Last year, I wrote a post called 24 Weird Things About South Africa… writes Phil Maloney who lived for a few years as a Canadian expat in SA. It exploded, with the original post going viral, and then subsequent reposts of it on other pages also going viral. There were, of course, several people who […]

When I first arrived in South Africa in September 2016, it became rapidly apparent that I wasn’t in Vancouver, Canada anymore… writes Phil Maloney. There were full grown men running around in two-toned shirts and unintentionally hilarious hot pants, twonk-turkeys scaring the bejoobers out of me (hadedas!) with their unholy yelling, and boerewors EVERYWHERE. Oh, and […]

Do you guys remember when a traffic official tried to get a bribe out of me? I do… writes Canadian expat living in South Africa, Phil Maloney. And I also wrote all about it here. To make a long story short, I got tired of being asked for bribes when I was on the road, […]

I’ve lived in South Africa for long enough to know that tourists have some pretty hilarious misconceptions when it comes to this country… writes Canadian expat Phil Maloney. While South Africa is certainly unique, there are a few things South Africans want foreigners to know about their country: 1) We don’t live in safari tents […]

It was Heritage Day here in South Africa, during which the many cultures showcase and celebrate their rich and diverse heritage. Or they just have a lekker braai and get super blootered, which I guess is about as South African as it gets. I’m not here to judge. But it’s also a day off work, […]

I’ve lived in South Africa for three years now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that while I love it here, I’ll never fully understand this place. Without further ado, here are 24 weird things about South Africa… writes Canadian expat, living in SA, Phil Maloney. 1. Bunny chows: There are no bunnies […]

Dear South Africans – many of you have had enough with the crime, corruption, and lack of opportunities you face every day… writes Canadian expat, living in SA, Phil Maloney. Nobody can fault you for wanting to leave. I’ve had several friends already pull the trigger, several more who are in the middle of planning […]

If you live in South Africa, you’re very familiar with the term “load shedding.” If you’re not from South Africa, you probably have no idea what load shedding is writes Canadian expat Phil Maloney. In a nutshell, load shedding occurs when Eskom, the government monopoly that provides the country with consistently intermittent power, decides to cut off […]

South Africa isn’t known for being, well, tame. All kinds of insanity (most of it entertaining, some of it simply terrifying) crashes into coddled North Americans like me on a daily basis. But even after two and a half years here, I’ve never felt like I’m in real danger… writes Canadian expat Phil Maloney. This is […]

I woke up the other day and realised we moved to South Africa just over two years ago… writes Phil Maloney from Canada. Two. Years. In dog years, I’ve been in South Africa longer than the Spice Girls were a band. It’s been all kinds of crazy and all kinds of wonderful (but mostly all kinds of crazy). […]

Quite some time ago, I promised that I’d write about ten things I love about South Africa before I’m allowed to whine and moan again… writes Phil Maloney. This series wouldn’t be complete without talking about natural beauty all over the dang place here. Everywhere I turn, I see stunning views that take my breath away. […]

I usually blog about life here in South Africa, but I’ve had roughly a kabillion Saffas contact me to ask what they can expect when they move from South Africa to Canada… writes Phil Maloney. I’m inherently very lazy by nature, so I’m writing this post simply so I don’t have to keep answering the […]

Canada, as everyone knows, is awesome… writes Phil Maloney from Maple and Marula. We invented all the best stuff in the world, like the internet, steak, clothes, and Beyonce. OK, like, maybe we didn’t INVENT all that stuff, but we HAVE it in Canada. And, to America’s constant surprise, we also have running water, electricity, and […]

In keeping with my promise to post 10 things I love about South Africa before I’m allowed to complain again, here’s number 5… writes Phil Maloney from Maple and Marula. One thing I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little kid was to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground, thus eliminating […]

I’m usually proud to be a Canadian…writes Phil Maloney. We ride polar bears to work, introduced the world to classy cuisine like poutine, eat cereal with maple syrup instead of milk (which you can buy in a bag, just the way God intended), drink reindeer flavoured slurpies, and play hockey, not soccer. Everything I just mentioned […]