South Africa sick.

I am feeling horribly homesick. Or maybe South Africa sick is more appropriate. I’m sitting at Starbucks waiting for my car to be detailed (valeted (sp?) in SA speak – basically a complete interior and exterior clean etc) and I was planning on using the internet but I can’t connect to the silly hotspot for some odd reason. So instead I’m sorting out all my music on iTunes and listening to the Soweto Gospel Choir. I think that what has just struck a chord is the way they pronounce some of the words, in the typical ‘African’ South African accent and switch from English to Zulu/Xhosa at a moment’s notice (or whichever of the 9 official African languages it is. I was never very good at differentiating between them). At times while I’ve been in San Diego I’m very aware of being different – of thinking differently and having a different perspective on life and what’s important. It’s really difficult to explain. I suppose the best way to do so is to say that the Soweto Gospel Choir’s music is absolutely beautiful and I can imagine that anyone with half an ear can appreciate the magnificent voices and exquisite harmonies even if they don’t know the songs or understand the words. But for me they’re also beautiful because the songs are familiar and because they just sound like home.