A bit about South Africa

Many of you wanted to know what life was like living in South Africa.  I have been thinking about how to encapsulate what it is like, and it is really difficult to portray it in a way that gives you a full picture.  There is so much history, so much past, that affects the present. 

So I will give you pieces of the picture, a little at a time.

Firstly, you must understand that the view you are getting is my view, that of a white female 36 year old who comes from an advantaged background.  My reality and my experience, both past and present, is vastly different to a black person, who suffered terribly under the atrocities of the apartheid past, who comes from a previously disadvantaged background.  There is no homogenous view, it depends on who is telling the story. 

I love what we call the ‘new’ South Africa, i.e. SA post our first democratic election in 1994.  For so many years I was deeply ashamed to be a South African.  So much so that I made sure I had nationality other than South African.  (I have a Dutch passport).  Pre 1994, being a South African meant you were associated with apartheid and all the evils that came from the repressive system.  I was ashamed to admit where I was from.

However, today I am so proud to be a South African, I love my country and I have so much optimism for it.  Many people have fled SA to Europe or America but I couldn’t leave, this is my country, my heart will always be here in Africa.

I think that SA is a model of what peace and reconciliation is about.  That we have come from such a painful past, through a potentially explosive change from the old to the new, to a reality today that is bursting with hope, optimism and faith, is nothing short of amazing.  The capacity of so many to forgive and move on is awe-inspiring.  Human rights, rights of women, children etc, are protected within one of the most comprehensive, fair constitutions in the world.  As Nelson Mandela said, “never again….”

Not every one shares my view, there are still pockets of racism, hatred, bigotry and prejudice, but there are more people who think like I do, than those who have the opposite view.

South Africa is a nation made up of many different races, cultures and tribes.  For example, we have 11 official languages here in SA.  Because so many were suppressed in the past, their culture threatened, we are very protective of every one’s culture.  English is the official language, but the most widely spoken language is Zulu. 

We have four broad race classifications, white, black, coloured and Indian.  The reason for still noting race is to take steps to address the wrongs of the past through programmes such as affirmative action / employment equity initiatives, where industry is encouraged, and indeed mandated, to ensure that people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds are fast tracked or given preferential employment opportunities.

The country is divided into 9 provinces, I suppose like the American have states.  The richest provinces are Gauteng (capital Johannesburg) and the Western Cape (capital Cape Town – home of v many gorgeous and divine people, such as yours truly).  Some provinces are extremely poor.

The northern part of the country is home to stunning game parks and reserves.

Cape Town is seriously one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it’s not just me saying that – google it, or google something about most beautiful cities – you will see what I mean. 

Cape Town has stunning weather, plus we have gorgeous beaches, beautiful vineyards, lovely mountains, rivers etc.  There is so much to see and do here.

So that is the broad-brush strokes picture of SA.

Next topics to come:

- What it was like living in apartheid SA – the Truman show
- What it is like living in SA today – third world and first world side by side
- The different cultures – English / Afrikaans, White / Black, Rich / Poor
- Day care / child issues in SA
- Photos of my house and suburb.
- Being married to an Afrikaner
- Nude pictures of Marko
- Any other special requests.

And much more…..

BTW Happy Easter, hope you get lots of easter eggs.

Comments

[Lisa S (& Riley, Bella, & Adelyn)]

I just wanted to comment first. Thanks for the gorgeous visual! I had a friend in high school who was a SA exchange student and things have clearly changed since then.

Waiting for naked pics of Marko!

[Sally]

Lovely reading

[Linda]

Fascinating! I love learning stuff like this. Keep it coming.

[Bridgette]

Woohoo! Bring on the pictures of (naked Marko!) your house and suburb. ;)

[katie]

I will be looking forward to updates on this subject. Going to google now to get a visual.

Don't tease us with Marko pictures, bring on the babes! That's what we really want. ;)

[Helloheather]

Ooooh thank you for starting this! I can't wait to hear more about your beloved country. It's wonderful to read a first-hand perspective on what it's like to live someplace.

[shaunacat]

Can NOT WAIT to hear more about SA - I have been so curious about it since I started reading you. So glad you decided to post on it, and with pictures too!!

And, um, totally bring on the nekkid Marko pics. Woohoo!!

[Jennifer]

YAY!
I'm really excited to learn more.
I'm a big fan of DMB who was born in SA...Johannesburg.
Tell us more! :)
*and make sure you end each post with a picture of your beautiful babes!*

[Beverly]

I'm so looking forward to reading future installments!

I've recently realized that I know nearly nothing about SA and I've gotten quite interested. A couple of weeks ago I bought a couple of J.M. Coetzee books to help me learn more about the experience of growing up white in apartheid SA -- I haven't started reading them yet, so I'm hoping they're good.

[Anna_Marie]

love to read about SA!

but what maks ME curious, is how come you have a Dutch passport??

With love from Belgium :)

[arubagirl]

I also want to know how come you have a Dutch passport. Do you have family ties? I was born in the Netherlands and have a Dutch passport as well

[Cursingmama]

I love hearing about SA, it makes me move it up on my list of places to go before I die. Can't wait for more!

[Jean]

Really interesting stuff, looking forward to photos......not*just* the naked ones!

[Lily]

thank you! I love this

[Carol]

Wasn't SA originally a Dutch colony, and that's why you have a Dutch passport?

My kids are quadruple citizens of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Ireland. I just think multiple citizenship is so cool.

It seems to me that SA's past is not unlike that of the U.S. or Australia. It seems like indigenous people all over the earth have been colonized by white nations. Why is that?

[LPF]

Thanks so much! This was a great post. I think it's so easy to make broad generalizations about countries based on little knowledge, especially in cases of countries that are associated iwth one particular issue. Can't wait to learn more.

[Lisa V]

We have been immersed in study of SA, mostly pre 1994 this year, it's my daughter's school expedition. In our mock simulation they will start truth and reconciliation hearings next week. It's all been terribly interesting.

[Helloheather]

I forgot about my special request! BESIDES nude Marko pix, could you talk about food? What do people eat in SA? What does your family eat? What's a local treat? What does everybody THINK is South African food, and what is REALLY South African food? I'm sure it varied from cultural group to cultural group, but I'd like to hear your perspective. :)

[Orange]

Fascinating and educational. Bring it on!

[Caroline]

This summer I took a three week trip to South Africa, and honestly, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Cape Town is, as Tertia said, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I really sense this unwillingness to be beaten down, and racism didn't seem to be all that evident there. I strongly, strongly recommend a visit to SA if you ever have the possibility. The game parks are also a blast!

[Kirsten]

Yes, bring on more pictures!!!

[Terri]

Beautiful description of a fascinating place. I have a friend who lives in Pretoria. It is truly a beautiful nation.

[Debe]

What an interesting place to live, thank you for that

[Cory]

Thanks for the introduction, Tertia. Definately look forward to hearing more about your country, and further topics.
Do you have Easter outfits for the babies? If so, maybe you can post pictures next week. All the best.

[CountessAmy]

I have been reading your blog for, oh, maybe a year and a half now. I am a huge fan of your writing, and often refer others to your blog. My friends think i'm odd for reading blogs of infertile women (I'm single) until they read yours and recognize the strength of your writing. Also, I love the photos of your beautiful children.

Anyway, I had to come out of lurkdom to thank you for talking about the country you live in. I'm absolutly fascinated by different countries, cultures, religions and experiences and your beautiful writing only makes reading of South Africa that much more interesting.

I look forward to reading your next few posts. ((And by looking forward, i mean hitting refresh numerous times every day.)

[colette]

Hooray!! Thank you for the wonderful post!! I look forward to learning more.

[Tracey Dixnn]

Very interested in this topic... how many languages do you speak?

My family doctor is from SA - has only been here in Canada a couple years.

[Carrie Jo]

Oh I love hearing about SA! The weather sounds much like San Diego weather :o)

Carol, you're right that indigenous people all over the world have been colonized by white people. They called it Manifest Destiny in the 1800's and felt it was perfectly justified and ordained by God. You can read more about it here: http://www.impactpress.com/articles/junjul99/manifest6799.html

[Judy]

Tertia - thank you so much for sharing this part of you. Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine how different your home is from mine because so much of what you say hits home for me!

This is a wonderful way to put things in perspective!

[z.]

What about a language lesson? that would be nice, don't you think?

[korin]

Wow! Thanks for all the great info.. Cape town is now on my list of places I need to see.

[KellyH]

This is great Tertia! I love learning about different cultures. I too request a post on food in SA.

[wix]

thanks, tertia! i anxiously await further SA schooling.

[dawn]

Great post, makes me want to take a trip to Cape Town.

Call me naive, but can you explain the difference between "black" and "coloured" as far as the races in your country? Back before the civil rights movement here in the US, whites referred to blacks as colored, and that term is now mostly considered politically incorrect around here. I am wondering if it is specific to a particular group of people in SA?

[Karen]

Fascinating! I am thrilled to be able to read about SA. Can't wait for more! And pictures too!

[Tricia]

Love it, love it, keep it coming!!

[bond girl]

Love this 'series'. Can't wait for more!

[stephanie]

Woo Hoo! Nekkid pics of Marko ;-) Yeah, I know, I'm shallow. Seriously, can't wait for the next installment :-). i love hearing about new cultures- thanks so much for sharing.

[Jill]

Well, now I am going to sound so smart when I talk about SA to my friends. It sounds lovely. Can't wait to hear more!

[Mykal Rosendahl]

I am so excited you decided to write about this. I am very intested in learning about your life in SA especially since it's had such a turbulent past. I look foward to your future entries and future baby pics! They are soooo cute!

[Louise]

ROFL when I saw "nekked pictures of Marko", all I could picture was a two year old in a bath tub. Yep, you asked, Tertia posted... In Canada, we also have provines and territories, only two "official" languages (english & french) but we probably should have more... Looking forward to the photos of your beautiful city.

[katie e.]

i don't want to drag anything off course, but carol from up above in the comments, if you see this ...

it's worth remembering that a lot of non-white cultures have also been busy colonizing places all around the world, too. various groups in africa were invading each other long before europeans show up, china ran amok all over asia, indigenous peoples in north and south america were making messes of each other, etc.

[sissy]

Can you throw in how you pronounce your name? For those of us w/o the SA accent, I'm sure I'm butchering it.

[Shamhat]

I met several (unrelated) white South Africans who had moved to the US in the mid-80's. They all, independently, decided to tell people they were from New Zealand to avoid political discussions. Somehow, even after finding out the truth, I still think of "Ja, ja," as characteristic of a NZ accent.

I can recall hearing that an American president had appointed a black ambassador to SA (Jimmy Carter & Andrew Young maybe?) and when he got there the published Sounth American response was, "He's not black. He's colored." We didn't know the difference--I still don't.

[Shamhat]

I think that "South African" makes a bit more sense there than the "Sounth American" that I managed to type.

[rainboww]

i'm glad things have improved there, politically and socially, as well as for you personally. i for one was totally astounded that you didn't have a full-scale civil war.

[Sheri]

Facinating! Thank you for describing your country so nicely. I can't wait to read more. Is your name pronounced as Ter-sha or Ter-ti-ya or something else?

[Stacey]

Woo naked pictures of Marko!

Thanks for sharing Tertia, I know I'll probably never get to see Africa in my lifetime so it's fun to experience it through your pictures.

:)

[Kathy]

What a lovely picture you have painted of your country.

My college roommate was from South Africa. She was of Indian decent...She lived through the bad times...and now hopefully she is proud to be from there.

I have never added my comments before, but I had to thank you for sharing your views about your country.

[Kris]

Very interesting -- thank you.

I, too, am interested to know if you speak more than one language. If so, will Kate and Adam be bilingual? Does Rose speak English and/or Zulu?

Have you traveled outside of SA? If so, where?

Would LOVE to see more photos of Ibex, other wildlife and anything from SA!

[maia]

Really enjoying the SA perspective. Now can we see the naked Marco pics? ;)

[sara]

Hah! Now you can tell Marko that your blog readers have totally forgotten about Paul. And it will be true. Now they're clamouring for nude pictures of Marko.

(Note how I inserted an extra "u" into clamour. All for you.)

[Rebekah]

I have a question. My BIL is from South Africa, from a suburb of Johannesburg (don't know the name) and he and his family often talk about the crime there. I don't know if it's still this bad, but their home, and the homes of their aunts, uncles, etc. all had big gates or walls around them to try and keep them from being broken into, which happened often. If I'm not mistaken they sometimes would put broken glass around the tops of the walls in order to keep out burglars. I just recently heard about the time his sister and mother went back to visit and the first night they were there, the house they were staying in got broken into.

Please don't get me wrong. I adore everything about South Africa, and I truly hope I will have the priviledge of going there myself someday. I'm just wondering, is it still like that there? Is that just Johannesburg, or does Cape Town have problems like this too? Or maybe, has this changed in recent years?

Btw, I showed the picture of your backyard to my SIL, who has been to South Africa with her husband, and she got SUCH a kick out of it. She particularly enjoyed the "Tertia is an asshole". And the elephant. LOL =)

[Lou]

Looking forward to the upcoming topics :-) I so enjoy your blog! Glad I found it!

[magnolia]

This is excellent study material for me, as I am going to South Africa in December to meet my fiance's parents. They live near Port Elizabeth. I'm also independently studying Afrikaans (his mother tongue) so that we can teach our children.

And thank you Katie E. for making that excellent point. I get tired of people bashing whites for "all the oppression" they do.

[Mijk]

Now I have to change my survey... What do we have in common? A nationality and probably some language aswell!

Though I understand you're proud of your country I must say You haven't chosen bad for your spare-country.

I Must say S.A. now still makes me so happy. We thought the world would change then with the berlin wall destructed and mandela president. And then we got war in Europe instead of peace and I was so afraid for south africa. (And it was good to be able to buyt south african stuff for the first time in my life when I started getting an apreciation for wine ;-).

[Sheena]

WOO HOO!

Bring on naked Marko....

[Carol]

This is so interesting!!

Yummmmmm.....pesto

[Annie]

A good book to read for the question of why one group of people/civilization overruns another is Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.

Lovely posts, Tertia!

[Talitha]

Some of you may remember me from the boards. Im also from Johannesburg, South Africa, 35yr-old black female.
I just wanna say WOW!!
Tertia you deserve a big clap. i know these are your own views but i dont think you could have said this any better than you did. What an interesting reading indeed.

..and oh, Yes, Cape Town is undisputedly beautiful. Keep on writing girl, you doing an excellent job.

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