So much stuff is weird. I didn't take a ton of pictures yet, so sorry, I honestly didn't even think about it, ill have a ton next week so sorry. Our 'Flat' is most of them. The guy on the couch is Elder Fitzgerald from Springville. Food is weird, had pap, the mush stuff. its not as bad as i expected, just bland. Had vorshe, an unseasoned kind of chicken sausage, mutton, some weird vegetable stuff i cant even explain, and best of all, KOTA. take a loaf of bread, cut it in half, scoop out bread to make a kinda bowl, fill with mince (ground beef), chips ( fries), cheese and sauses. Super good.
Im in Mabopane, with is like 40 minutes from Petroia, so im still in South Africa. Things are pretty first world in the main city, in the outer parts, Called Township, its a little more 2nd world, like concreate houses and dirt roads, but they have running water and cars. EVERYONE HAS PHONES, but they all run on minutes which is funny. Met a lot of people already, they all think i sound funny. Im the only missonary who didn't go to joburg in my area, so im learning a lot that they learned in the mtc, like how killer Jet lag is.
The people are super friendly. The food and water is safe, I just bought a 2 litre coke this morning, 1st coke, they call soda 'cool drink'. so many languages, but everyone can understand and speek english well enough that that hasn't been a problem.
I'm sittting in a 'internet cafe, because even though most people have phones and tv, no one has internet. there is 1 mc donalds, but like 20 KFC's. which is nice, haven't gone to one yet.
The Money is called RAND. its like 13-16 Rand = $1 US. my groceries were a 3 pound thing of hamburger, a 2 kg bag of potatoes, the 2 litre coke, cheese, butter was like 160 Rand. so things are really cheap. Gonna cook a lot, The missonaries here have taco seasoning sent in, because mexican food is a thing of myth, so send the taco seasoning recipe so I can become a Legend.
There's like 6 different handshakes, each meaning different things, so im learning all that really fast. The children here love my hair, and have never seen someone flip a coin, so im blowing there little minds.
The Toilets are weird, I cant really explain, expect a video of one. The mission life is fun, the culture down here is super laid back, they get insulted if you try to be in a hurry or rigid, so thats nice, already had 1 baptism, elder fitz did it, but that girl her name is Kaletso, her mom wanted me to be the one to baptize her next week. So i get to do that.
people have Africa time, which is be super late. Basically the people here, if they say, ill be home at 4 means they start to get ready to leave at 4. even worse than mormon standard time.
the weather here is like mid fall back home, the natives are wondering how we walk in short sleeves, when its freezing, its like 70-80 F. Things look like Southern Utah, minus the sagebrush. i haven't seen anything crazy animal wise, just weird birds. Honestly you can street veiw the area. just google Mabopane and right click on the roads.
Driving, i did a little, its on the left, drivers are crazy, 'taxis' follow there own rules, roundabouts are the best around, and you cant make a left turn (like a right turn) on red, like back home. which is annoying. Send me a lot of good recipes. Thats all I really have to say, ask questoins, ill have a lot of pics next week.
(I have no idea why this picture was included. Obviously, it is not Africa, but is of his hometown Pleasant Grove, Utah. I assume he took it on his way from the MTC to the SLC airport)
