US, US, baby

Can you tell what animals are with me in the following pics?

One (me) can go through almost a whole year of international travel and not meet the stereo-typical American. But just when you think you’ve made it off Yank-free, there he is…sitting right beside you on the tour company bus.

Before I even met him, I had an inkling of what I might be in store for. The night before he boarded the bus the guide and I had played “guess their nationality” for the three new clients joining the tour. As soon as I saw the name “Larry” I claimed him for my country. Seriously…have you met any Larrys from China? I think not. But Larry from the US? Yep. (but no, the other two clients weren’t his brother Darryl and his other brother Darryl)

Sure enough, the next day, two super-sized middle-aged Americans — Larry and his wife — huffed and puffed their way onto the bus. Barely seated, they began excitedly talking about their hunting safari they’d been on the last few days. When our guide asked where they were from, Larry happily answered “California” and then with a newly placed disgusted look quickly began adding, “but they might as well call it Mexi-fornia the way all the…”

“What part of California?” I cut in, trying to avoid 1) my getting into an angry argument with him and 2) his embarrassment when he realizes that two seats behind him is an American named Ricardo.

Later someone on the tour said they made them think of the people in Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine.

Animals we don’t have in America* that I got to see on my visit to RSA’s Kruger Park:

1. elephant
2. giraffe
3. lion
4. buffalo (I think we killed them all off…)
5. zebra (dazzles of them, in fact…yes, I also learned that a group of zebra is a dazzle)
6. spotted hyenas (my favorite of all the spottings)

*zoos, circuses, and NYC apartments of crazy people who keep them captive in tiny spaces excluded

Here’s a short video of the ones that I was close enough to get with my little point-and-shoot. Just think of it as Jayna’s version of The Lion King…but without Elton John’s song at the end…or a storyline.

Right before I left on my trip I got a fabulous package from the ol’ LA roommates. Inside was a book that is nearly impossible to find abroad (and was supposed to meet me in India) and a surprise t-shirt. Of course the book was great to get…but the t-shirt was a major pick-me-up before the tour.

I’m sure with my absence of posts/pics you were thinking Please Don’t Go Girl…but I have a feeling that y’all were Hangin’ Tough. Come on. You had to know that I’ll Be Loving You Forever.

Yeah…I’ve worn the shirt like five times already.

Yes…still alive.

I’m on the tour of Southern Africa and just now have had Internet access. I meant to leave a see-ya-later post, but the other American at my guesthouse ate up all the Internet for the month the day before I left (granted, I probably used a big chunk o’ that access, too…).

I’ve got lots to say and mucho pictures and video to post, but for now, you’ll just have to know that I’m having a fabulous time. And will post once I get back to Jo’Burg in a few days.

Toodles.

Clearly I’ve taken on the traveler persona and become less of a makeup gal. Somewhere along the way, I just decided it wasn’t worth it to wake up every day and go through the whole daily routine. Not that it takes all that much time. But, you know. It kind of went out the window around the time the whole smelling-clothes-before-wearing them routine started. (I’m really going to have to clean myself up before landing in NYC next month)

But, I do still pull out the MAC eyeshadows every once in a while. I didn’t realize, though, that I hadn’t really done that while volunteering at the children’s home.

On my last day at the home, though, I had put on makeup for the bus ride back to the big city. The kids’ reaction to seeing me in makeup was hilarious. You’d think I looked like Tammy Faye Bakker. The older girls just told me I looked pretty (but kept wanting to touch my face). The younger ones, though, couldn’t stop staring, asking about it, and touching it.

Who knew that my not-Korean purple MAC eyeshadow would bring so many memories from this travel experience?

Here’s a pic of two Americans. Me (duh), and a kid from the care house named American. Yep. That’s his real name. Not just called that because of where he’s from or because he’s cheap on dates (like a guy in college I knew called Dutch). Yep. An American and American.

Sometimes I forget just how much of a mish-mash Americans are…especially when it comes to food.

But then the other day a German staff member made some cole slaw to go with the burgers. I was a bit surprised because I thought it was kind of an American thing…well, at least a Midwest thing.

Then the German guy asked me how I knew the German word for cabbage (kohl). Yep…keep forgetting my fam’s a bit on the German side.

I was a big dork when I was little and often got in trouble for trying to read at the dinner table. For some reason, I would read Archie comic books everywhere and couldn’t put them down even come supper time.

Here in South Africa, I’ve been helping the kids develop their reading skills. I discovered this fabulous little find hidden away in their reading books. Definitely had to read this 1987 edition during a silent reading session. I think I may have owned this book myself when I was in elementary school. I’m pretty sure, though, it cost my folks more than the two rand the people here paid for it!

Four weeks and just one night out (the pizza was actually take out). I’m a recluse. I know.

I actually have a lot of work I’m trying to finish up right now. Not overwhelming. But close.

But that’s not the only reason. I’ve been trying my hardest to think of how best to explain the discomfort I often have in social situations in this country.

The explanation came this week.

The other volunteer here, a German 19-year-old, had made a friend the night the two of us went to the bar. He invited us back to the bar this week. We both passed. So the next night he invited us to a party. I passed. She went.

When she came back, she was amazed at the conversations she heard. It was an all-white party, and of course they started talking about race relations in the country. The subject of whites and blacks living in the same areas came up. They tried to explain to her why it just didn’t make sense to them. “I mean it’s like, think about the wild. Different animals don’t drink from the same watering hole. It’s just not natural.”

Yeah. And the girl STILL hung out with them again the next night.