Life in the township is surprisingly similar to the movie friday( although the music has changed some). Lil' Wayne, T.I. and other popular American hip hop artists blares through the streets, especially at night. I spent the first evening here walking from home to home with my "moma" visiting her friends and generally just enjoying a little of the night energy. children run sporadically amongst teenage groups of flirty boys and girls. young men in their twenties carefully select their path through the dominant matriarchs who not only nurtured them before they were "tough" but continue to be skeptical of their every move. People are friendly and loud. Mamas yell across the street and laugh heartily at every response.
Mama Khaya and I walked into an informal drinking place (during apartheid they were called shabeens and were very illegal) where we met middle aged men drinking heavily and joked with me about why a white kid was in the township.
My friend Maureen is also staying with a family just around the block and for a minute my moma and I chatted with her and her hosts.
I spent the afternoon hanging out with my two host brothers. One 25 the other 24. we spoke about music and the deficiencies of new hip hop artists especially Lil' Wayne as well as the upcoming U.S. election and the merit s of Barack Obama. The boys were mildly interested in me but were in every way kind and repeatedly assured me that I would grow to feel more comfortable communicating and living in Langa. It is going to be great having those guys around to give me a different perspective of the township than Mama.
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