First Impressions of Gauteng Province in South Africa

I arrived in ORTambo Airport near Johannesburg on March 5, 2015. As I am writing this blog I have been in the Pretoria & Johannesburg areas in South Africa in the Gauteng Province for 7 days now.  Prior to arriving in South Africa the only 2 cities I have heard of are Johannesburg and Cape Town. Since then I have learned from the South African couchsurfers that I have stayed at that South  Africa is really a huge country divided into 9 provinces.

Here are my first impressions of South Africa of Gauteng, South Africa

South Africans are nice and helpful

The White and Black South Africans are nice and helpful like most of the people I have met all over the world. They are not as friendly as the Thais who will do the namaste  gesture each time they meet you even people on the streets. But I must say that South Africans are willing to help in giving directions and all the people I met spoke English, it made asking for directions much easier than in China and South Korea. 

Asians are Definitely a Minority in South Africa

South Africa is a country known for it's contrast - black & white, old and new so it was not a surprise that Southeast Asians are not seen walking around the city. In my seven days in South Africa I have seen 6 Asians - Vietnamese and Chinese but no Filipinos so far. No wonder there were some people who called me "China" because all asians are Chinese. I have also seen some Indians in the Pretoria & Johanesburg areas. My couchsurfing South African hosts said that in a city called Durban in South Africa is the province with the most Indians. 

Different types of transportation for the White and Black South Africans

I have noticed that there is a significant difference on how black and white South Africans travel and explore this city. The shared taxi minivans ( like jeepney in Philippines) are only used by Black Africans & myself (hahaha), I have not seen a white South African in any of the minivan taxis I have riden. There are avout 13-15 passengers that can fit in the minivan taxis.   The White South Africans are using Gautrain (subway system) or/and driving their own cars. In South Africa, they drive on the "wrong side" of the road, I mean the driver is on the right side like in Australia and UK but the opposite from USA. 

The Type of Job Based on Color of Your Skin

 I have noticed that all blue collar jobs like bus drivers, waiters, cashiers, gardeners, construction workers, housemaids are all Black Africans. I have not seen any white South African do any of these blue collar jobs. However, I have seen black South Africans who worked as teachers, nurses, enterprenuers. Seeing this sitution of the job market in South Africa gave me a glimpse of how it might have been in the USA in the 1940's - 1960's. 

English is the Primary Language

South Africans can speak English which makes communicating with them so much easier. Of course, many other dialects are spoken in South Africa like Afrikaans. I have also learned some "South African English words" like "Braiil (barbequing), "Robot" (traffic light) & "Bokkie" (pick-up truck).