South Africans have been pictured in many amusing ways by people all over the world. Some people think lions walk around in our backyards, that we ride wild animals or that we are all one specific colour. Another one I love is when people ask if I speak African and I have to try really hard not to laugh at how adorably ignorant it is.

I hate to disappoint so many people, but sadly, there are no lions roaming freely through our backyards. We also don’t ride wild animals. If you want to see lions or ride elephants, you will need to go to a wildlife reserve or special park. South Africa has an amazing diversity of animals, so you will not be disappointed.

South Africa, also known as the rainbow nation, is made up of many diverse cultures, people and languages. We are also very unique, having 3 capital cities and 11 official languages. Now you may understand why I find it so amusing when asked if I speak African.

There are so many beautiful places to see in South Africa, so it is definitely worth a visit if anyone is considering it. We have mountains, beaches, grasslands, forests, and areas that are almost desert-like in appearance. No one would have a lack of places to see. While there are many gorgeous landscapes, it is still best to research the areas you want to visit, as there are some dangerous places as well.

Yes, crime is a huge thing in South Africa, but don’t let that be a deterrent. I take Ubers alone, I shop alone and while I have had some scary experiences in the past, I’ve never been physically harmed. Having grown up here and now living here again these last few years, I’ve learnt of many areas that are best avoided. It is also best not to walk around certain towns or cities alone, especially at night.

Governments… I am sure that there are people in most countries around the world, who can complain about at least one thing that their government does. Other than crime, my biggest frustration is the lack of electricity. South Africa has decided that the best way to save electricity is to implement this insane concept of “load shedding.”

What is load shedding? It is when the government turns the power out for a specific grid for at least 2 hours at a time, depending on what stage they feel is appropriate at that moment, as the electricity can be out for up to 3 times a day and each time is 2 hours long. These are just the scheduled outages. So, for those who work from home, like me, it can be infuriating, especially when the phone towers go out due to the lack of power and batteries.

Now you may think that this gets us down, but South Africans take it in their stride and even joke about it. Hey, if there is nothing we can do about it, we may as well get a laugh out of it. Life has enough problems and stress. Why add more by being down about something we can’t change? If anything, we have learnt how to make the best of an unpleasant situation. I guess you could say we have a profound sense of humour, even if the rest of the world doesn’t get it.

Give us rugby and a good braai with friends and we’re pretty happy. I can’t say I’m a dedicated fan of rugby, but I like to watch a game now and then if there is one playing. However, offer me a braai and I will be there! For those who don’t know what a braai is, it’s just the word we use for a barbecue.

What fun would life be without drivers who have a death wish? It’s wild out there! Taxi pick up points are anywhere along the road, not by law, that’s just how it is. If you’re driving at night and come to a red traffic light in a secluded area, you look left and right and keep driving. The law tells you to do that, so you don’t get hijacked. It’s a little messed up, but you get used to it after a while.

Things that seem crazy to the rest of the world are perfectly normal in South Africa, even if they shouldn’t be. Don’t be put off, there are so many wonderful things that make a visit to our country a unique experience. Stay tuned and I shall discuss some of the sublime delicacies of our cuisine in a later post, along with some beautiful places that are totally worth making the trip.