How To Scare a South African
There are a lot of things that South Africans live with on a daily basis that would cause most other people to cower in fear…
…load shedding
…water shortages
…taxis
…potholes that can swallow entire cars
…American tourists
And yet they face these things with grace and humor.
But this past weekend I found the one thing that’s guaranteed to strike fear in the hearts of almost every South African.
An invitation to a good ol’ American style barbecue.
Just the idea of a barbecue instead of a braai is guaranteed to elicit a reaction of fear mixed with revulsion.
I’ve been here almost a year and in that time I’ve become accustomed to and have embraced many of the things that living in South Africa brings. Whether it’s braais, calling it tomato sauce instead of ketchup, driving on the wrong side of the road, or getting told by the cashiers at Spar that “I’ve been here long enough and I need to learn” Afrikaans, I’m really beginning to feel comfortable and like I’m starting to fit in and to the pace and style of life in South Africa.
But in a couple months, I’m turning 50. The big Five-Oh. Half a century.
And for my birthday, I decided I wanted to invite our friends over for a good ol’ fashioned American BBQ.
Yep… burgers, dogs, brats, and chicken legs slathered in BBQ sauce…all cooked over an open flame.
And this will strike fear into the hearts of almost every South African.
That look you get…
…when you invite South Africans to a barbecue.
Honestly, this is a chance to share a little bit more about me with our friends. Being an American, I do feel like a fish out of water sometimes, and there are things I do miss about the US. BBQs were a big part of my experience growing up and for my family, outside of the whole ‘open flame’ thing and eating somewhere around midnight, they were very similar to a braai. Lots of good conversation and laughs shared over food and drink. There were even the occasional games of euchre or Trivial Pursuit tournaments.
I know our friends are skeptical about this, and that’s ok. I totally get it. There were, and still are, plenty of things I’m skeptical of here in South Africa. Yet in the end, it’s all about experiencing what life here has to offer.
This is just a chance for them to experience a little more about what makes me me.
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