People make bricks from the dirt.
Everywhere I have been the dirt is red.
A community is relatively well off if water is plentiful.
Water requires a lot of energy and time to gather. The norm is for people to go to a community tap and fill up water buckets to take home.
Women carry large heavy containers of water on their heads up and down mountain roads because wheel barrels are harder to use on steep slopes or because they are used to it.
Primary and Secondary School students are called learners.
Learners walk to school or take a taxi they pay for themselves.
Learners wear uniforms to public schools. Student is a word reserved for those attending higher education institutions.
Learners are taught in their native language until 3rd grade. From 4th grade on they are taught in English.
Learners may carry a shoe brush and clean their shoes without being told to do so.
Many younger people who were schooled after Apartheid speak multiple languages and some older people do also.
Learners help with school chores such as sweeping and cleaning the floors, watering the gardens, cleaning dinner plates, bringing firewood to school for the cooks, cleaning the toilets or anything else you ask them to do. They even offer to help with things when not asked.
Most people lock their gates and do not go out after dark.
Domestic animals, cows, pigs and goats, are everywhere. Yards are fenced to keep them out - to protect vegetation - and for security purposes.
Dogs are not pets and are not named or brought into the house. They are kept for protection. Cats are kept to catch salamanders and other small critters.
People walk a lot and long distances. Most people do not have cars and those that do may take public transportation because of the price of fuel called petrol.
Taxis are large vans that can carry up to 14 people seated and more standing.
Buses that travel to and from town are 2 bus lengths long and you need to get to the bus first to get a seat.
Most roads are unpaved and covered with fine powdery red dirt – tar roads are wonderful. The closest tar road is where you go to catch public transport.
Road rage is virtually nonexistent even though cars share the road with taxis and buses, which are constantly pulling off and onto the road to pick up and drop off people. Cows and goats pay no attention to cars,buses and taxis and will walk out in front of them, stop in the middle of the road and even sleep on roads at night.
People drive their cars with the windows up and will tell you to put the window up even if the temperature is in the high 80s F. Windows in taxis and buses are usually closed and if you open one do not be surprised if some tells you to close it.
When I am sweating South Africans are not and they may even be wearing a jacket.
Houses with thatched roofs are cool inside when it is hot outside and vice versa.
People who can afford it have their own cell phone but there are few, if any, land lines.
The majority of people have electricity they use for cooking and watching television and they love to watch soap operas which may have characters who speak multiple languages.
People help each other out and you can ask children to fetch or do things. They willingly help and you are not supposed to pay them because people are supposed to help each other.
Everyone greets you and you greet everyone and every time you see them you greet them again.
People touch each other and will touch you even if they do not know you and they stand and sit very close.
Women sweep their yards and clean the fine dirt off the harder surface below and may sweep daily.
Women will always dress nice and then wrap towels around themselves to carry babies on their backs.
Women carry bags in each hand and something on their head without dropping anything and they will stop and talk to you while doing so.
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