T.I.A.

TIA is a term my friends and I coined (okay so technically WE didn't coin it, the movie Blood Diamond did) and use almost on a day-to-day basis. I thought I'd explain this phrase as I might mention it in my future posts.  

TIA stands for "This is Africa" and we use it as an adjective to describe certain things (funny/odd/very characteristic of Africa) that happen to us here in SA.  

A few examples...

Scenario: The only mirror in our room is actually a shard of glass that you have to lean sideways to look at-- makes for an interesting hair-drying experience.

Use of phrase: "This mirror is so TIA"

Scenario: We are riding a mini-bus (more on that later) and everyone is packed in like sardines (I actually had a nice older gentleman seated on my lap).  Also, the mini bus is missing floor in one section.  It is covered by cardboard. (Hey, at least it prevents us from traveling Flintstone-style)

Use of phrase: "This mini-bus... TIA"

Other TIA experiences: the class registration process, the fact that a young man offered a his goat in exchange for Chee's hand in marriage (OK so this happened on a separate trip to Africa she took last year, but still VERY TIA) and also that the shower pressure in our bathroom has two settings: trickling, rain-like water and sword-stabbing pressure I would associate with getting repeated knife wounds to the back.

GOOD NEWS: my sunburn has subsided! My skin is now peeling off everywhere... attractive.