Kota (No literal translation in English... But it's basically a hefty chunk of food regardless of the language)

As one of the first things I had a chance to experience upon my arrival in South Africa, the word “kota” has a special meaning for this week. It is one of the first of many uniquely South African foods that will probably become a staple in my diet, and it led me to an interesting situation last week. But first, I’ll explain all that I know about kota at this point (because I’m still not entirely sure of what it consists of). From what I can tell, the main ingredients of Kota include potato, arhcar, fries, polony and a huge chunk of bread. Some of the added ingredients that I’ve had with it are eggs, cheese, a hot dog (also called a Vienna) and special. You might be wondering what I mean by ‘special,’ right? To be honest, I wish I knew. Despite multiple attempts to find out, no one is able to describe it… but that’s what they list as an ingredient.

Last week, while going to get kota for lunch with a few GRS coaches I ended up giving an impromptu Spanish lesson. This may seem silly, especially since I’m not even fluent in Spanish, but I figured I might as well roll with it since I can at least carry a conversation in Spanish. As I stood at the Kota stand with one of the other GRS coaches, named Brown, still dazed and confused by what the cook behind the counter was saying to me, I felt like it was about time to get some guidance on how to speak Zulu. I asked the coach if she could teach me a little Zulu, and there began my first language lesson in Zulu. All the other customers surrounding us seemed both intrigued and mildly amused by what was taking place at this kota stand. At one point I asked how many languages Brown knew, and she responded by rattling off about 6 different languages. She informed me that most people are able to speak multiple languages and the reason being that there are so many different ethnic backgrounds all living in close contact throughout Johannesburg that most people end up picking up at least a few from a very young age. Needless to say I was impressed.  

In return, she asked me if I spoke any other languages and although I couldn’t compete with her 6 other languages, I mentioned that I could speak a little Spanish. Back at home this doesn’t seem like anything too special since it’s so common for people to know a little Spanish, but Brown was excited to learn this language that very few people in this area have even heard before. So, we begin with the basics: “Hi” – “Hola” and “How are you?” – “Cómo estás,” and so on. The next thing I know, I have two or three other guys listening in and asking how to say certain things in Spanish.

People often say that the best way to learn about a culture is by eating the food. Yet at this particular instance, I basically got a two for one special – a little bit of culture and the language just by going to get some Kota. I was both pleased and surprised by how easy it was to break down cultural barriers and how often people are willing to learn and be open to learning about other people and cultures. Maybe the people I happened to be talking to were more open than others because they rarely met anyone from the United States or because they never met anyone who could speak Spanish, but those few interactions alone left me in a good state of mind as we got back into the car to return to the Nike Center that day. I was bid adieu with an enthusiastic “Adios Amigos” from one of the people waiting for kota, and regardless of whether or not they remember a single word that I said in Spanish, that cross-cultural interaction alone was enough of a reward.

Nike Training Center in Soweto (Location of GRS offices)

Also, we moved! This is the old intern house that we lived in for the first 2 weeks in SA. Pics of the new spot coming soon...

More stories on the way!

Peace

Also, if you want to check out more about Grassroot Soccer and the work they do around the world, check out: www.GrassrootSoccer.org.