This past weekend was pretty exciting. After work on Friday, I finally met Lwazi's brother. He has been studying at the University of Cape Town. This is their spring/fall break. After a meet and greet Lwazi and I had to go to Ndomeni to meet Sifiso to give him a gas cylinder and a grill. Saturday was the funeral from Sifiso's grandmother so they needed it to cook food for all the guests coming. I was also able to see the site where Lwazi's family is currently building a new home which was neat.
The weather here is something else. Thursday and Friday it was hot in the mid to upper 80s. A rain front moved in Friday night and I felt the temperature drop. All weekend, and currently, the temperature has been in the 50s. This isn't the Africa that I signed up for. I wanted hot weather. I have been cheated!
Saturday was an appropriately rainy day as we drove to the funeral. Thankfully I had brought with me a heavy jacket just in case. The funeral service was very nice. It was conducted completely in Zulu but I was able to follow along. There was a lot of singing which I enjoyed. I want there to be a lot of singing at my funeral, I have decided. As the service ended, we stood outside as they loaded the casket into the funeral service van. We stood there for some time waiting for the van to leave. It was never clarified but I'm pretty sure the van wouldn't start. Some people gave it a push thinking they could jump into gear and get going but that didn't help. The van had to pull over, they unloaded the casket and walked it to the cemetary. Luckily it was right next to the church. What was also lucky was that the rain had stopped falling during the entire burial. The burial was similar to ones in America except for one big difference. At the end, males in the family bury the body. There is a large pile of dirt and they all take turns shoveling dirt into the ground. Many were wearing nice shoes, pants, shirts and ties. Yet they, without care, would pick up a shovel when one was dropped to help bury. Now there were men who worked there helping but the primary work was done by the family members. It is a custom that is, in my opinion, more sentimental. It shows the always connecting love and connection that is shared in this culture. Returning back to Sifiso's home, we dined on a delicious meal.
We returned home around 3:30 pm and I was planning on taking a nap seeing as I had woken up at 6:30 am . When we got home, I saw that Lwazi's brother had invited over some friends. Not wanting to be antisocial I hung out with them. That's when the Johnny Walker Black Label came out. The drinking commenced. I had a great conversation with one guy about work, stock trading, black people and Indians. Lwazi had gone to a party in Ndomeni during this time. Around 7 pm, I found out that we were going to party. Of course I was down for that. We hopped into the Mercedes, drinks in hand, and went to the party. The night was filled with driving around different parts of Eshowe, drinking, dancing to house music, listening to Rick Ross, Wale, J. Cole and others. We even went and got tripe at the same restaurant I ate at last week. Being the old man I am, I depressingly had to call it quits around 11:30 pm. I was exhausted from waking up early and drinking all day. I got dropped off and passed out. The day and night reminded me of college breaks with my high school friends. Coming home, hanging out, talking, drinking and partying.
Sunday was more slow paced. The friends had crashed over at the house so we woke up and watched soccer. Lwazi's mother came over and needed to go to Ndomeni and asked if I wanted to come. I obviously said yes. Lwazi's brother, his mother, another lady who I had just met and myself piled into the car. We went to a house which I had briefly been to Friday night. They had the party on Saturday that Lwazi had gone to that day. I chatted with them, we got some left over beef from the party before and then moved on to another house. There we walked in and there was a cute old lady sitting on a couch singing and dancing to songs on tv by herself. It was so adorable as she had to have been in her 80s. She just had a beaming smile while sitting and dancing. I want to be like that when I'm her age. Lwazi's mother and the other lady were apparently staying at the house for the night. When Lwazi's brother and I got back into the car I was confused and asked him who's house this was as I had no prior explanation. He told me it was the other lady's house and she was the queen of this village area.
When we arrived home, the friends were in the yard getting a grill going. A barbecue. Another thing my high school friends and I used to do. Pork, chicken and sausage were grilled with sides of vegetable salad, beet salad and a 2 bean stew. It was quite a feast. Our food was accompanied with the watching of this HILARIOUS comedian named Trevor Noah. He is a South African guy who os extremely funny. Some jokes only South Africans would get. Some I was able to get from being here for a month. Most of them could translate to all cultures. Best part is that he makes a lot of Indian jokes. I highly suggest you check him out. Apparently he's in the U.S. right now.
This weekend was filled with familiar experiences. The funeral was an event that was much more familiar with the solemn sense it carried. Hanging out with college kids that were home on break was also familiar. This week is sure to be more interesting with hopefully some more field work. Easter is apparently also very intense with Lwazi so there will be lots of church services starting Thursday.
First taste of SA wine. I didn't get it because it was pink..or did I?
Sifiso's family's home. The tent was where we ate.
Another picture of the property.
In the background you can see the dark rain clouds. And that is Lwazi's mother's Mercedes.
The grill on Sunday.
The friends hanging out. Far right is Lwazi's brother. Second from left is the cousin who has been staying with us.
The pair of shoes I bought for $8 that were a little more fashionable.
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