Q&A with Sean Quirk discussion

I've always lived in St. Louis, so I wouldn't even begin to know what Africa is like. . .how would you describe it to someone like me who knows nothing about it?

Well, it's two extremes... We have big modern cities just like here, and on the other hand you're in Africa where tribal cultures and traditions (and superstitions) remain prevalent.
I, for instance, have very good, highly educated friends, who swear they've seen witch-doctors (sangomas) flying around on loaves of bread... Apparently it has something to do with the yeast.
Oh, and there's that whole living in a place where there are thousands of animals and insects that can kill you...: )

It sounds scary and fascinating at the same time. Not sure what I'd do if I saw a witch-doctor flying around, though. I have enough nightmares as it is!

Sean wrote: "Well, it's two extremes... We have big modern cities just like here, and on the other hand you're in Africa where tribal cultures and traditions (and superstitions) remain prevalent.
I, for insta..."

Hi Sean, That sounds like a good description but I have never been there. My favorite book about it is Out of Africa. My son told me about flying over a runway in order to clear the monkeys and zebras off before he landed. I got a big kick out of that. He got me some cool cups from there. When did you leave?
I loathe most insects but live where there are mountain lions, bears and maybe even sasquatch! ;-) (per the locals)

Beth, I suffer from nightmares too.
Alice

"My son told me about flying over a runway in order to clear the monkeys and zebras off before he landed."

That sounds about right lol. And don't even get me started on the monkeys! They steal everything! As for the insects...you should try leaving your window open and the light on in your house at night. Seriously, you'll walk right back into a scene from Jumanji!

Well I'm also from South Africa born in Durban but lived most of my life in Johannesburg, Greenside and I went to Emmerentia Primary but now live in Saudi Arabia due to my dads business, although i visit during holidays because my family and relatives s till live there I really mis it but I have made alot of friends.

Now I go to JPG(Jeddah Prep and Grammar School) which most of the teachers are South African, 75% of the P.e teachers are South Africa.

Jameelah wrote: "Now I go to JPG(Jeddah Prep and Grammar School) which most of the teachers are South African, 75% of the P.e teachers are South Africa."

Hi Jameelah,

My mom lives in JHB, she loves it there. How often do you get back?

Alice wrote: "Sean wrote: "Well, it's two extremes... We have big modern cities just like here, and on the other hand you're in Africa where tribal cultures and traditions (and superstitions) remain prevalent.
..."

Do you know anyone who has seen a Sasquatch? Have you?

No, not me. I only had black helicopters fly right up to my window in NM and turn their "high-beams" on me which scared me enough. It was around four am and hubby had just left TDY.


Welcome Jameelah, so glad you joined us here.

Alice wrote: "No, not me. I only had black helicopters fly right up to my window in NM and turn their "high-beams" on me which scared me enough. It was around four am and hubby had just left TDY.

I had a frie..."

Black helicopters....yikes.
I'm going to look that sightning (sasquatch) up.

Sean wrote: "Jameelah wrote: "Now I go to JPG(Jeddah Prep and Grammar School) which most of the teachers are South African, 75% of the P.e teachers are South Africa."

Hi Jameelah,

My mom lives in JHB, she lov..."

Hi Sean,
I go back to SA 2 times ayear may be 3

I hope you find it. I read about it 3 or 4 years ago when my hubby carried home a xerox on it that was being passed around at work for some reason.

You know those black helicopters don't exist? It must have been a nightmare. ;-) My neighbor thought she could flag one down so her daughter could have a ride.
LOL! Last night I had to get up around three am as The Ghost and The Darkness were after me....nightmares as usual. Did you ever see that movie about the two African lions?

I grew up on that story. Just as a matter of interest (this part you may know) it is a true story and the pair of lions are on display in Chicago, and (this part you may not know), Michael Douglas' character never existed. He was added in by the movie producers to spruce it up. Val Kilmer's character actually killed the lions...

I did not know they were on display in Chicago but only that it was a true story. Those lions seemed to be diabolically brilliant. That must have been very frightening growing up on that story. We have lions here but mountain lions are totally different creatures. However, one did get a high school student in Boulder who was jogging and running in an odd manner in order to be funny. The lion saw him as injured prey.

Thanks for sharing that info as I did not know those things.

There was a similar incident here in California where a mountain lion attacked a jogger. She was mauled pretty badly but survived.

The Ghost and the Darkness are stuffed and on display in the Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and yes, they were diabolically brilliant and evil.
Lions are thoroughly scary animals. I've seen them up close and it's a little disconcerting being looked at like food!

I am sure I would be terrified to even see them stuffed. I remember one in CA where the friend would not let go of her friend's foot. The mountain lion had the friend's head in its mouth and was trying to drag her away. What courage to hang on and fight back. She won over the mountain lion. I think someone else came along and helped too. I just got a horrifying link from a friend with MCS. I have this illness but not to this extent. Its a real eye opener as to what can happen.
Avoid toxic chemicals.

Here is the link to the photo essay on canaries, "Everything Makes Them Ill" in the NY Times - Photographs by Thilde Jensen:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/20...

I live in Pretoria which is around 65kms from Johannesburg. I grew up in Cape Town though, cannot beat it for any other city in the world. I wish I could go back but life demands that we live here for now. I'm mostly English but live in a Dutch community where my kids are growing up in the Dutch culture. By Dutch I mean Afrikaans, the descendants of the Dutch colonizers. I stick out like a sore thumb because I grew up in a much more liberal part of the country, and I grew up under the mantle of Apartheid. My sense of humour, the books I read and the music I listen to as well as the morals and ethics I am teaching my children makes us stick out as a family.

We live near a few wildlife parks, where we actually were attacked once by a lion. A very pissed off female. No one was hurt except maybe for the lioness's head.

There are parts of this continent that I would never set foot in and there are parts that I would go to die on. Africa creeps into one's soul and once it has a hold of you it never lets go.

Thanks Claudine for all this excellent info. I know so little. I was interested in the Dutch there as somewhere I read they have a genetic disease like the one King George had and I cannot think of the name of it right now. I have environmental illness which is somewhat similar. We had a girl in South Africa on our list who explained so much. A book I read about it is called Purple Secret.

I was in a wildlife park near Fort Worth Texas and the car quit so the lions were very interested in us but we did not get out no matter how hot it was. Did you have to throw something at the lioness?

I read that Africa could creep into one's soul in Out of Africa which is a book I love. I live in Colorado as I love mountains. We just went leaf peeping for the fall color and I am still dazzled. It was unearthly.

Purple Secret: Genes, 'Madness' and the Royal Houses of Europe

Out of Africa

Bedazzled: Stephenie Meyer and the Twilight Phenomenon

Alice, we were on a viewing platform above a grouping of three. She crept in under the platform which was about 3m above her head and jumped up, bashing her head against the wooden viewing platform. My son and a few of the other kids in the group were crouched on the floor watching her all the time through the wooden slats. I have a blog about life here, this is the post on the lioness. I like telling people we were attacked, gets the conversation going! Here's the blog post with photos of the lioness.

http://lifeandstuffclaudine.blogspot....

I've heard of porphyria but not that there is a genetic link to Dutch descendents.

Hi Claudine,

Welcome!

That's quite a jump, and nothing but boards between the two of you. Scary.

I know a guy who threww himself through a closed Land Rover window when a female with cubs charged at him. Keep in mind this one of the older Land Rovers (thick windows), and he was standing right next to the car!

I'd probably also jump through a closed car window if a lioness with cubs charged at me. We were in the Kruger last June. Seeing them play with their cubs is wonderful. They are without a doubt the most amazing animals.

He was a German guy who was on the roof taking pictures, and he actually jumped off AFTER she began her charge then couldn't open the door. He literally had just seconds until she got to him. Adrenaline fueled panic saved his life.
They are absolutely amazing. Especially when you see the elaborate ambushes they set up.
I'm with you on the won't set foot in certain parts of Africa and going to live and die in others. Africa is a special place. I miss it a lot.
Think you'll go back to Cape Town at some point?

If the job situation changes, absolutely. Or if we win the lottery, whichever comes first :). There's still a huge discrepancy between what you are paid in Joburg and Cape Town for certain job fields. Which is why we made the trek here. All reasons why I want to go back - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacquesv...

There's no other place like it on earth.

Sean wrote: "Well, it's two extremes... We have big modern cities just like here, and on the other hand you're in Africa where tribal cultures and traditions (and superstitions) remain prevalent.
I, for insta..."

when i lived in south africa i too saw a witch doctor, but i didnt see one flying on loaf breads :) the one i saw was wearing a pointed green shoes i think made out of leaves or something, and he was dressed in a suit! and he had a cane in his hands, and i asked him myself if he was a witch doctor and he was like "cant u see?"! but lots of people dont believe in these things, but if u live in Africa u start seeing things :D

Ok, you guys are making my life here in Missouri seem really boring! lol Wow. Witch doctors and lions charging you. . .maybe I'm better off without all the excitement; I'm to big a chicken. I think I'll just head over to Claudine's links and enjoy the beauty of Africa that way:)

You don't have to go to Africa to believe those things. You can get all that right in New Mexico where I lived for 4 years. I saw and heard very strange things there and got some healing I could never get in Texas where they are boringly traditional for the most part.

I do believe there are simply tons of things that medical science does NOT know about as they are too narrow minded and worshipping science. I even learned very unusual things in Los Alamos and those people have very high IQs and I doubt there is anyone stupid living there!

I am also a big chicken Beth and very cautious.

Claudine wrote: "Alice, we were on a viewing platform above a grouping of three. She crept in under the platform which was about 3m above her head and jumped up, bashing her head against the wooden viewing platfor..."

Oh, Claudine..it was fantastic seeing that, thanks so much for that link. If I remember right The Ghost and The Darkness went right into something like that simply knocking it out. Good thing those boards were strong. When I was about 12 I enjoyed reading Born Free but now I am very much afraid of lions.

Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds

Claudine wrote: "If the job situation changes, absolutely. Or if we win the lottery, whichever comes first :). There's still a huge discrepancy between what you are paid in Joburg and Cape Town for certain job fi..."

I enjoyed your pictures at Flickr. Thanks once again for the link.
Alice