In the heart of the magnificent landscapes and vibrant traditions of South Africa, Nhlokomo, a 14-year-old teenager, lives happily within a large loving family, surrounded by three sisters and four brothers. As he pursues his studies with passion, he already looks towards the future and has agreed to answer Toombow Kids’ questions to introduce our readers to his country. So without further ado, let’s hear from the hero of the day!
Toombow Kids: Hello Nhlokomo, how are you? Can you tell us about your typical day in South Africa?
Nhlokomo: Hello, I’m doing well. Thank you very much for the interview! I go to school, and on days when I don’t go to school, I either rest or help my father make bricks and sell them to people who buy them to build their houses.
Toombow Kids: Thank you for answering our questions! Do you like school?
Nhlokomo: Oh yes, I love the atmosphere! I enjoy studying. At school, we speak Zulu. In South Africa, it’s the most spoken of the 11 languages. I can speak Zulu and English.
Toombow Kids: It’s a great asset to be bilingual! To make us drool, can you share your favorite specialties?
Nhlokomo: I love amasi! It’s a very good dairy product. I also love inyama yenhloko, a specialty made with boiled meat, spices, and served with a kind of soup.
Toombow Kids: Very appetizing! Besides that, what games do you like to play in your free time?
Nhlokomo: There’s a traditional game called Mulabalaba that’s fun. The goal of the game is to strategically place your stones on a board to form lines of three stones of your own color while preventing the opponent from doing so. I also love playing soccer and being the forward! My favorite teams are Arsenal, Manchester City, Napoli, and my favorite player is Victor Osimhen. Besides that, I also play dodgeball and games on my phone.
Toombow Kids: That’s great, you do a lot of things! In your opinion, what are the most beautiful places in your country?
Nhlokomo: Oh… It’s very hard… There are so many! The village of Bunduz is beautiful, with very beautiful landscapes, you can swim, explore places on a quad bike, go hiking… Many tourists go there every year. And there are many other places like that!
Toombow Kids: It sounds beautiful! Tell us, what profession would you like to pursue later?
Nhlokomo: I want to work in civil engineering! I’ve always enjoyed building things since I was little, so one day my father gave me the idea of doing this job, and I thought he was right! I love this field, and I also want my father to be proud of me.
Toombow Kids: That’s a great goal, we wish you the best to achieve it! For you, what is the most important value that is transmitted to you in South Africa?
Nhlokomo: Hmm… I think it’s respect. If you want to greet someone older, you have to remove what you’re wearing on your head. Similarly, it’s forbidden to look at your phone while talking to your parents. Here, respect is very important.
Toombow Kids: Of course, we understand, and it should be in many other places too! We would like to know, what is the event or festival you prefer?
Nhlokomo: It’s the Color Run! It’s a several-kilometer race organized every year, and everyone can participate. What’s funny is that there are many people in the audience who throw colored powder at us while we run, and at the end when we reach the finish line, we’re covered in color. It’s very festive, and everyone is happy! I’ve been participating since I was 7 years old!
Toombow Kids: It sounds incredible! Finally, can you tell us in Zulu “thank you Baby Madison for taking us on a journey!”
Nhlokomo: Siyabonga Baby Madison, ngokusithathisa uhambo!
Toombow Kids: Thank you very much Nhlokomo for sharing your adventures with us! The entire Toombow Kids team says see you soon! And you other dear readers, we hope you feel like discovering South Africa!