interesting...

Okay so a couple interesting things about Swaziland before I just take them forgranted. Warm milk with cereal (usually made with powder or straight from the cow. Grown men hold hands in public (seriously.) Couples don't usually touch each other in public. If you drop something, hurt yourself, fall on your ass, etc. you will hear a round of "ncesis" or "sorrys." The staple food here is call lipalishi or porridge which is basically grits only thicker. I'm not a fan. They also eat sour porridge and emasi (sour milk.) Boobs are no big deal here, you can pull 'em out whenever. The other day my Make started "breastfeeding" her newborn grandaughter as a joke. Church is very enthusiatic here, you will find people throwing themselves around, sobbing, praying outloud, laying hands on each other. Like Pentacostals gone wild. Everyone believes in withcraft, and I mean everyone. Some people think you can cure AIDS by sleeping with a virgin. Halls are considered candy here, and you see little kids running around and eating them. People beat their kids and their dogs. They think it's hilarious when I say we let the dog sleep inside. The price of a virgin bride is roughly seventeen cattle. Not a virgin? Let's negotiate. Families are real spread out here, you tend to find a husband will stay in one town and a wife in another, and they visit once a month or less. Maybe that's the ideal situation. They call me a giant. Respectable women don't drink here. In fact, drinking and smoking is fairly uncommon. But there are those that do, and I've seen my fair share of old guys holding 40s of castle on the bus, wasted, screaming "umlungu (white person), marry me." Swazis love to dance, and the singing is beautiful. The biggest tourist attraction is the maiden's reed dance where all the young girls go and collect reed and walk a long distance carrying them back to the king's city, all while wearing no shirts and verrrrry short skirts. At this ceremony, the king often picks one of the girls to be his new wife. Good times. I'll think of more later...XOXO.