden jump

b) when you actually have a person pumping gas for you

c) when the gas is dirty and it makes your car jump and sputter

ELECTIONS

South Africa is having municipal elections on May 18th. 

This momentous occasion gives everyone the day off!! Schools and businesses are closed.

Even though the elections are municipal, you vote for a party and not a person.

The national parties all run at the municipal level.

The ballots have pictures of the leaders as well as their names due to the high level of illiteracy.

ZULU EASTER

The Zulu way to celebrate Easter is quite different. Church starts Friday night and the people stay there right through until Sunday morning! All night!! All day!! They have a worship service Friday night - with lots of singing etc all night. During Saturday apparently there are different things for the youth and adults to do. The kids crash and sleep but the adults stay up. The people pay a small fee for food and everyone eats together. 

BANANA SPLITS

Even though bananas grow everywhere around here - including in people's back yards - banana splits are not part of the local diet. But fear not -- this Canadian and her American friend - introduced this delicious treat to a small subset of the population - namely the school staff. Complete with bananas, ice cream, chocolate sauce, sprinkles, nuts, whipped cream and a cherry on top, this decadent dessert was devoured! And loved!

FACEBOOK

My dear daughter taught me how to make cute little penguins and sharks to add to your facebook comments or messages. So since you are a faithful reader of my blog I will share this amazing little secret with you!! It is like making a happy face  :-)   and it changes into a cute pic.  So  - penguins are  <(")    and a shark is  (^^^)

PICTURES

Blogging without pictures isn't as fun - but it is a whole lot faster.

TIME and HOLIDAYS

Time sure goes quickly. Somehow an entire school year has finished for Rachel and she is currently DONE her first year of university! How did that happen?!

Time sure goes slowly when you're apart from certain people. I've been here for over 2 months now. In 1 month I return back to Canada. I'm sure the next few weeks will fly by. 

I have the next 11 days off of school. Friday - Good Friday, Monday is Family Day, Tuesday is a school holiday, Wednesday is Freedom Day (Apr. 27)  which is the day that is the anniversary of the 1st democratic election in 1994, Thursday and Friday were supposed to be school days but after much back and forth we have it off, and May 1st is Workers' Day (communist roots) so we get the Monday off.

Family Day is every year on Easter Monday. The country used to have Easter Monday off but in an attempt to recognize those of various faith groups they cancelled Easter Monday as a holiday (although they still have Good Friday) but still wanted to have a long weekend - so they created Family Day instead! 

Since Easter is so late this year all the holidays have merged together in the same week. Usually it is not like this.

ANSWERS

Monkeys' Wedding  = b   a sunshower

Kangaroo Petrol       = c  when the gas is dirty and it makes your car jump and sputter

Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Thanks for reading!!