my problems seem small in comparison

Pierre picked me up at 2, and we retraced our route back to Johannesburg, where it was raining and rather gloomy. Along the way he talked about the things we came across.

The houses in the villages were a mix: some stucco, or masonry houses and some metal sided structures that looked more like sheds. Some of the metal buildings were new since his last trip just a couple of weeks ago, and most had no power, water source or plumbing. These he attributed to new allotments having been made. He said that the level of services and infrastructure varies from village to village.

I asked about unemployment and he said the official rate is around 25%, but the real rate is much higher, around 40%, because the government's percentage does not include those who have given up looking. He talked about the high growth rate in population, in part due to an influx from neighboring countries. Seems like the government has its hands quite full.

Pierre used to work in television, as an executive in marketing, I believe. After the end of apartheid, the new owners laid off a large number of the staff, including him. Sounded like he took a couple of years to get his life back together, but he was quite circumspect about it, and I didn't feel I could ask more about it.

He has never traveled off the continent, nor does he exhibit any interest in doing so. He never reciprocated with any interest whatsoever in my country or surroundings, which is unusual. I think it is because he just doesn't care about what is not South African. He was born here, and clearly loves it.

Given the choice of walking in the rain and dark for dinner, or staying in and eating a packet of peanuts and raisins, the latter won out. Having misplaced my rain jacket someplace in Istanbul makes the decision easier.