Happy New Year From Jozi

31 December 2010

On the last day of 2010, Joe and I went down to the city center to monitor the Zimbabwe situation (which had died down significantly since yesterday) and to check out the Joburg Carnival.

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"It's Hard Being a Zimbo"

30 December 2010

There’s a big immigration story in South Africa this week. It’s not getting much international attention but it’s important for this country, and the story is timeless and universal in many ways.

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Christmas Under the African Sun

27 December 2010

We had a quiet Christmas Day at the Lucky 5 Star. The most notable thing about it, for me at least, was the weather – it was about 30 degrees Celsius (that’s upper 80s for you Americans) with blinding bright sun. It was a beautiful day, but I felt a little unsettled. It just didn’t feel like Christmas to me.

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Christmas Eve-Eve at Ratz

24 December 2010

Melville is known for its musty book shops, vintage clothing stores, and a lively bar scene. It’s also known for its rats.

Rats are a common sight in Melville and the most popular bar in town is aptly named Ratz. Joe used to be a regular patron at Ratz, in the good old days when rats ran free around Melville. (Although I’m disappointed to report that Joe never actually saw a rat at Ratz.)

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Where Are the Holiday Shoppers?

21 December 2010

This afternoon we had to go to the mall to buy a ream of computer paper. (As everyone here knows, you can’t buy anything in South Africa without going to the mall.)

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Cricket: Not a Game for Sissies

19 December 2010

I love sports. I’ve attended countless professional baseball, football, soccer, ice hockey, and basketball games. I also love traveling and have done lots of it. But as of three days ago, I had never attended a professional sporting event outside the United States.

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