The coffee table gift book with a smile. Awesome South Africa will intrigue you, make you laugh, astonish and astound you. Find out more here.
We’ve reached a milestone!
Eight weeks since the beginning of our cross-country book launch tour as well as the sale of our 5000th copy of Absolutely Awesome South Africa – which makes it officially a best seller in South Africa! officially a best-seller – THANK YOU to each and every one of you for making this possible. Your enthusiasm and support is overwhelming.
I am always so humbled to see others embracing the beauty, diversity and rich heritage that South Africa has to offer. We are spoilt for choice in this Land of Adventure. With the holiday season about to start I trust you will be experiencing the diversity and excitement of our awesome country. Find your favourite spot on this map which appears in the opening pages of the book, designed by the very talented Kirsty Stirton.
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Absolutely Awesome South Africa is available in book stores countrywide.
The book promises to be as popular and as much fun as the original Awesome South Africa. This new volume serves to remind us of how great our country and its inhabitants really are. We also get to do what we do best, laugh at ourselves and our quirks, yet with pride in our hearts.
It’s “flower safari” time – which means our West Coast explodes like fireworks and is coated with colour.
Take a Self-drive tour through West Coast National Park ONLY one-and-a-half hours’ drive from Cape Town through our national park via Postberg and the Seeberg lookout point section (route maps available from the park).
Did you know:
This post was shared by Derryn Campbell from Awesome South Africa on the SMILE 90.4fm Thursday breakfast show with Bobby Brown and Tracey Lange. For more weekly Awesome discussion tune into SMILE 90.4 fm every Thursday morning at 7.10am. or click on the following link to listen via live streaming.
South Africa has such a diverse culture.
There are so many differences between us – languages (11 official languages), race groups, various religions and numerous cultures – and that is how we became known as the rainbow nation.
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead” – Nelson Mandela
SMILE FM RADIO – THURSDAY 26 JUNE – JULY IS TIME TO WATCH WHALES AND THE SARDINE RUN
It’s that time of year when we witness our magnificent marine life. South Africa is a haven for those who appreciate marine life and the majestic creatures of the sea.
In South Africa we have 11 official languages.
English is the most commonly spoken language in official and commercial public life – but only the fifth most spoken home language representing a mere 8,2% of the population. South African creativity has developed its own version of English. Combining the influences of the many other languages spoken in the country. The traditional Oxford Dictionary incorporated many South African words which have become common usage, such as kraal (village of huts) and trek (travel by ox-wagon).
Afrikaans is the second most spoken language in South Africa. There are approximately 6 million people who can speak South African. The language is only 90 years old, it is officially the youngest language in the world.
Zulu is the most commonly spoken mother tongue (23,8% ), followed by isiXhosa (17,6%) then Afrikaaans (13,3%), Sesotho sa Leboa (9,4%), English (8,2%) and the remaining six languages,
Over the years we have developed our own South African way of speaking and have words which are unique to South Africa.
WHEN SPEAKING SOUTH AFRICAN
A traffic light is a ‘robot’.
An elevator is a ‘lift’
A hood is a ‘bonnet’
A trunk is a ‘boot’
A pickup truck is a ‘bakkie’
A Barbeque is a ‘Braai’
A baby’s diaper is a nappy
A pair of sneakers is tackies
WHAT TO SAY WHEN…
You are totally outraged or surprised… jislaaik
You want to express how nice something is… lekker
You want to say “what ever”… jawelnofine
You hurt yourself… eina
You are not sure what to answer… Ja nee
You want to say everything is good and in order… shap shap
You want to express surprise or disbelier… eish
NO ONE SAYS IT QUITE LIKE AN AFRIKAANER
Babbelas, (abbreviated barbie) meaning a hangover
bliksem – to punch someone or as an expression of surprise
dik bek – grumpy, in a huff (literally: “thick mouth”)
dinges – thingamabob, a wotzit or a whatchamacallit
domkop – idiot
ek se – I say
howzit – how is it going? How are you?
jol – to have fun or a party
kokolol – Referring to low-class workers
nooit – never, no way, unbelievable!
poep – fart.
skelm – suspicious or untrustworthy person
voetsek – go away, scram
No matter what your language, let us always remember the quote from Nelson Mandela:
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
This post was shared this the on SMILE 90.4fm Thursday breakfast show with Bobby Brown and Tracey Lange. For more weekly Awesome discussion tune into SMILE 90.4 fm every Thursday morning at 7.10am. or listen live via live streaming.
The South African Book Fair takes place in Cape Town this weekend daily on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
What is beauty?
When you #MeetSouthAfrica you’ll reconsider what you think you know.
Family structures define our personalities and our values
With modernisation – we think of families in the western world context. The mother and father who live in a house until the kids reach adulthood then they move out.
Our African forefathers had a very different idea – and we can learn a lot from them.
The coffee table gift book with a smile. Awesome South Africa will intrigue you, make you laugh, astonish and astound you. Find out more here.