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Dishin' up for meal time at Botshabelo AKA: the biggest pot you've EVER seen
However, there was still one big ugly mess that we did have to clean up: our last group project for Grad school eeeever!!! We were planning to head to Johannesburg on Sunday for Passover, but on Saturday we were given a 30 minute warning to pack our bags and head to the city. Needless to say, our group was a little disgruntled that we were leaving before the project was finished. However, seeing as they live in Africa too, they totally understand the African way of life. Phew...thank you group C2! GOOO TEAM AFRICA!
Needless to say (and I quote Debbie Friedman on this one...): "Wherever you go, there's always someone Jewish. You're never alone, when you say you're a Jew. So when you're not home, and you're somewhere...kinda...newish...The odds are, don't look far, there's Jews just like you!" And in Joburg, we did find ourselves some nice Jews--in fact, we stayed with Josh's family. All I have to say about Peta and Stanley is this: Dai-anue! (Hebrew for "enough"--and also a song that we Jews sing at our Passover seder). Even if they would have welcomed us into their home for Passover, dai-anue...even if they had us for 1st AND 2nd Seder, dai-anue...even if they would have let us use their STAND-UP SHOWER, dai-anue...dai-anue...dai-aune! They were pretty much the most amazing host and hostess on the planet! They took care of us, let us stay with them (for two extra days that we didn't plan on initially!), chauffeured us around town, AND the BEST...drum roll please...provided us with a couch to lay on!!! You have no idea how much we miss a couch!! Honestly, you don’t know what you have until its gone!
This is for you Rick, Mom, Elisa and Adam: this is Apple...one of Peta & Stanley's miniature schnauzers! Awwww...
So our first day there, we went to this mega flea market and African crafts fair--apparently, it's the biggest and best one in all of South Africa. Four hours later, we found ourselves drowning in our own purchases. Don’t worry, they weren’t all for ourselves--some of you lucky friends & family will be receiving traditional African goodies upon my return. The market had items spanning the spectrum: from traditional African paintings and baskets and jewelery, clothing, purses, all the way to spices and dried meats. The adjacent flea market had goods from India and Ghana, plus vintage clothing, and antique collectibles. I think I spent more Rand there in four hours than I have in the last four weeks!
Ayla sporting vintage attire at the market:
That night we had a very special moment where we got to lie on the couch and watch a weird/intense Samuel L. Jackson movie (anyone seen "187""?). Aaaaaaaah...SO good. Then in the morning, we got another special treat with a STAND-UP shower (I seriously could have spent the whole morning in that shower!). Aaaaaah...SO good. Then we celebrated the first night of Passover, and while we felt right at home (remember, wherever you go, there's always someone Jewish), there were many things that were quite different from the American Jewish version of the Passover seder. For instance: Apparently South African Jews eat their Hillel sandwiches with lettuce instead of maror...and they sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on their matzah balls (actually, this didn't taste as weird as you think)...and don’t forget the interesting Hagaddah book they use that explained how there were actually 200 plagues instead of 10?!?! (Don’t ask.) But being surrounded by our (now) extended family, eating til we burst, and celebrating our freedom, we felt extremely grateful!! Then the next day we did it all over again with another side of the "family" (dai-anue!).
So an interesting tid-bit about Johannesburg: it is the largest man-made forest in the world! See for yourself…
On Wednesday morning our host graciously drove us back to Botshabelo. Home, sweet home. That night we put on our very own Botshabelo-style Seder: Passover Seder, Part III...for some of the Cloete family members and some older kids to learn about our traditions. (Mom, you'd be so proud!) However, it was our first attempt ever at making matzah ball soup--I'm sad to say that it wasn’t pretty. Where is a Bubby when you need her?!?! April Fools Day is a really big deal here, so in the morning, Marion told us our food made everyone sick. We are still trying to figure out if that is a joke or not. We are investigating everyone who attended and getting different answers. Hmmmmm. But now it's a rainy and yucky Thursday afternoon. And all we want is a couch!
Note, this is not me at Passover being an orthodox Jew, it is me the night of the vigil for last week's funeral, where African tradition calls for women to completely cover their hair and body. It's a good look for me, neh?
It's hard to believe that I'm coming on my last three weeks here at Botshabelo before heading off to do some traveling around Tanzania and South Africa. Gonna live it up until then, no doubt!
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