differences

things are quite a bit different in south africa

• stoplights are called robots
• door handles are higher
• hot and cold swapped on faucets
• you let, you don't rent
• the accents, they are beautiful!
• the grocery store is in the "mall"
• no ice in your drinks
• the way of life is s-l-o-w-e-r
• opposite side of road to drive on
• opposite side of car to steer
• opposite hand to shift with
• always be concerned with your surroundings
• money is called rand
• coins are worth more than in States
• tips are given to "security" in the parking lots
• schools are private
• uniforms are worn to school
• cell phones are harder to get and pay and get minutes
• bank accounts are harder to get
• real estate is totally different
• you braii, not grill
• eggs are kept on the shelf
• milk is in smaller containers
• fresh bread is everywhere
• full service, not self service at gas stations
• everything is gated and locked
• the wind is always blowing
• people are always selling something on the streets
• security companies are everywhere, not police
• hospitals are different
• dr's take 24 hour phone calls
• there is no wal-mart or target, just a separate store for everything
• electrical outlets are crazy
• no electrical outlets in bathrooms
• duvet covers are huge
• windows are open everywhere
• sunsets are glorious
• the phone numbers are longer
• everyone has 1, but usually 2 large dogs (safety measures)
• people eat later in the evening
• the bathroom is called the toilet or the loo
• smaller packages/quanities for all foods
• roasted chickens are tiny
• monkey gland sauce is on the menu
• ostrich is the lean beef
• prawns, not shrimp
• baboons will steal your food, children, car parts, STUFF
• there is a vet on every corner
• kilometers, not miles per hour
• no pounds, but kilos
• measuring cups - it's going to take me awhile
• no farenheit, but celsius
• no packaged brownies and cookie mixes (that i've found so far)
• military time
• you buy minutes for internet and phone
• no lighter fluid for joe's grilling, but awesome flame sticks
• pay for electricity at grocery store
• toilets flow backwards
• summer and winter are flipped (southern hemisphere)
• meters, not feet
• wine is abundant
• oceans are freezing
• landscapes here are hard to top!
• segregation is still visible
• not sure the FDA works around here
• no screens, just wide open, fresh breeze windows
• ground beef is called mince
• the people at the grocery checkouts sit down as they scan your groceries
• different brands, different names
• no sour cream
• not many canned soups
• mulitple languages are spoken in a small vicinity
• sculleries
• fridges are so small
• views are so big
• clothes lines 
• alarms are set
• valuables or just stuff is covered when left in car or taken with you
• cars are tiny
• suvs are rare (land rovers are here but not much else)

i am sure i could come up with more,
but today i will stop here:)





now on a praising God note-
we found a house!
not even in any area we were at first considering
we plan on meeting them Monday to iron out the details
pray for this to all work out if it is in God's will
and to make it even better...
the grands,
the kids-
we were all together
when we viewed the place
so glad they could share this experience with us
more details on it to come

miss you all back home
as we try and get settled in our new home here
sending love...

• 
  
•