double this, double that...

If I were to tell you my telephone number, I would simply begin with 2-2-3, spoken "Two, two, three". This is normal, this makes sense, yes? Well if I were to give you my telephone number with the Cape Town rendition of English, I would say "Double two- three- oh- two- double five" (all spoken with a lovely South African accent). This doesn't seem too complicated, but you are oh so wrong. The same goes for letters. If I were to spell letters from South Africa, I would say "l-e-double t-e-r-s". Well let me just say, my brain CANNOT COMPREHEND THIS. So when I'm on the phone asking for the Pregnancy Help Center's address today, I ask her to repeat "Wherry Road" THREE TIMES. Dumb Americans... can't comprehend. I don't know what it is, but it gets me every time.

Other than that, oh and the time I was typing out an email and asked Mrs. Genevere to email me "HIS number" when Jean is actually a woman, I didn't make too many mishaps today. I spent all morning in Oceanview with Michele doing some office work, and compiling a list of telephone numbers to create a reference index for social work related problems. Although this wasn't the most thrilling task, I kind of enjoyed the quiet and the calm.

Let me paint a little picture of Michele for you: She's precious, she's got this fair skin with freckles and red hair (it's like I'm drawn to those women who do in South Africa...), and you literally must crane your neck towards her to hear what she says when she quietly whispers in a normal conversation. She has this sweet, patient heart, and a bit of spunk that you miss at first glance simply because you can't hear her sweet meek little voice. After working with her just two days I feel like I've known her for months, she's so easy to get along with and actually quite funny the more time I learn to make out her jokes. Thank goodness Ethan is a natural born mumbler, because I've acquired the handy skill of deciphering mumble-speak, a difficult and peculiar tongue.

Another interesting fact about me in South Africa: because I'm fond of accents, and hear them all day long, even at home with two British housemates, my thoughts have begun to be heard in an accent. It's a combination of English and South African, but everything I'm saying in my head as I type right now is in the British. It's crazy, but I kind of love it. Rest assured I'll be using it to talk when I get back home.. get excited :)

Tonight I went with Ethan, Melanie, Shagmie (pronouced Shock-me) and his wife Lauren to the Capricorn youth. I'm still contemplating how I felt about it, so I'll let you know. But here are four words I never want to see combined again: indoors, ice cream, fire, and blindfolds. What a night.

Tomorrow is shopping :) and sleeping in.. Ohhh Saturdays...