Road Signs In South Africa

While we were in South Africa, we saw a number of road signs that we’d never seen before.  Cow. Impalas. Horse. Crocodile.  Enjoy.

We won’t be swimming in that river.

If only I could have gotten out of the car to take a picture in front of the sign…

In areas without signs, street vendors were everywhere.  I’ve never seen so many people roadside.  There were even pedestrians on the sides of highways.

The sign below warns you of flooding.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get one of the sign warning you of no fences.  We were too busy looking at the cow in the road!

 

Fences In South Africa

Johannesburg is a place where they take security pretty seriously.  As you can see from the sign in the photo above, random boot checks will be carried out.

Panic buttons, guard houses, bars on windows, private security firms, metal detectors and gun safes are commonplace.  Be sure to check your firearm before entering the mall.  If you don’t, you won’t make it past the metal detectors and searches. They even have gun safes at the airport!

 

I have never seen so much fencing.  They exist for security and also to keep animals in, out or just off the road.

When I visited Soweto (a generally poorer area), I still saw fences.

 

Oh yeah, and we saw these all over the highways.  That is a serious vehicle.   It’s like a tank!

 

Another French Lesson For Y’All

I have been busy translating my resume into French.  Translation is an art and I am no Da Vinci.*  I met with someone (a native French speaker) to review a draft of it.  There were two points where he laughed out loud (not a good sign).

In trying to describe myself as professional, I wrote “Je suis une professionelle”.  I said that I was a professional.  The problem with this is that it is slang for a certain occupation and really only used in that context.  Needless to say, I revised it.

When talking about reviewing something, I used the word “revue“.  Unfortunately, a common connotation of the word “revue” is familiar to many Americans who go to Las Vegas and see shows with dancing ladies.  It goes without saying that when that connotation of the word dawned on me, I didn’t want it anywhere near my professional qualifications.

*If you want further confirmation that translation is an art, “The Situation” from the Jersey Shore, Michael Paul Sorrentino‘s nickname is translated into “Le Problème”.

 

One Reason Why Everything Takes Longer Here

 

Check out the keyboard.  Look at the Z and the Y.  Try to find the $ sign.  Which “Shift” key works for which of the two signs on the top row?  Where is that stupid question mark?  Try logging in somewhere when you can’t find the @ sign…  

Murphy’s Law: The less time you have, the more difficulty you will have finding what you need in the above.