Perhaps given my last post, this one may be ill-timed. Be that as it may, let me share with you one of the many things I find delightful about life here.
For those of you who have or have had school-age kids, you might especially appreciate this feature of South African life. At almost every late afternoon, evening school event there is wine. Before the school play, buy a glass of wine at the cash bar (serving also as a fundraiser for the school or PTA), and if you like take it into the auditorium with you. At the Back to School Parent Night, bring a bottle of wine, put it in the communal ice bucket and sip away as you listen to the headmistress talk about the coming year. Going to your son's waterpolo tournament, bring a cooler with a few bottles of wine and some glasses and share around. Now mind you, no one is getting drunk, or really even tipsy. We just sip away and enjoy the evening so much more.
My one disappointment is that they did not have wine at the parent-teacher night. Now wouldn't everyone have been so much more relaxed and found it so much more enjoyable if we could talk about our son with his teachers over a glass of wine?
Let me add, this feature only applies to events post 5:00pm. Prior to that, like at these endless cricket matches, the hosting school provides tea for the parents. A lovely table set up with china cups and saucers, perhaps a few cookies and serve yourself coffee or tea.
Since I can't bring the weather, I think I might figure out a way to at least bring this custom back to the states.
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