Baby Shower

I went to a baby shower last night with one of the nurses who is my age. I couldn’t understand most of the group discussion, but even when people are speaking fully in Setswana or Ikalanga, enough English words, phrases, and numbers are scattered through the conversation that it’s often possible to grasp the context of the conversation, if not the exact statements. Last night, a big debate ensued that included the words “35” and “37” as well as “Mr. Right,” and “Mr. Left!” Yup, as I confirmed later, it was that famous discussion of whether you should go ahead and have a baby at 35 (or 37) if you haven’t met Mr. Right (and only Mr. Left!). Seems that if you put a big group of women in their 20s and 30s together anywhere in the world, discussion quickly turns to similar themes!

Anyway, it was all quite funny. All of the presents had to be wrapped in nappies (diapers), we had to bring a bar of soap as the code to get in (as best I could understand!), and people who didn’t follow that or other rules were “punished” by having to get up and dance (as much as possible among the 25 or so women packed into a room that couldn’t have been more than 20x20). The mother-to-be was absolutely covered in pink and blue makeup, which I’m assuming was some sort of party game before we arrived. In her prayer at the end (in English, probably partly for my benefit), she thanked God for giving her friends jobs so they could all buy her presents! Then we all went outside and, of course, had a braai (barbecue) and pap. Our Saturday night music was in direct competition with the evening church singing at the house next door. As soon as it came out that I was from the U.S., a bunch of the women (surprise!) wanted to set me up with their brothers. Aw, shucks, I gotta go back to Gabs next week!