Africa - Same, Same...but Different

After 10 days in Cape Town, here are 10 ways Africa is the same – but oh so different.

1. The plugs. Obviously you need a converter. Not only are the little plug thingies a different size (which calls for one converter), but sometimes the voltage is wrong on certain items (hair dryer, Karl’s head shaver, etc.) and you need a second converter. I have a hard time remembering which items require what converter and am likely to burn the house down any moment.

2. The roads. Not to belabor the point, but the driving is on the left side of the road, which means the steering wheel is the right side. I think a few of the knobs turn the wrong way too (but Karl thinks I may be imagining this). I'm all turned around and think I'm going to die everytime Karl makes a left-hand turn.

3. The locks. Every door in this house has a different lock with a different key. You can’t turn a knob to lock it from the inside, as with most homes in the US, you actually have to have the right key for that room. So you go into the bathroom and lock it with a key from the inside. Don't loose a key!

4. Setting up your cell phone:

Setting up your phone in Omaha:
1) Go to the Sprint store, choose a phone, and pick a monthly package.
2) Start calling people.

Setting up your phone in South Africa: a 12 Step Program
1) Make sure you have a GSM compatible phone (used in most of the world except in the United States). They use SIM cards to operate (your average US cell wouldn't work here).
2) Go to the store and buy a SIM card. We bought ours in what I would call a South African TJ Max, but not quite that nice.
3) Register your SIM card with the government. This involves your passport, local address, documentation of residence, and something else I can’t remember. They can decline to register the SIM if they chose to do so, but ours made it through the “screening process”.
4) Install SIM card in phone and dial “100” to activate.
5) Wait 24 hours
6) Go to gas station, phone store, grocery store or someplace like that and purchase “air time” for your SIM card. Everything is pre-paid up front. No monthly packaged phone plans.
7) Enter in the given code for your purchased air time.
8) Wait 8 hours (why 8 you ask and not 9 or 24 hours again – is not clear)
9) To purchase data (for emails or Twitter updates), go back to the phone store to purchase (can’t do this one at the gas station)
10) Wait another 24 hours (some kind of security thing)
11) If this all works, you are done. If not, go back to the phone store like Karl did 2 more times.
12) We now appear to be working. Here are our South African telephone numbers.

• Karl's # 011 27 (79) 743-3692
• Julie's # 011 27 (79) 910-4911

5. Setting up internet in South Africa:

1) See above steps #2, #3, #4, #5, #9, #10, #11, #12 (#12 is still in process)
2) That’s it
3) Forgot to mention that you are charged for internet here by the bandwidth. Thus it’s rather pricy to download music, movies, photos and video. Man we miss unlimited internet!

6. Purchasing electricity for your residence. No, they don’t just send you a monthly bill. EVERYTHING in this country appears to be pre-paid. We have been staying at the home of a family for the first ten days. They went back to Holland for a month and told us we needed to buy electricity or we would be in the dark. Here is the process:

1) Take the “electricity card” to you, guessed it, the gas station
2) Purchase the desired units of electricity.

We goofed up a little here. The card we thought was the correct card actually was a card for a different house…a whole different address. Somehow we purchased electricity for some nice neighbor of ours. No refunds allowed. When we explained the problem, the gas station worker recommended that we go to the address on the card (of a complete stranger), explain to them that we accidently bought them some electricity and ask them to give us our 100R (about $13). Hmmm…maybe not.

3) Find the correct card.
4) Go back to the gas station again.
5) Purchase the desired units of electricity again.
6) Go back home and punch in the code in a big black box on the wall in the living room. (This seemed a little like Locke punching in 4 8 15 16 23 42 - for you “Lost” fans.)
7) Turn on the lights!

7. Hand washing dishes and line drying clothes. Not too bad, unless I forget to turn on the backyard hose to the washer (I’ve run a whole wash with no water), or it doesn’t rain (like it did to this batch of laundry after the photo was taken) or the wind doesn’t blow over your line dryer thing and your clothes are dirtier than when you started.

8. Remember to weigh your fruits in the FRUIT SECTION at the grocery store. I think I’ve forgotten 3 times now. I get up to the cash register, expecting them to know the total on my grapes, and they tell me to go back and get them weighed (some lady in the fruit section weighs your fruit and marks it – just like the deli counter does with sliced ham back in Omaha).

9. Tip the parking attendants. Everywhere you go there is a nice man to show you where to park (which slots are open). Even though it seems like this may be one of the few things we are actually capable of figuring out ourselves, someone is there to assist. Apparently it’s best to tip when you return, to ensure your car is still there when you get back.

10. Watch out for baboons. Seriously. The front page article in the paper today was how a baboon purposely pushed a man over a ledge and he plunged to his death (a few miles from our home). Apparently these are very bitter baboons.

Africa - Arriving (a travel recap)

1. Boarding at Eppley – Well, in all our crazy packing, I somehow lost track of “carry on” suitcase rules. Omaha security was not impressed with my 16 oz bottles of shampoo, lotion and hair stuff. I’ve tried to replace the items here - but it’s not quite the same (instead of “bed head” they carry something called “out of bed"). I did manage to inadvertently carry on Jensen’s craft scissors – it disturbs me greatly that my hair gel was detained, but a sharp, metal weapon of potential untold destruction goes unnoticed.

2. On our first layover in Minneapolis – I called my mom on the plane and found out that my dad has to start Chemo therapy for his cancer (lymphoma) right away. He had been in a holding pattern where treatment was not required for about 2 years. He has a check-up every 90 days (when I found out a few months ago that his next appointment just happened to be the day we were to fly out – I had a bad feeling he would get the news to start the dreaded treatments). I am so sad we are not there for this! Please pray for my dad to have few side effects (and some sunny Omaha days - he loves the sun more than anyone I know and actually keeps track of sunny vs. cloudy days on his calendar).

3. On our second layover in Amsterdam - Karl discovered they didn’t have any record of us being on the flight. That was fun. He wasn’t afraid to pull the “special needs kid” card. Emme got us on that flight. Speaking of Emme - unlike most babies - she didn't bother the other passengers with her crying. She did however surprise them a bit with her high-volume laughing - sometimes shockingly LOUD shrieks of laughter.

4. When we landed in Cape Town at midnight and were walking to our car – Jensen kept saying, “I’ve never seen this before! I’ve never seen this before!” You can say that again, Jensen.

Note on time change:
I wisely decided it would be a good idea to quit my job one week before we left. Essentially this translated to staying up till 4 am every night that last week to try to” get it all done.” So after a 24 hour flight (that allowed for a few hours of sleep here and there), we arrived at midnight, exhausted, and all got a full night of sleep. Miraculously – we’ve adjusted to the time change. Cape Town is 8 hours ahead of Omaha time (so noon in Omaha is 8 pm here).

As we move to Africa in 4 days, I’m excited...

To let our daughters experience growing up in another culture – they’ll realize that the world is bigger than Mama’s love of Gap matchy-matchy , Kraft macaroni and cheese (although I would argue that this heavenly delight of powdered, processed cheese should be revered by all cultures in all circumstances) , and soup in a can (it comes in a bag?)

To be obedient to what the Lord has called has called us to do – obedient to a call we have felt for 10 years now.

To live in community - sure it’s crazy to think about living in a house with 3-4 other families we haven’t met on a continent I’ve never been to – but more importantly I wonder how long it will it take them to notice …

· I am a chronic sentence-finisher (it’s unfortunate that I really do think you will feel more understood if I never let you finish a single thought independently)

· I like the temperature to be around 92 degrees (I use a floor heater even on the hottest of summer days)

· I spend the entire movie guessing potential plot-lines out loud (it’s amazing I have any friends at all)

To not be in the majority – half of our CPX training class will be made up of Africans (the other half is composed of people from all over the world) and only 9% South Africa's population is white.

To simplify – down to 2% of our former possessions – it’s good to de-clutter every aspect of our life. I can actually find something because I now know it exists (how many times have I purchased something, only to realize I already owned three?).

To embrace joy - when Karl visited Cap Town last summer, he was most struck by the joy of the African Christians. Just plain old joy. I want to embrace joy...instead of my annoyance in traffic, my rush to get there, my need to “check it off my list,” my gnawing feeling that that there is always too much to do with no time to do it. We have only one life. I want that life to be joyful.

Three Things I Wonder About Africa

#1 Are the sharks really that bad? Known as “Great White Shark capital of the world” I have to ask myself, “What are the chances that me and my bite-size daughters could walk more than 2 inches into the ocean without loosing a couple of limbs or vital organs?”

Just an FYI - if you're wondering which non-vital organs you could offer to a Great White (in hopes of luring it away from your so-called vital organs), that would be your spleen, eyes, and bladder. I may have to wait for a weak moment – when I’m no longer concerned about my immune system, ability to see, or preference to empty bodily fluids of my own volition.

#2 What are the possible benefits of driving on the left side of the road? I realize the Romans, with the first road system, drove on the left side of the road, and a few argue it’s safer (some nonsense about humans being mostly right-eye dominant). I thought I’d never say this…but I have to side with the French on this one…the right is just the natural order of the universe. And to make it more confusing – instead of saying the “left side” or the “right side" – they say the “nearside” and “offside.” WHAT? I barely know my rights and lefts as it is…


#3 What’s up with the baboons in the cars and kitchens? Yes…you heard that right. Cape Town has a monkey problem. Apparently they know how to open car doors, break into houses and raid a fridge. I’m not entirely confident in my kung-fu monkey fighting skills at 2 am in my jammies. See the news story: http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2009-11-24-baboons-south-africa_N.htm

My New Years Resolution - Kinda Like A Diet, But Not Really

So…I was getting dressed a few months ago and tried to put on my lucky pants.

The important point to note…is that I tried to put them on. If anyone ever starts a story with “trying” to put on a pair of pants – you know it can’t be good.

Most likely that person has been putting on pants for at least 20 or 30 some odd years. They should know how to do this. Clearly I do not.

It was immediately obvious to me that they had shrunk in the drier.

I thought…is it actually possible to shrink sweat pants and notice? Isn’t the main benefit the margin they allow? And it dawned on me…I had not washed those sweats in months. I began to slowly realize that there was the slightest, teeniest possibility that I had gained a few pounds. When you can’t fit into your sweat pants – things are looking very bleak.

For a moment I thought, “This is why people have New Years Resolutions! I’ll just stop eating!” I assume this could work very well – until I get hungry. And I get VERY hungry.

My friend Anne still tells the story of when we were back packing around Europe together, and I just HAD to have an entire rotisserie chicken, right there on the side walk – without any plates, napkins or utensils (apparently they don’t believe in these “extras” in Denmark). Just me and my rotisserie chicken. She’s still not over that one. It was unsightly, to say the least.

So back to my New Years Resolution Diet - I came up with an improved plan that included eating: just a burger (really, JUST the burger - not unlike that popular “all protein” diet which worked great for some of my friends.)

However, if you’ve ever tried it – you’ll quickly notice that plain burgers are quite, well, plain. So I decided I would just throw in the bun and call it my “protein and bun” diet (I never did understand why eating an entire T-bone steak and half a pig was better for you than a few tomatoes).

Now I was on a roll - I could "up the ante" with a WHEAT bun. After deciding to add the WHEAT bun…it became clear to me that the whole thing was going nowhere. I resolved then and there to throw in some cheese - low-fat cheese…that’s right… 1 %. Is there such a thing? There should be! I’m not going to go crazy with skim milk cheese or something insane like that. I don’t want to end up an anorexic. I considered going to diet-coke, just to cinch the deal…but decided against it. No point in taking things too far.

If it wasn’t for a little detail like moving to Africa in a month, I would seriously consider a gym membership. I could just picture it… after several weeks of no improvement…I’d realize that the membership was not good enough. I’d actually have to go.

So then I’d go, and be furious. The place would be packed. No place to park. I’d have to find some spot farrrrrrrrrr away from the front door. Which is very annoying…before my mile run – to have to park 22 spaces away from the door.

And once I finally got to the door – I’d realize my gym most likely would have a policy about showing a membership card (which I was destined to forget) and some other form of ID.

Which brings me to my main point - this bit about showing ID is ridiculous – don’t they say only 20% of people with gym memberships actually go? Do they really think with 80% of the people not going (and still paying for it)– that someone WITHOUT the membership is actually going to have the incentive to show up?

I dare that person. They could have my card. I’d switch to skim milk cheese.

Three Things I Said I’d Never Do (and Do)

#1. Own and proudly drive a mini van.

Yes, I am here to say boldly, “My name is Julie Ostrand and I drive a mini van.”

For years I said “Never, ever would I drive something so unashamedly predictable as a mini van.” I remember thinking in my college years, “It should not be legal for these Mini Van Stressed Out Moms to have daily access to that much horsepower. It simply isn’t safe for other drivers.”

Perhaps. But I have to say…I LOVE IT. The room, the convenience, the sliding doors. It’s great! And my mini van is not one of the newer-attempting-to–be-cooler models. Oh no…it’s hunter green, bought used, and nearly 10 years old. It’s perfect – and if Africa doesn’t work out – I am fully prepared to live out of my mini van till Jensen graduates. It’s that spectacular.

#2. Put my children in a ridiculous number of simultaneous activities.

I totally caved and am not the slightest bit proud of myself. I thought it would take till my daughter was at least 10 for me to be running around like a crazy person with Jensen’s activities – but at the tender age of three years old I had this child in gymnastics, dance and Kindermusik. What? Is that really necessary? Certainly not.

You would think I could conjure up some twirling, somersaulting singing-dancing-wonder moves at home….enough to impress a three year old…but clearly I lack some serious skills (and this is by no means a complete list of my skills deficit).

#3. Let my children wear anything with “characters.”

I am not a big fan of cartoon characters on clothing for my kids (it’s great for yours). Maybe an adult retro Popeye T-shirt is alright – but characters like Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, and Big Bird should stay far away from my daughter’s wardrobe.

Unfortunately, I seriously underestimated the Power of Princess. Princess, princess, princess. I admit, with some hesitation and not a little discomfort, that at this minute my daughter is enthusiastically wearing her princess jammies (complete with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White – with their knowing smiles, perfect cheekbones and strangely timeless outfits). She wants to wear it everywhere, all day, every day. I have no energy to fight the womanly wiles of Disney Princesses.


It's a moot point to mention that up until about a year ago - I said I'd never go to Africa. Ha! So if you think you'll never go to Africa...


On a side note, here are things I said I’d do but haven’t (yet): Learn another language, bake a cake (I refuse to bake a casserole under any circumstance), read Tolstoy, memorize the Constitution, visit every state, muster up the energy to count calories and exercise, check out books from the library (instead of buying them), be on time to everything, say no once in a while, ignore Double Stuff Oreos, etc.

Why I Love Omaha

I can’t believe we leave for Africa in 48 days!

Here are 5 things I will miss every single day about Omaha.

1. The Dodge Expressway: I know this is old news – but I have to say, there is still precious little that makes me happier than the Dodge Expressway. Even though 100 million dollars were spent to bypass one stop-light – I feel my life has seen vast improvements because of this.

2. Ice skating: My family plays hockey in the winter on Nebraska Lakes – Standing Bear being our favorite.

If you have little talent and can barely skate – consider yourself invited (we don’t like to include anyone that has any actual hockey skills).

3. All the fabulous places to eat:
- “Slice, salad, soda” lunch special at Zios
- “Spinach and artichoke dip” at Charlestons (of course!)
- “Smoked gouda soup” at Upstream
-“Chicken tacos” at California Taco
- “Los Alamos pasta” at Stokes

Someone may have to find a way to air mail me some “avocado egg rolls” from Kona.

4. Village Pointe: This summer Jensen loved our routine of sandwiches at Paradise, the Ferris wheel at Scheels (she was barely tall enough, depending on the shoes she wore and would wave wildly after every rotation), and ice cream at Cold Stone. I will try to expunge from my memory the time Jensen was sitting outside of Coldstone, happily spooning her sprinkle ice cream, while nonchalantly, and without any prior notification, peeing right through the mesh chair and onto the side walk (be careful which chair you choose there – last I checked the incriminating pee stain was still visible).


5. You: Every single one of you will be dearly missed. You each have touched us in a million different ways and our hearts are broken to leave this place we love, filled with people we adore.