afrikaans!

did you know that today is 'international mother tongue' day?

so today i'm celebrating my exotic mother tongue of afrikaans.

lekker.

i started celebrating by talking to my grandma on the phone this morning, which is when my afrikaans gets as pure as it's going to get.

i also celebrated 2 days ago by making 'boere pannekoek' by following this sarie recipe.

being far from volk en vaderland the instructions in themselves felt like a festival.

 Sif droë bestanddele saam in 'n mengbak. Klits eiers tot lig en voeg melk, water, suurlemoensap en olie by. Meng goed. Maak 'n holte in die middel van droë bestanddele en voeg die vloeistof by. Meng en klits goed tot daar geen klonte is nie. Maak die bak met 'n lap toe en laat staan vir sowat 30 minute. Verhit sonneblomolie in 'n kleefvrye pan. Gooi van die olie af en vee die pan uit met kombuispapier. Skep met 'n groot lepel van die beslag in pan en wikkel die pan rond sodat die beslag die pan se bodem bedek. Sodra borreltjies bo-op die pannekoek vorm, kan jy die pannekoek omdraai. Plaas 'n groot bord op 'n kastrol met kookwater om die pannekoeke warm te hou. Sit die gebraaide pannekoek op die bord en besprinkel met kaneelsuiker. Sit 'n deksel
bo-op die pannekoek en braai die res van die beslag. Rol pannekoek op soos jy dit voorsit.

i love words in there like 'kleefvrye', 'beslag' 'klits' 'besprinkel' 'wikkel'. 

the rest of the day will be filled with Afrikaans-y things, like reading Ingrid Jonker, listening to Steve Hofmeyer/f@kof poliesiekar/Karen Zoid/Kurt Darren and thinking of new words to teach my American husband. (suggestions welcome)

this photo is applicable because a) this is my husband b) the menu is afrikaans see.

He's so adorable when he speaks Afrikaans and it means the world to me that he makes such an effort in learning a language only spoken by about 13% of South Africans. (sorry for not being Spanish or Chinese babe).

He's pretty good too, he once made up his own song in Afrikaans.  It was about my mom being from the zoo.  (now there's a YouTube hit just waiting to happen)

if you think that's weird then consider this massive Afrikaans hit.  allow me to translate:

oh i want to go home, to mom

the rivers are full, my tears roll

a little deer that wants lie with me tonight

she can lie

i am a little loose rag

i don't really know what i could possibly say after that... so, happy mother tongue day everybody, excuse me while i go find more ways to introduce 'wikkel' and 'klits' into daily conversations.

"just married"

 

 

 

you know you're homesick when:

(or you know you're a South African expat when:)

+you suddenly find yourself caring about cricket and soccer (and it's not even a world cup)

+you get strangely emotional when disposing of products you bought in South Africa, especially if the 'directions' are in English and Afrikaans.
 
"when will i be able to buy Clicks Rooibos body lotion again" you yell through sobs and sniffs.

+you miss food you didn't even know you liked while in South Africa

"i'd trade a Dairy Queen Avalanche for a koeksister any day" you declare.

... did you even like Koeksisters Lanette? ...?

+you start going down strange YouTube rabbit holes.

 (YouTube is to expats what Match.com is to lonely hearts)

++ so you listen to more Afrikaans music than you ever did while in South Africa

you realize "Lisa se klavier" is the most beautiful song you've ever heard.
you realize you know all the words to "De La Rey" ... and that makes you little uncomfortable
but then you realize you also know all the words to "Nkalakatha"so you feel better.

++ YouTubing Nandos ads would also not be uncommon.

++YouTubing the 7de laan's tune when it's 6:30pm, just for fun.

+ you regret not buying a Nelson Mandela poster for your living room. 

 +you regret not buying a few things...

+Rooibos tea never tasted so good


+you cry a little when people send you pictures of 'braai vleis' (BBQ)

i personally hide in corners rocking from side to side when ever someone mentions my dad's pooitjiekos. (like a type of stew but way more awesome)

 +you feel like you've failed your country by not buying a Spingbok rugby jersey to wear everyday.

+so you wear African inspired t-shirts from Big Blue and Mr. Price under your coat.

+you might be found humming the National Anthem, well a mix between humming and singing and making up a word here and there
" Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica, maluphakanywa something something ay yo, iswa... something something... UIT DIE BLOU VAN ONS SE HEMEL...and so forth "

i do love our national anthem, really. (this is cool version... goosebumps (yup, homesick))

+you tear up when other people get to go to South Africa, this post by the Everywhereist on South African fudge had me reach for the a tissue or two. (and i don't even like fudge)

+you suddenly take up swearing in Afrikaans, because, well who would know. (dis 'n klein grappie ma)

+you truly believe that South Africa is the most beautiful place on earth.

oh, but you'd be right

+you write a post about "you know you're homesick when:"

how about you? do you have any tell tale signs of being homesick, or what would you think would make you feel this way if you were far from home? i'd love to know.

... or maybe it's just me?

disclaimer: i didn't leave South Africa because i've lost all hope in the country, but i also didn't leave South Africa against my will. just felt like i needed to add that in there. i love South Africa and i love that i've immigrated to the States, both these sentiments are true it's not one over the other for the most part... if that makes sense.