Comments on: Why I miss South Africa

By: Rod MacKenzie

Rod MacKenzie — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 23:50:39 +0000

Hi Kathrin thanks – well actually Marion and I are back in China after a year in new Zealand and thoroughly enjoying it

By: Kathrin Wagner

Kathrin Wagner — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:36:08 +0000

Its two years since you posted this – have only now seen it – and was so moved by your evocation of the Transvaal weather and smells and sounds – I left 14 years ago and although I’m happy where I am, I can feel homesickness growing – creeping up on me – I have to go back for an extended visit soon. Did you go back? or are you still in China? Hard choice, that, but a wonderful thing to do nevertheless!

By: Phil

Phil — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:26:12 +0000

Now come and visit Rod! Just stay clear of JZ hehe

By: Rod MacKenzie

Rod MacKenzie — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:19:11 +0000

Howzit Phil… funnily enough I don’t feel I miss the people, except a few like you. This does not mean I dislike saffers, no way. But agh a braai with laods of beer and the manne? You are right there.
Sorry boet but the meat in New Zealand was excellent and my mouth waters as I write this. Have you been to Kiwi land? Let me assure you the meat is just…lekker.

One day you and I have just got to get together for a dop and braai… I just may be visiting SA by year end by the way. Will let you know.
Lekker bly

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:12:15 +0000

Part two….It took a dear Swiss friend to open my eyes again to experience the true beauty of my own Groot Karoo where my family comes from. And in 1996 in Morocco it took a French astronomer and myself crying and hugging to show me the beauty of the Sahara…. It is the people Rod. Not the place.

One of my most memorable moments were, when after an extended stay in Europe, I got on a SAA flight from Zurich to Johannesburg, and the first person I saw on the plane was an air hostess with a nametag proudly proclaiming ‘VAN DER MERWE’. I nearly hugged her there and then, and also knew for sure that I am on my way home to a dop with my friend at my local in Paulshof.

And last, but not the least boet. Stop telling us that cr*p about New Zealand beef and lamb. Who was your butcher and who was your braaier?  (Quoted from a Bahreini restaurateur -The Meat Company : ”….. planning to get SA meat in as I am tired of the NZ k*k”).

The people make the place.

Cheers for eers
Phil

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:08:59 +0000

Howzit Rod

Thanks for another thought provoking article. As you can see I’m a few of your blogs “behind” but that comes with all my flying to Cape Town and Bahrain and the tons of work I’m trying to play catch-up with. Some really good (and some useless) comments on this blog but I just feel I needed to comment on your statement that you miss South Africa (in a geographical sense), but not the people. And also (yet again), the culture shock that China was, and still sometime is. And, as I have seen again last week with the ex-pats in Saudi and Bahrain, I think you are a bit confused here my dear friend. You are not really just missing the country in a geographical sense. It is the PEOPLE you miss Rod. It is the people that makes up this country (and any other country) as a whole. A Braai is surely not just about the skaaptjoppies en braaibroodjies! What you really miss is that kinship, fellowship and friendship of your pals around the fire. The Tsitsikama and Otter Trail sure is beautiful, but so are a zillion other places in South Africa too, and even more so. And a lot of SA city folk is guilty of that perception too. I can name you hundreds of places in SA (that I have been to) that is even more beautiful. It took a dear Swiss friend to open my eyes again to experience the

By: Rod MacKenzie

Rod MacKenzie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:33:42 +0000

Hi Triston – I hear you. Sometimes that is the case, giving every time you receive (hilariously so if you ever get to read my memoir), sometimes not. I really think, as per the blog and in my memoir where Salina features, that she desperately wanted to feel part of us. She was actually divorced and desperately lonely, and also emotionally insecure. That does not come out in this simple blog, I deal with it more in my memoir.

By: Rod MacKenzie

Rod MacKenzie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:39:31 +0000

Jim (Part 2)“Perhaps you need to see how the Chinese government assemble (sic) its own people in order for you to see from the other perspective”… what on earth does this have relevance to or mean? And on that particular note my grandmother baked cookies in the school lunch shop once upon a time and the kids apparently liked the ones with chocolate melted on top.…

“What a typical white south African mentality…no wonder you don’t miss South Africa now” I do miss South Africa as per what I wrote in the blog and haven’t the faintest clue what you mean by a typical white SA mentality. Special treatment? Sounds like you are just playing the boring old race card.I don’t look for special treatment; life is what you make of it.
Jim lad, you ask a series of empty questions which shows no ability to think. You are assuming things about me/my blog and an assumption is the worst form of knowledge, as it has no basis. Try answering the questions you posed for yourself based on more than assumptions and you will see that the questions are shallow and decrepit. Mind you, I don’t think you have the ability to see that, given all your projections.

By: Rod MacKenzie

Rod MacKenzie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:35:45 +0000

Jim (Part one) Jim – consider it a privilege and an honour that you are about to get a lesson on how to argue, think and present your thoughts coherently. Usually I charge.
“You open with a series of meaningless, rhetorical questions where you put words in my mouth: Worried about the democracy process in SA? Worried the black people can’t do anything without violence? Well now you see for yourself, South African blacks can do it peacefully.” I never said any of that, and certainly did not imply anywhere on my blog that South African blacks cannot do anything without violence. Then there is another empty, rhetorical question, “What can you do in China beside teaching English?” Quite a lot actually. But the other work and projects I am involved in are none of your business. And are you saying there is something wrong with teaching Enlgish to people and giving them a marketable tool that they want? What are you saying, dear boy?
“seems like you happy (sic) because you think the Chinese are treating each other worse than you race…you feel special”, again you are putting words in my mouth, thoughts in my mind. And why didn’t the gentleman toss the brolly to one of the Chinese? It was just a wonderful, dotty moment of hospitality which you spoil for yourself because your thinking is incoherent and confused.
“Perhaps you need to see how the Chinese government assemble (sic) its own people in order for you

By: Triston Jacobsohn

Triston Jacobsohn — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:09:38 +0000

“We gave our ayi Christmas present of chocolates once and she got us socks, scarves and legwarmers.”

This is our 7th year in China and there may be something you have not yet understood. Chinese guanxi – relationship – is if you give me, I owe you. For us S’Africans we give because we like people – we expect nothing in return. Not so in China. Your ayi (maid) gave you a gift probably because you gave her one. This is the culture. We have stopped giving gifts because often those who cannot afford to feel indebted to give in return. Sad but true.