Funny Times :)

I've decided that my most recent posts have been quite emotional, although I have made an attempt to make sure that each of my entries has something happy at least at the end of it.  This post is strictly going to be about my weekend, and some of the funny things that I did with my family.  To start out, let me tell you about some of the things that I did that I never ever thought I would have had the chance to do in South Africa:

1)Watch "Anacondas 2" on Satellite TV with 4 little kids screaming, laughing, pretending to be snakes.

This might sound like something stupid that you guys may not really want to hear, but I decided I wanted to provide some laughter.  The fact that my host family has satellite TV is a sign that South Africa's economic conditions are improving slowly but surely-there is definitely an emerging Black middle class-even though some people might think TV is superficial and the scourge of many societies, this is honestly very much a positive thing for this country. 

2)Introducing my 5 year old host brother to "Lord of the Rings"-he LOVED it!

Once again, this was also on satellite TV

3)Talking to my host father about the concept of organic farming taking place in Minnesota, and bragging about how much I love the big MN

My host dad is one of the those people who wants to travel and see the world.  He's very much a part of the emerging Black middle class I was speaking of.  Him and I talked about how he wants to give his children the things that he didn't grow up with under apartheid.  Really cool guy

4)Seeing 3 Sangomas-traditional healers-performing a traditional dance and showing us how they heal

This actually didn't happen this weekend, but I think I forgot to mention it in my last entry.  They wear super cool long black and white beads in their hair and inhale a special kind of smoke that allows them to get in touch with their ancestors.  They used African style drums, small versions of tambourines attached to their ankles, and they did a great dance!

5)This is not an event that happened over the weekend, this is simply a random fact of the day:

Since tomorrow is my 21st birthday it seems fitting-Here in traditional Zulu culture on people's 21st birthday they slaughter a cow!!  And just to specify, not everyone does this, and I'm pretty sure it's only those of Zulu origin who keep in touch with traditional practices.  I don't eat cow, but I still think it's pretty interesting!

Hope this made you guys happy and made you chuckle a little!